[4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-1 [5] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (46m)
It was going one or the other in my mind. Or El Tayeb would blow Sherbini away – Sherbini being pretty tired from a flu AND wining Chicago like two days ago – or Catwoman would just be a bit flat after her big win, flat not only physically but mostly emotionally, her first big win for a few months now… “Winning is a habit” as Malcolm Willstrop would say…. It was the latter.
Although, it started very well for the contender: Nine minutes, Catwoman in great form, from 4/4 zooming to 9/5, 10/7, Sherbini starting to find her marks and coming back very close, 9/10, but it’s still Tayeb 11/9.
Rollercoaster the second one was, 4/0 for the Princess, 6/2, Tayeb fighting for her life, retrieving all and the rest, 6/6, 7/7, but the magic racquet finds the nicks, and it’s 11/7 in 12m.
Third is the turning point. Tayeb is lost at sea, 7/1 down, but somehow, she claws back, forcing a few errors from the world champ, and we are somehow 8/8, 9/9! Two winners from Sherbini, 11/9 in 12m again.
That was a very high mountain to climb from that point on, 2/2, 4/2, 7/4 and finally 11/6 in 9m for the Warrior Princess.. Hania awaits….
Nour El Sherbini
We have been playing against each other for a long time now. It’s really good to see her playing back at near her best. I haven’t played for her a long time, I don’t think we’ve played this season. I was prepared for this match and I’m really pleased I won.
When I haven’t played somebody for a long time, it takes me a while to remember what they are doing on court, especially as I haven’t seen her play for a while, as it’s her first tournament back playing well. But after the first game, I just was able to stick to my plan, not opening the court for her and attack as much as I could.
It’s very tough mentally and physically playing two Platinum events in a row. I’m really glad I’m in the final of another Platinum event and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s match.
Hania has been playing really well this week. She has beaten a lot of tough players, she’s very young to be in the final of a Platinum event, which is really good and hopefully it’s going to be a really good match.”
🗣 @noursherbini talks being through to another Platinum final and facing @HaniaaElHammamy in tomorrow’s @BlackBallSquash showdown 👇#BBSO20 pic.twitter.com/6AS3EChzMK
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) March 13, 2020
