R2: Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-2 [4] Nele Gilis (BEL)

Sana : In Hong Kong I played her, I was one up but I couldn’t continue I felt tired. My fitness was not good, I wasn’t fit enough against Nele.

She’s the top player, She is really fit, she gets ever shot back. Actually, when I heard that I had her in this tournament, actually I prepared myself that I was going to win this match, and I needed to win this match.

And I feel that I’m really ready to play with this kind of players; I feel confident. When I played her and I lost, I told myself I never deserved to win against her because she works really hard, and I wasn’t working as hard before. But I made up my mind, I was in my home, in my country, and I made up my mind that I’m going to win this match .

To be honest, I never thought that I would lose today.

Even when I was I was down  5 points in the 5th, I told myself that I was going to win this game, that I was not losing today.

I kept having flashbacks from Hong Kong, but I told myself just play. And I started to go for shots, I counterdropped, I don’t think she was expecting it, and she was surprised. I won point after point, until I got to match ball. That’s when I got nervous.

You know that moment you realise you are going actually to win the match. And I lost that match ball. I kept telling myself not play hit the tin, but I thought I might lose that game, and that is was ok. And I think that’s why I won…

I got so emotional after I won this match because Nele is really a tough player. Even if you are playing your best squash, that’s not enough, you have to be fit against her because she’s really fast to play.

I changed a lot in my physical preparation, I changed everything actually because my dad is in the US now, so now, I’m only working with Captain Sergany and Ahmed Shetata, Ahmed Hosni he’s my head coach, and I changed my fitness coach as well, Cassiano Costa.

They all work as a team I work hard physically I work hard in my nutrition I changed my nutrition. I was injured and couldn’t play for 2 months, so I only started training with my team for a month.

I’m really happy to get through, I work hard, I’m playing more squash; I have a schedule, every week I know all the week ,I’m playing with a lot of players all the boys and girls. I need to be physically a top player if I want to beat them, I need to be one of them.