[8] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0 Scores: 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 (31m)
Those two haven’t been playing this season, but Mariam only won one encounter in 2018, and the next four matches went to Nada (twice last season, Mariam retiring in their last battle, in Qatar back in September).
Mariam lost an awful lot of weight – she got married last year and she wanted to look even more stunning in that white dress than she normally does! She kept the weight off, but I was sad to see her once again with heavy bandage on her left knee, sign that the physical side of things is probably not at its best. Shame as she possesses one of the best racquet out there….
If she is not completely fit, it would explain the switch on/switch off focus on court today. Nada was making a few errors herself, but seemed to be concentrating and present on court throughout, whereas Mariam was there a few points, then off, then back again, allowing her opponent to score far too many points before the Alexandria Mermaid took the control back.
But the stats shows how Nada was dominant today, after a bit of a wobbly start to be honest…. Winners for Nada (coached by Legend Hesham Attar, back from the States and working in Sodic, where we played the Worlds two years ago): 10 in the first game, then 8 and 9. Mariam’s: 7, 3, 2.
Nada
“It was a nervy start. I have played Mariam before and I know how dangerous she is, so in the first game I was trying to make it as long as possible, even if I wasn’t able to win it. I wanted to put some work into her legs. I’m really glad I was able to get that first game because I think it relaxed me a little bit.
“I felt at the beginning that the court was very fast, so I think after that first game the ball softened up a bit, so that allowed me to relax and find my targets. I think that was key.
“Nouran is Nouran. For me, there is nothing to worry about because I’m just happy to be playing her. I have nothing to lose and it’s just part of the experience. I will just try to push her as much as I can, and I’m looking forward to this match.”
