2023 Reports 2023 Round One

R1: Emily finally gets a win against Hana!

Emily Whitlock (WAL) 3-0 Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-0 11-4, 11-1, 11-8 (31m)

“Every time I played Hana, I was injured, but I always thought that I had it in me to beat her” commented the Welsh player today after her first ever victory against PartTime Physio PartTime PSA player HanaRamadan.

I haven’t spoken to  Hana today but I felt that she was not at her best, maybe not training enough, maybe coming back from injury. She was moving well but her shot selection was the sign of “cutting corners” going for too much too soon, trying to shorten the rallies. Hence my analysis about her fitness.

The second game was a formality 11/1, but we had a better squash in the third, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 6/4, 8/5, and 10/6. Throwing all she had, the Egyptian was able to claw back and threaten the Welsh, keeping the best for last.

But a lovely winner at 8/10, and it’s 11/8 for Emily who was very unhappy with the ref’s decisions today but never let it go to her head.

Emily

“Yes, I was very happy at the end because I finally took a half volley, I actually did what I practiced!!!

“It was so ironic, because it’s something I’m really working on, especially on my forehand side, and it was even funnier, because it was a drop! So it was a half volley to the front of the court, ok, it was my little quirk, but I always thought, if Daryl Selby can do it, so can I! My dad says “no, I think you should swing” because I was never good at tennis or anything. So it was a little quirk that I had, but I kept composed, I didn’t think oh, it’s going to the front, and my swing didn’t change.

“I thought, everything went well today. Every time I played Hana, I was having injuries in both matches, so I never actually finished a match with her, and I always thought I was capable of beating her, and I tought ‘right, it feels good today, there is no excuse, so, very happy. Just happy.