[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Diego Elias (PER) 3-0 Scores: 11-9, 11-3, 11-9 (49m)
Fram’s thoughts
A few months ago, I asked Ali was motivated him to keep pushing as he won everything on the planet. His reply still makes me smile, “losing last week!” He came on court today with fire in his belly, fire that got extinguished in the Worlds (him and Nour, too many matches, too much pressure).
The fire was burning strong I tell you that.
Ali is at his best when he doesn’t play OK Corall shooting, but when he is imposing his mid-pace, controlled rallies, him being at the centre, and the other one running around like a headless chicken. And the opener was just about that: 3/2, and we were playing for 10m.
“I want to go home before Saturday” I thought.
Ali volleyed incredibly well on his forehand in this game. Diego matched shot for shot, 3/3, Diego up 6/3, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, 9/9, but a couple of errors coming from Diego 11/9 – “I haven’t been playing at the pace for a few months” admitted the world champion afterwards…
Diego takes a game to recover, 11/3 to Ali, 10m.
The Peruvian has found his second wind as we start the third, and it’s tight from 1/1 to 7/7. A little niggle in Diego’s hip at that point, probably the body asking what the heck is going on with the intensity of the match.
9/7, Diego is looking pretty good, but Ali gives it a big push, with the support of his clan and crowd, and it’s 9/9, two uncharacteristic errors from Diego, 11/9 to Ali, 16m last game.
Diego : I think I was playing well in the first game. I rushed a bit too much at important moments, and made some uncharacteristic errors. It’s the first big match of the season against him, it’s been a few months without playing at that pace, so I felt a bit slow maybe?
He was for sure coming for his revenge, especially here in Egypt. I knew it was going like this, that he was going to be very hungry, but I’m not that upset.
Like I said, first match of the season. I didn’t play at this level at all during my training for weeks, so I just need to get used to it again, and I think in the next few weeks, it’s going to be better.
Ali “It’s a motivation to start the new season and show to yourself that you can be there again and repeat what you did last season and the season before.
“I can’t be more grateful to be playing the sport I love in front of amazing people against such great players, who are so skilful with the racket and move so smoothly on court.
“I don’t know how to click it every time, but it was one of those days that you’re really enjoying being on court and the challenge of the battle and I’m really pleased to be playing this sport.
“The flow, movement and ball striking, [Elias] has been born with them, and obviously he’s worked immensely on them with his dad and his team, but that’s something that comes natural and it’s something no one on Tour does better than him. But that killer instinct, that maybe he was lacking coming out of juniors, he’s definitely grown that in abundance and any time you step on court it’s a 50-50.”
