Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 3-1 Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 11-1 (43m)
A slow start for the Egyptian, but not for the Colombian who, despite having a rock’n’roll last month, not to mention bad travelling/arrival (no luggage for two days), managed to get the better of the very hungry 22 years old.
Miguel let the third one go but made his opponent do a hecking lot of work in that third, leading the Egyptian to stop trying in the 4th…
Miguel
Always very tricky to play the first match of an event, especially against a young Egyptian at home!
The court is a bit tricky, it does bounce a lot at the front but dies at the back, so it takes a good accuracy on there. I felt I was playing well in the first game, maybe he was not 100% in the match yet. Then he upped his game in the second, he picked up the pace, I managed to keep my good level of squash, although I was not attacking a lot, retrieving more, but I feel I got him very tired. And that was the key.
Of course, you always want to win three love, but I’m happy with my performance.
Happy to be back on the Tour, last time I played was Chicago and I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT MATCH WITH KARIM ANYMORE! I just want to focus on the present.
Mind you, it was not easy to come here. I was supposed to travel by Turkish Airlines, but as I went to check in, they demanded a yellow fever vaccine, which I didn’t have. They told me I had to have it done and then to come back 6 days later! I was about to go back home and cancel the Egyptian tour, but I went to Air France/Iberia desk. “What do you need for me to travel to Egypt?” “Nothing Sir”. So I bought a ticket there and then!
But then, when I arrived, no luggage! I have been without my luggage for the past two days.. Thank God I have my girlfriend with me, Daniella, she is very nice, very supportive, very funny – the opposite of me – and it’s her first time here in Egypt, she’ll follow me to Gouna as well. And it’s fantastic to have her here.
