[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-0 [1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (37m)
We can only salute both Nour and Nouran for their determination tonight. Nour is not 100% with her knee, which is making her physical training a bit of a challenge, and the pain is there, on a constant basis. As for Nouran, she reminded me a bit of Ramy, bless her, when we won in 2012 in Qatar, I nicknamed him Mummy Ramy, he was bandaged from everywhere. Well, Nouran, same difference! Ankle and leg… As she said in her speech, she was hoping to give a better challenge to Nour but she truly went beyond duty tonight.
A good start in the first game for Nour, 3/0, 4/1, Nouran finds her power, 4/4, but Nour goes ahead again, 7/4, 9/6. Huge rallies at the end of the game, at 8/9, it’s all possible, still, a lovely counterdrop of Nour, 10/8 game ball, Nouran finds a kill backhand to save the first game ball but it’s still Sherbini 11/9 in 12m.
Second game, exactly the same score, 3/0, 4/1 for Nour, again Nouran claws back, not as sharp or powerful as normal I found, but if you can’t push on your feet, it makes the hitting a bit weaker. Still, 6/6, 7/8, 9/9, game ball Nour again, 10/9. The first error of the match for Nouran at that point, a bit unsettled with the drone whizzing on top of the court, quick rally, 11/9, in 13m. Between the first and second game, both girl made only 1 error. High quality squash….
Down 2/0 is just a bit too far of a bridge for the World number 1, and making a few uncharacteristic errors, she goes down 6/0; 7/2, 8/3, 9/4, 11/6, in 9m… Hail the New World Number One….
Nouran
I was hoping to have a harder match, but the conditions were not the best. I am very proud with the way I dealt with it. I just want to say congratulations to Nour, it’s part of the game, it doesn’t take anything away from her, she definitely deserves the win!
From my side, I’m just very glad to be back,
I want to thank the PSA, and of course CIB my main sponsor. You guys are amazing, without you, you are always supporting our sport, and without you, squash wouldn’t be what it is today. Thanks every so much for your support.
I’m just super happy to play here, in Egypt, in front of the Pyramids, in front of my family, the people I loved the most, my dad, my mum, my brothers.. I’m just super happy, super luck, super grateful to be able to compete again.
My team, definitely, Omar Abdel Aziz, and my fitness coach Hossam Shaddad, we have gone through some tough times together, and I’m sorry to say we’ll have probably more tough times sometimes, but thanks for sticking with me and supporting me always.
Thanks the crowd for coming, it’s been a tough times for all of us and having you here watching us, supporting us, it means the world to us, and I can’t wait to be back next year Insha’Allah…
Nour
“It is unbelievable. Of course, just playing here in front of the Pyramids is very big for me. I always love to play here, so I am, of course, over the moon to come and win here for the second time. It is an unbelievable feeling for me!
“Every game was important. The first two were close and could have gone either way. I am really glad I was able to win both the first and second and it made a huge difference to the match. I had to tell myself to keep going because Nouran is playing unbelievably, and even tough she was injured, she beat many top players on her way to the final, but I am thrilled to win this match.
“Coming here and supporting us made a huge difference. I hope all the Egyptians are happy with this support, and with this crowd, they make every event special and we all want to win in front of them.”
