[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0 [5] Gina Kennedy (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10 (41m)
0 decision the whole match.
How incredible is that. I was looking through my notes, and couldn’t find a single let… I asked for confirmation to the central ref, Alex Hewiston, who confirmed. He did a great job now, didn’t he….
Joke apart. This was not an easy match for Hania. If there is a player you don’t want to play on a warm (boiling) court, Gina is. She is extremely athletic, determined, and never says die. Same than Hania actually.
I’m sure Hania was pretty grateful that it took the English a whole game to get used to the glass court – she played all her matches on the traditional courts – and made 7 completely uncharacteristic errors.
In a sublime pink/violet outfit, with matching socks if you please, the Gazelle was as focused as you can be. She visibly enjoys playing with Fair Gina, and not a pipe, not a chat, not getting stressed or annoyed, and it was such a lovely match to watch. Nice to see Hania enjoying her squash again.
The more the match advanced, the more you could see Gina taking more possession of the court. In the second, she was 6/3, 9/5 down, but still saved 4 game balls, from 10/6, only to bow 11-9.
And I’m pretty sure that Hania would have been relieved when she clinched the third. Like in the previous game, the Egyptian was in charge, 4/1, but caught up levelled, 5/5, up again, 8/5, 9/6, only to see the English levelling again; 9/9!
One match ball saved with the lovely boast from Gina that dies in the front, 10/10. But again, two uncharacteristic errors from the English racquet, and it’s 12/10.
Strangely enough, the three games, although with different scores, lasted 12m…
Gina :
Yes, 0 decisions....
It's tough out there. We are both of us good movers, that's why there are no interference, we are both fair, we call our double bounces, we call our out of courts. And that's the way it should be.
Honestly, I really enjoyed playing Hania. I've never beaten her before and I knew it was going to be extremely tough to beat here here in these outdoors conditions for the first time.
So I just wanted to keep chipping away and keep figuring out tactics against her. She is obviously so hard to break down. When you get an opportunity, you need to take it in, to try and create something. She is reading me very well, her length is impressive.
I'm happy as I figured it out more as it went on but she was always a couple of points ahead of me, so it was hard to catch up.
It felt quite flat neither of us was screaming or whatever, well there is not many people here, so it felt like... it's a great event, it's just so hard to play your best in those conditions. I do find it hard. But what can you do, you've got to figure it out.
She played really well, and I'm excited to see how she does the rest of the event.
Hania : “It’s always tough playing against Gina, we’re both physical players and playing in the heat outside is tricky for both of us. Whoever gets the length better is the one finishing the rally more and attacking more.
