Teenagers Ibrahim & Gohar Strike Out Tour Veterans In China Opener by Howard Harding September 4, 2014
- Egyptian teenagers Salma Hany Ibrahim and Nouran Gohar - both
qualifiers - pulled off mighty upsets over experienced WSA World Tour
opponents in today's opening round of the Women's China Open - Squash
Stars On The Bund, the WSA Gold 50 event being staged at The Peninsula
Shanghai in China's largest city Shanghai.
Ibrahim, the
18-year-old world No40 from Alexandria, claimed the biggest scalp -
despatching England's No2 seed Alison Waters, the world No6 from
London, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3.
Gohar, just 16, took
on 37-year-old Rachael Grinham - and produced a performance beyond her
years to beat the former world champion and four-time British Open
champion from Australia 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7 in 60 minutes.
Ibrahim now lines up
against Dipika Pallikal, the fifth seed from India who is back on the
WSA World Tour for the first time since striking gold in the
Commonwealth Games Women's Doubles. With Australia's legendary
five-time world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald in her corner, Pallikal was
made to work hard by unseeded Line Hansen before beating her Danish
opponent 9-11, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6 in 56 minutes.
Cairo-based Gohar
progresses to face Annie Au, the Hong Kong number one who needed four
games to see off England's Emma Beddoes 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9.
England's Jenny Duncalf was first into the quarter-finals with an 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 win over Chinese wildcard Gu Jinyue.
Malaysia's world No7
Low Wee Wern looked as if she is fully recovered from her recent Dengue
fever scare when she defeated Nicolette Fernandes, the world No22 from
Guyana, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7.
The fourth
quarter-final will see top seed Camille Serme take on England's No8
seed Sarah Kippax - though both were taken to four games by qualifiers.
Top-ranked French
player Serme beat Malaysian Delia Arnold 11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, while
Kippax recovered from a game down to beat fellow Briton Tesni Evans,
the Welsh number one, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6.
RESULTS: Women's China Open - Squash Stars On The Bund, Shanghai, China
1st round: [Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) bt [2] Alison Waters (ENG) 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3 [5] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-11, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6 (56m) [3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (42m) [6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [WC] Gu Jinyue (CHN) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 [Q] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [7] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7 (60m) [4] Annie Au (HKG) bt Emma Beddoes (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (56m) [8] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (42m) [1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS) 11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3 (48m) Quarter-final line-up: [Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) v [5] Dipika Pallikal (IND) [3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) [4] Annie Au (HKG) v [Q] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [1] Camille Serme (FRA) v [8] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
