Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-1 Rachel Arnold (MAS) 11-3, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3 (32m)
In the women’s event, USA’s Sobhy ended her long injury exile with a deserved 3-1 win over Malaysia’s Rachel Arnold. Sobhy, who has been away for almost nine months after rupturing her Achilles in the Hong Kong Open final last season.
The 31-year-old made a rapid start today, dominating the opening game against Arnold with an 11-3 win. Arnold struck back with an 11-5 win in game two to draw level, but could not deal with Sobhy’s increased intensity after that, with the American – who prior to her injury had reach World No.3 – putting the contest to bed with an 11-5 win of her own and then an 11-3 to wrap up.
"I'm here, I got myself here!" 😊@itssobhytime on her return to professional matchplay following a nine-month injury break 👇#EgyptianOpen pic.twitter.com/gYAE1DPzsU
— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) August 31, 2024
Amanda
To sum it up it was a lot of hard work over a nine-month period!
Basically it’s almost nine months and it’s just like different levels of hard between the rehab the training like getting myself back then competing
I’m just so grateful to be back here and what I wanted to do was just enjoy the fact that I’m here, I got myself here with the help of like my amazing team, and to be grateful that I have a healthy body I can compete again and try to enjoy it and I tried as much as I could to just have that as my mindset I want to compete and get match practice in because that’s what I’m lacking.
That’s why I’m playing at this event and not going straight into Paris.
Originally, the goal was to just come back for Paris, but I needed a tournament to kind of prep myself for Paris, and I was like, ‘You know what, I’m ready’ I’ve just got to go out there and compete, and that’s what I’m doing. And I’m just taking it one match at a time, and regardless of the result, I’m staying a few extra days just to keep getting matches in, so I’m keen. I just want to play.
