2021 Platinum Reports REPORTS

R3: Dessouky’s title defence goes on

R3: [7] Fares Dessouky (Egy) 3-0 Omar Mosaad (Egy) 11-2, 11-9, 11-6 (36m)

Defending Champion Fares Dessouky in charge as he beats Omar Mosaad in straight games.

First game was offered on a plate by Omar, going for far too much, far too soon, so many errors bless him, 11/2 in 7m.

Still a lot of errors in the second for the Hammer, but it seemed to have been catching as Fares starting to go away with the fairies as well, so many errors or wrong tactic/shots. From 5/1 up the Alexandria Marvel got caught up 4/5, then up again 9/5, making a couple of errors again, 8/9.

With an excellent drive that stuck to the side wall, he sets up two game balls, and he’ll need the two, 11/9 in 16m, thanks to another unforced error from Omar on the second game ball.

A good start for the Hammer in the third, 3/0, not throwing the towel, close in the middle of the game, 5/5, 6/7, and a succession of lovely winners from Fares, even one clapped by his opponent… 11/6, 11m last game…

Omar: “I think I got a bit too excited at the start, I was trying to put pressure on him, that’s what you have to do against those top guys if you want to have any say on the match. So I was taking all the opportunities I could, and probably push too much.

“It is taking time to get back to my best level but I am doing it my way, I am now training with Hesham Attar and Islam Hany, plus a mental coach.

“Thing is I was starting to play well in 2020, Windy City and Canary Wharf but then we stopped, and we started again, it was fine and then we stopped again. I find it hard to keep my consistency. But I’m injury free, and happy to get back competing again at that level and I think that with the Nationals and Manchester coming up, I’m going to get better…”

 

Fares: “Today it was a bit dodgy with how I felt on court,”

“The first game I was playing very well, he wasn’t in the game yet but starting from the second I was trying to reach every ball and get back as many balls as I could and he’s a very tough player. A good striker, so it’s always tough to play Omar.

“It’s a very hard feeling on court if you are playing a good friend, especially because we train a lot together so we know each other’s games very well. I just played with Omar two weeks before the tournament, so it was always a tough match. Today, I’m really happy to win in three.

“The first match I was feeling a bit of pressure, today I started enjoying it a little bit. The court is not as the tournament before, it’s live, so I think it’s going to be a different tournament.”