Nour El Sherbini Wins Doha WSF World Junior Squash Championships
Doha WSF World Junior Squash Championships, Doha, Qatar
Women's final:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY) 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2
Top seed Nour El Sherbini celebrated a notable Egyptian win in Doha by becoming world junior squash champion for the second time - El Sherbini, in her third final in four years, reclaiming the U19 crown she first won in 2009 aged just 13.
El Sherbini was more than tested for two and a half games at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in the Qatar capital by surprise finalist Yathreb Adel - but the world number seven from Alexandria eased ahead from the middle of the third game, taking 18 of the last 20 points to clinch the title 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 after 42 minutes.
"Finally, I've made it. Finally, I'm back," El Sherbini told the event website www.wsfworldjuniors.com, alluding to the
injury woes she has suffered since her historic 2009 triumph.
"The first game I thought we played point for point, but I'm not sure what happened at 10-8. I had game balls, but I just couldn't finish. I was feeling a bit of pressure, about 50%, but not more," explained the 16-year-old
"After losing that game, I told myself, you've got to refocus, 100%, you are not going to lose that game, you've got to play your game. And when I got to 10-8 in the second, I thought, not this time, focus!
"And in the third, she was up 5-4, and suddenly, I scored several points in a row, and I thought, I'm in it, that's it, just play your game. And I realised then that I could do it."
The new champion was full of praise for her compatriot, a 3/4 seed who reached the final against expectations after upsetting England's second seed Emily Whitlock in the semi-finals.
"Yathreb played so well today, so well - she is only 15, and she'll be back, and I'm sure that next year, she'll do great. I'm so happy, I'm back!"
Full coverage on the official website: www.wsfworldjuniors.com
Women's semi-finals:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [5/8] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) 11-2, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6
[3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [2] Emily Whitlock (ENG) 11-8, 13-11, 11-7
Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [9/16] Melissa Alves (FRA) 11-3, 11-5, 11-4
[5/8] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) bt [3/4] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-6, 12-10, 11-5
[3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [5/8] Anaka Alankamony (IND) 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9
[2] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [5/8] Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5
Women's 3rd round:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Emilia Soini (FIN) 11-3, 11-7, 11-2
[9/16] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [5/8] Maria Elena Ubina (USA) 15-13, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7
[5/8] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) bt [9/16] Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND) 11-4, 11-4, 11-2
[3/4] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt [9/16] Victoria Temple Murray (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5
[3/4] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Choi Uen Shan (HKG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
[5/8] Anaka Alankamony (IND) bt [9/16] Ho Ka Po (HKG) 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6
[5/8] Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) bt [9/16] Julia Lecoq (FRA) 11-6, 11-4, 11-7
[2] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [9/16] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 11-3, 11-6, 11-4
Full coverage on the official website: www.wsfworldjuniors.com