[5] Marina Stefanoni (USA) 3-0 Ruqayya Salem (EGY) 15-13, 11-7, 11-7 (39m)
Marina : I was down 10/6 in the first game and I had to play the way I want to play, hitting the corners, get it really deep, going to the front short, not leaving anything across the middle, because she is deadly across the middle. She was tense, and the points came easy for me.
And when I took that game, she lost her head, started pushing, starting stepping on my feet. I never have interference in my matches, and I hit the floor, 4 or 5 times, really it was unfortunate that she tried resorting to that, but I was happy to get through in three. I tried and played my clean squash, it’s hard to deal with things, sometimes, but it was good having that test.
As you are saying that, I realise that I’m now in the big event, it feels like it’s its own tournament, such hard players to play against, pretty cut throats, I’m glad I have a day off, and a chance at the main draw. Since I’ve graduated school, I have been around 50 to 60, so I haven’t gone into those Platinum events. This is the first time, I’m very excited to be with the other players.
