Third Time Lucky For World Champion El Tayeb
by Howard Harding
July 26, 2011 - After disappointment in the 2009 and 2010 finals, it was third time lucky for Nour El Tayeb in the final of the 2011 WSF Women's World Junior Individual Squash Championship when she beat fellow Egyptian and former champion Nour El Sherbini to win the World Squash Federation title at the Murr Center at Harvard University in Boston, USA.
As in their previous meeting in the 2009 final, the first game went well for El Tayeb, who took an early lead of 4-1 - extending it to 9-3 before closing out the game.
But, again as it had in 2009, the second game went away from the top seed as 3/4 seed El Sherbini, still aged only 15, built up a 9-3 lead before taking the game to draw level.
It was nip and tuck throughout the third and fourth games until two winners in a row brought El Tayeb her first match-ball at 10-7.
A daring - but unsuccessful - long drop temporarily reduced the gap for El Sherbini, but when the underdog's boast later then clipped the tin, El Tayeb was finally able to celebrate her status as World Champion.
"I've been dreaming about this for a long time," admitted El Tayeb after her 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8 triumph in 42 minutes. "But I haven't been thinking about winning or expecting to win when I've been on court, I've just been thinking about the match, the next point.
"It was a hard match, not the best we've played as we were both a bit nervous, but we both gave it all. I can't remember how I won it, I know I lost one match ball but I can't remember the last point at all!
"It's always hard playing a friend, but I'm so happy to have won it at last and Nour will win it again, at least one more time, probably more," added the 18-year-old after her fourth - and final - appearance in the championships.
"It feels weird, I've been in the final twice before and now I've won it. I can't explain how happy I am.
"Thanks to Captain Amr Wagih, and Nasser from the Egyptian Federation, to Haitham my coach in Egypt, and to my parents and all my friends back home!"
El Tayeb's success means that Egypt now boasts all four world junior squash titles - the Men's & Women's World Individual and World Team Championships - in addition to the senior Men's World Team Championship and World Cup crowns.
RESULTS: WSF Women's World Junior Individual Squash Championship, Boston, USA
Final:
[1] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [3/4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8 (42m)
Teams
And, unsurprisingly, Egypt is seeded to retain the WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship which will now get underway at the Murr Center. Hosts USA, whose highest previous finish is fourth, are seeded to meet Egypt in the final.
Action will get underway in qualifying rounds in four pools as follows (with seeding as indicated):
Pool A: [1] EGYPT, [8] CANADA, [9] NEW ZEALAND, [13/16] SOUTH AFRICA
Pool B: [2] USA, [7] AUSTRALIA, [10] WALES, [13/16] GUYANA
Pool C: [3] INDIA, [6] HONG KONG CHINA, [11] FRANCE, [13/16] ECUADOR
Pool D: [4] ENGLAND, [5] MALAYSIA, [12] GERMANY
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