[1] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-1 [10] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (47m)
Oh it was so nice to see the Phoenix raising again… I enjoyed so much seeing the American finding those winners from anywhere in the court, surprising Hania, making her change direction again and again, disrupting the Gazelle usual smooth movement.
Hania was struggling from the middle of the second game. She was cruising 5/0, only to see Amanda, smooth and steady, score the next 6 points. And if the Egyptian managed to finally close the game 11/7 in 10m, the mental damage was done: Amanda knew she was in there.
And in there, she was. Forcing errors out of Hania, Mandy led the rest of the game, always 2 to 3 points ahead even if Hania seemed to claw up, up to 10/7, game ball. The Egyptian, strong and focused, didn’t panic as her opponent was saving 2 game balls, and finally took the 3rd, 11/9 in 11m.
The 4th was nailbiting. Close the whole way up to 9/9, with a ridiculous rally at 6/6, clinched by Amanda. But just a couple of errors from the American, one at 9/8, and the last one on match ball, 10/9, as she went for winners from the back. Right shots to play though… Great, great match…
🎙️ "The speed is RIDICULOUS!" 🤯
How did Hania El Hammamy win this point?!?
đź“ş @SquashTV pic.twitter.com/EK9BfEFcrW
— PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) October 12, 2026
But once I got in it, I actually felt like I was in it. I felt good physically, and I felt I was finally reading the ball well. I was able to step up. I was so far behind for the first game and a half then I just told myself to be in the arena.
Those last two points, I’ve been making them, but they just clipped the top of the tin. I’d rather go for shots I know I’m capable of and miss than be passive. I think it’s just a little more belief that I can do it. I’m in the arena, I’m in it. And I haven’t felt good at all this week, so I didn’t know what to expect.
But I told myself, I know how to play squash. I just need to figure it out: once I can see the ball and get going, I’ll get it. But it has to happen before it’s three-love!
So I was very happy to win the third, be in it in the fourth and get stuck in. Now it’s about that belief, knowing I can do it, rather than thinking, “Oh my God, is this happening?” and then switching off for a second and losing it.
The movement and the grit, being able to get shots back. That’s what I have to do against the top girls. I’m not going to beat them physically, but I know that if I can use my tactics and control the game, I can hang in there physically.
That’s the good thing: when I don’t feel good physically, I still know how to play squash. And I haven’t felt good physically, I’ve been kind of sick, everything. But then I got in and I thought, “Oh, I’m okay, figure it out.” I just kept saying, be in the arena, be in the arena, be in the arena. And then you get in it, and you’re there…
“Obviously whenever I lost it, it was tough. It was very tight in the fourth and I’m glad I sneaked it and got the win. “Different venue, different conditions, different court, so I’ll definitely have to have a hit on the glass court by the Pyramids before that match. Hopefully I can deal well with it.” 
