No Nerves for Sobhy Ahead of Women’s World Championship by Sean Reuthe photo squashpics.com
April 11, 2016
- United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy insists that she is not feeling any
pressure ahead of the biggest tournament on the Women’s Tour, the
upcoming PSA Women’s World Championship, and is relishing the chance to
compete as the seventh seed when the action gets under way in Kuala
Lumpur on Monday April 25.
Since graduating from Harvard
last summer with a degree in Social Anthropology, Sobhy has committed
her full attention to professional squash and the 2015/16 campaign has
proved to be something of a breakthrough season for the charismatic
American.
After consolidating her position in the world’s
top ten she also reached her first ever World Series final in the
iconic setting of New York’s Grand Central Terminal three months ago
during the prestigious J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions - where she
narrowly missed out on lifting the coveted title in front of home
support after losing to Nour El Sherbini. Now recognised as one of the
world’s leading players, Sobhy is heading to Malaysia with a fearless
attitude.
"I can't believe this is my first World Championship in over five years," she said.
"The
last one I played was in Sharm El Sheikh back in 2010 and I didn't even
qualify, so I'm definitely looking forward to playing in the most
prestigious event on tour.
"It's always a dream to be
crowned the World Champion and the fact that I can finally compete in
it again now that I have graduated is just a great feeling. I'm not
nervous for it since I am the underdog here and don't really have to
prove anything, so I'm just going to go out there and take in match by
match and give it my best.
"I am pretty content with my
performance this season and cracking into single digits finally. Since
this is my first full season on the Tour now that I have graduated, I
managed to live up to all my seedings or better in every tournament,
which I am happy about. Reaching the finals of the Tournament of
Champions was by far my favourite week to date on the pro circuit and
it was a bit of a breakthrough moment for me in the season to show that
I belong up there in the rankings."
At the age of just 22,
Sobhy has firmly established herself as arguably her country’s greatest
ever player and became the first American-born player to break into the
top 10 across both the Men’s and Women’s game in September 2014, in
addition to being the only American-born female finalist in the
Tournament of Champions.
With American hopes riding on her
shoulders, Sobhy admits that she is using that for momentum as she
readies herself for a title challenge in Malaysia in the most lucrative
Women’s World Championship ever.
"It would be absolutely
amazing to be the first American to win the World Championship, not
only for myself, but also for squash in the US," said Sobhy.
"However,
I'm not going to put pressure on myself by thinking about that during
the event, but I may use it to fuel me to push even harder in my
matches.
"It would mean the world to me to become the new World Champion. I am speechless just thinking about it."
First
up for Sobhy is a meeting with a qualifier and, if she progresses
unscathed, she is seeded to meet Raneem El Welily, who she beat in the
Tournament of Champions, in the last eight.
All matches will
be played at the National Squash Centre, Bukit Jalil and admittance to
the event is free of charge. In addition to the $185,000 purse on
offer, the victor will also win a brand new Citroen DS4 car. For more
information and details, visit the tournament website here: http://psawwckualalumpur.com/
