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3 INDIANS THROUGH TO QUATERFINAL | 3rd September 2015 | PICTURES
India's Joshana Chinappa swept into the quarterfinal today with a win over Sina Wall (GER). It was a quick match that Chinappa had well in hand from the beginning. Wall put up a good fight in the first game, getting some nice shots in before Chinappa closed it 11-9. But in the second and third games seemed to struggle. Chinappa turned the pressure on and kept the game long, drawing out the errors from Wall time after time until the match went Chinappa's way 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 in 25 minutes. "
It was a good match," Chinappa said. "The first game was pretty close, but I managed to close it out in three, so that's always good."
Harinderpal Sandhu (IND) took a quick first game off of Joel Hinds (ENG), who took too games to find his legs. Hinds pushed back in the third and fourth, though, staying in front of Sandhu and controlling the pace. But Sandhu refocused and widened the game in the decider, taking the match 11-2, 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7 in 62 minutes.
"It was a seesaw," said Sandhu. "Luckily I was on the high side. I relaxed a bit too much after the first game. In the fifth, I was on top of it from the start and that showed as I got the lead and hung onto it."
"It was tough," Hinds said. "I wasn't reacting very well. I lost the first game in about three minutes. The second went better. Two down is tough, and I did well to come back. But I made a few more errors. He opened up too big in the fifth, and I couldn't pull it back."
Mahesh Managonkar (IND) passed into the Quarterfinal with a 3-0 win over Kush Kuman (IND). But at 40 minutes, it wasn't a quick match. All three games had long, beautiful rallies with some amazing pick-ups by both players. Mangaonkar, though, was in control for most of it, moving Kumar around the court in a fast-paced game and taking the match 11-5, 11-6, 11-3.
"I am very happy, obviously," Mangaonkar said. "I feel like I played my best squash since January. I'm just happy to get a win against a player in top form at the moment. I'm feeling pretty good. Hopefully I can keep up that form and sneak through a win tomorrow."
EGYPTIAN QUALIFIER SIBLINGS STROM MAIN DRAW | 3rd September 2015 | PICTURES
Egyptian siblings Hania and Karim El Hammamy stormed from the qualifiers into the Quarterfinal with wins in today's Main Draw.
Hania El Hammamy beat countrywoman Nadine Shahin (EGY) decisively 3-0 in a quick 22 minutes. Shahin played well, hustled, and kept her game long, but couldn't keep up with the El Hammamy juggernaut.
"We've played three times and she's won twice. So I didn't expect to win 3-0," Hania El Hammamy said. "It's always a difficult match between us. But I played well today and I'm glad I made it in three. I really want to focus tomorrow, from the beginning, and play good squash."
Her brother, Karim El Hammamy, had a more grueling path to the Quarterfinals, winning 50-minute face-off with Tsz Fung Yip (HKG). The first game was fast-paced and evenly matched, sending the players into extra points. The second game saw the play widen and was highlighted by a lovely corner drop by Yip to tie it up 9-9, before El Hammamy took the game with a straight kill. The third game saw the players moving all over the court, but Yip lost steam at 6-6. El Hammamy pressed his advantage, drawing some unforced errors from Yip to shoot ahead 1-6. Yip picked up one more point off a stroke before El Hammamy took the match 15-13, 11-9, 11-7.
"The first two games were very tough, especially because Yip is World No. 57 and has a lot more experience than me," Karim El Hammamy said. "I was down in the second game and thought it would go 1-1. So I chose to focus on the third game. But after I won the second game, I think he mentally went down a little bit and that allowed me to take the third game. Tomorrow, I have to play better basics and go for glass drop shots."
"It was a pretty close two sets," Yip said. "At first, I played a wrong game. In the second set, I managed to play better, but I didn't take my change. It happens; I lost."
QUALIFIER LEE KA YI UPSETS FIFTH-SEED TO ENTER QUATERFINAL | 3rd September 2015 | PICTURES
Qualifiers had a banner day today, including Hong Kong's Lee Ka Yi. Ka Yi pushed Deon Saffery (WAL) into extra points in the first game, cooly taking it 13-11. Saffery battled back in the second game, taking it 11-7. But Ka Yi kept her head and slowed down the pace, keeping control till the end and finishing off the match 13-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6 in 29 minutes.
"She has better hands than me, and I tried to minimize my mistakes," Ka Yi said. "I didn't expect this much. I tried to slow down the pace, prepare and get the point. I hope to try my best tomorrow."
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