Torrie Malik (Eng) 3-1 Nardine Garas (Egy) 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (37m)
Nardine is a good player. I’d never played her in PSA before, and playing her in PSA is very different from just matches with her when you come to Egypt and you train.
It was good. I thought I played well, it was quite physical, the rallies were quite long.
I kept telling myself keep a good length so I can get in front of her and putting it in short.
But it was a hard match, I’m glad I played well, considering my last match at the Nash Open, where I didn’t perform the way I wanted to. So I came here and I performed the way I wanted to, glad to be in the second round.
I was up 6/2 in the first, then I lost it, and again in the last game, I was up 6/2, and I let her back in a bit, but then obviously run away with it, 11/7.
I think it’s because I could see the finishing line, especially in that last game. I was excited to get that game under my belt, but then having that lead in that last game, you want to make sure you stay ahead but it’s nervewreaking because you can feel the win, the finishing line.
So you just had to stay put, back to length, and getting in front of her again.
