R2: Amina, Nouran, Nour ET, Nada

Orfi v Moataz

Orfi, who lost 3-1 to Moataz in round two of the Black Ball Squash Open just seven days ago, took the first game 11-8 in a strong start to proceedings, but Moataz struck back, and restored parity at 1-1 after a tense tie-break.

The pair traded games to 2-2 to set up an exhilarating fifth game. Both Moataz and Orfi had match balls, but it was Orfi at 15-14 that finally won the 87-minute epic after Moataz struck the tin.

Amina: I felt I didn’t play my best today. Coming into the match I was a bit nervous because I lost to her last week at Black Ball, I was thinking about revenge and my ranking and all that.

I just tried to keep pushing because I felt my squash wasn’t the best and that wasn’t what was going to make me win the match so I tried just to keep going and in the end she’s the one who made the errors and I’m the one who won the match.

I think today the biggest difference was that I had more of a fighting spirit. At Black Ball I wasn’t thinking as much but today I kept going and never gave up.

Nour : A good match to get into the tournament I would say.

I’m not used to play two tournaments in a row anymore. When I did well last event, I guess it’s the pressure to do well out there you know. All season, I did a good event, and the next one, not that good. It’s boring, exhausting, I just don’t know what I am…

So today, I’m very happy with the win. Farida had a fever last night, so I didn’t really sleep between 2 and 7. So I was just saying to Engy coach how happy I was to get through.

I found a way, I was not enjoying it because of the lack of sleep.

I’m so used to start the tournament on the glass court. I feel a lot of pressure on the traditional court. I know I’m not a top three, but my level is different when I play on the glass! The ball doesn’t die as softly, so it’s more pressure on the traditional. So again, very happy with the win today on the traditional.

Abbas v Houghton

In another five-game encounter, Egypt’s Nada Abbas defeated World No.22 Hollie Naughton after a strong fightback from the Canadian. Naughton kept ahead in the first game as she propelled herself to 10-8, but the Egyptian put up late resistance and saved two game balls, taking a 1-0 lead after winning the tie-break 13-11.

Abbas looked in command of game two as she pushed to a comfortable 11-6 win, but Naughton controlled the next two games, dominating the match as the Egyptian struggled to keep pace as the Canadian won the third and fourth matches 11-3, 11-2.

The fine form of Naughton didn’t continue into the fifth game, as a revived Abbas looked focused and won the final game 11-6 to go through to the third round.

Nada : “I’m really happy to be through. I just played Hollie in Detroit a few months ago and she won so I’m really pleased to be through.

“I lost focus in the third and fourth games and in the fifth I just tried to totally forget about what had happened and try to focus point by point. I’m happy it went my way!

“It’s always nice having a home crowd supporting you. It gives confidence and makes you fired up to win. I’m really glad I had people here supporting me and my coaches too.”