Locals Defrawy & Metwally Break Through In Alexandria by Howard Harding June 5, 2015
-Local qualifiers Kanzy Emad El Defrawy and Mariam Metwally secured
unexpected places in the last 16 round of the Women's Alexandria
International after masterminding straight games upsets over seeded
opponents on the opening day of main draw action in the WSA
International 100 squash event in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
The new $100,000 Alexandria International has attracted a star-studded
field, led by Malaysia's world number one Nicol David and including
nine Egyptians from the world top 30 and eight from the host city
itself.
El Defrawy bagged the biggest scalp, taking down England's No.10 seed Sarah-Jane Perry 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 in 41 minutes.
"I'm happy with the way I played today and so excited to be playing on
the glass court tomorrow," said the 21-year-old world No.37 from Cairo
- ranked 25 places lower than her opponent.
"I'm especially so grateful that I won 3/0, which was really
far-fetched, thinking how great a player she is - truly one of the best
players in the world."
Alexandria-born-and-bred Metwally saw off compatriot and fellow
18-year-old Salma Hany Ibrahim, the 14th seed, 12-10, 11-3, 11-4.
"I'm so happy to get to the second round, especially her in front of my
friends and family, my mum and my dad," said the world No.39, now the
lowest-ranked player in the draw.
"Tomorrow, I hope I can play well - then I'm back to school for my exams on Sunday!"
Both Defrawy and Metwally progress to face fellow countrywomen for
places in the quarter-finals. El Defrawy takes on Nour El Tayeb, the
fifth seed from Cairo, while Metwally meets seventh seed Omneya Abdel
Kawy, the 29-year-old former world No.4 who survived the day's longest
and most dramatic match - finally emerging victorious in an 11-6, 7-11,
11-13, 11-3, 16-14 scoreline over the event's sole Australian Donna
Urquhart.
Nicol David, back in Tour action after leading a highly successful WSF
Ambassador Programme visit to Serbia, Romania and Croatia, cruised to
an 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 win over England's Victoria Lust and will now line
up against rising Egyptian star Nouran Gohar, the 17-year-old No.11
seed who despatched 16-year-old Egyptian qualifier Zeina Farid Mickawy
in just 23 minutes.
The Egyptian attack is being led by world No.2 Raneem El Welily. But
the Alexandria-born and now Cairo-based 26-year-old was given a mighty
scare by Emily Whitlock when the new world No.20 from England took the
opening game and forced the second to a tie-break.
The experienced El Welily weathered the storm however to clinch the
second game before closing out the match 6-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-4 after
42 minutes to claim her anticipated place in the next round.
Ninth seed Amanda Sobhy was enjoying her first appearance on the WSA
World Tour since graduating from Harvard University last month. The
21-year-old from New York overcame Egyptian qualifier Nadine Shahin
11-2, 11-5, 11-13, 11-5 and will now face England's former world No.2
Jenny Duncalf for a place in the last eight.
