Ramadan Rallies To Tour Title Breakthrough In Alexandria
by Howard Harding

Ramadan flanked by compatriots Nour El Sherbini (left) and Nour El Tayeb, ranked 4 & 6, respectively, in the world

February 23, 2105 - 17-year-old Egyptian Hana Basem Ramadan claimed her maiden WSA World Tour in impressive style - downing top seed Nouran El Torky in the final of the Pharco Women's Alexandria Open, the WSA Challenger 5 squash event at Alexandria Sporting Club in Alexandria, Egypt.

It was in the quarter-finals that fifth seed Ramadan made her breakthrough - despatching 18-year-old compatriot Mayar Hany Mohamed, the No.3 seed from Cairo, in straight games.

After overcoming seventh seed Hania El Hammamy, also from Cairo, in the semis, Alexandria-based Ramadan made it through to her first Tour final.

El Torky - by comparison, a 22-year-old 'veteran' of the WSA Tour, with eight final appearances to her credit - looked set to pick up her fourth title.

But underdog Ramadan, ranked 121 in the world, recovered from a game down to topple world No.44 El Torky 9-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-6 to take the inaugural Pharco Alexandria Open trophy.


RESULTS: Pharco Women's Alexandria Open, Alexandria, Egypt

1st round:
[1] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt Rowan Reda (EGY) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 18-20, 11-7
[Q] Amina Yousry (EGY) bt [8] Nihal Alaa Bayoumi (EGY) 11-0 ret.
[4] Nourhan Abdelnaby (EGY) bt Hana Essam Khedr (EGY) 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 (40m)
[6] Zeina Farid Mickawy (EGY) bt Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 (19m)
[5] Hana Basem Ramadan (EGY) bt [Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7 (49m)
[3] Mayar Hany Mohamed (EGY) bt Salma Hatem Youssef (EGY) 2-0 ret.
[7] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [Q] Amina Taher (EGY) 11-1, 11-2, 11-0 (17m)
[Q] Menna Mohamed Hamed (EGY) bt [2] Birgit Coufal (AUT) 11-4, 12-10, 13-11
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [Q] Amina Yousry (EGY) 5-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (64m)
[6] Zeina Farid Mickawy (EGY) bt [4] Nourhan Abdelnaby (EGY) 11-6, 11-3, 12-10 (29m)
[5] Hana Basem Ramadan (EGY) bt [3] Mayar Hany Mohamed (EGY) 11-7, 13-11, 11-7
[7] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [Q] Menna Mohamed Hamed (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-9 (60m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [6] Zeina Farid Mickawy (EGY) 11-5, 13-11, 14-12 (36m)
[5] Hana Basem Ramadan (EGY) bt [7] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (43m)
Final:
[5] Hana Basem Ramadan (EGY) bt [1] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 9-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-6