QF: [7] Joelle King (NZL) 3-0 [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (39m)
Not much to say about the match really… The New Zealand didn’t put a foot wrong today, and never really allowed Nouran to dream about getting in the match really. Yes, the score says otherwise. But Nouran just gave all what she had left after two huge matches in first and second round, not only physically but mentally. Constantly being on the backfoot, fighting to defend your life is exhausting.
And today, Nouran, having playing 40m more than her opponent, a bit weary about her recurrent foot injury, she just didn’t have much left in the legs, and more than everything else, just didn’t react at all, not stating to run, not going for the shots as she was not seeing them.
On the other hand, if Joelle had given her juuuust an half of an inch, Nouran would have been on her. Let’s say that the Terminator had taken the first game, she would have had the energy to run and hope to take it three. But having lost the first one, it was obvious to us that Joelle would be the one wining in four, or five…
Joelle did the job. She made sure she didn’t think about Nouran being tired. She played a superb game, cutting errors to a minimum and will be – was – delighted with her win over the world number 2.
Joelle
She’s been World No.1 and is World No.2, I knew it was going to be tough and that she would give it everything she had, even if she had a couple of tough matches…
I just tried to push the pace and make it as physical as I could to try and push her mentally. I think I played really well, there were a few points here or there that weren’t as good, but I’ve got to be happy with that.
It’s about trying to do your best, I think, that’s the attitude I’ve approached this week with. You know you’ve done the work but sometimes you go on court and it doesn’t happen. I came with a different attitude this week, I feel really good out there and I’m having fun while I’m doing it.
I hope I’m on the way up. You get some little testers along the way and I’ve had some tough, tough losses in the last year. Hopefully they’re a distant memory and I’m back on the rise.
