R1: Joelle, the revenge against Amanda 11/9 in the 5th!
Joelle King (NZL) 3-2 Amanda Sobhy (USA) 14-16, 16-14, 12-10, 4-11, 11-9 (67m)
I wish we had more battles like this on the Tour. Incredibly tough, but so fair, Joelle calling her ball out when the ref saw it good after asking her camp, very very very few calls, intense but fluid, clever, sharp, brilliant with panache and intelligence.
I loved it, can you tell?
I have done so few live events, but I managed to catch them play in Optasia, there again, what a match that was, it went the other way, all credit to Amanda’s gritt and determination, as she was backing up from her Germany win.
Joelle was chuffed to win that match and started her aftermatch chat with a loud “it’s been such a long time since I won a match against a top 10 player!” More of Joelle, more of those please…
To be noted that Tinne, Joelle’s next opponent, was actually advising the NZ during the match, and confessed at the end that “I was happy to have a day off, I’m not that sure anymore”…
Blessssss.
Joelle : It’s payback time, you know, the young, taking care of their elders.. [reference to Tinne and Co], for the time I took care of them…
I haven’t won a match in a long time against a top 10 player!
Honestly, I thouroughly enjoyed that match. It was really good quality, we were both playing really well at the same time. And you don’t always see that, especially in a five setter.
We are kind from that old school, heights, low, take the ball in short, it’s not just fast, there are a lot of subtleties in the match. There are hardly any lets, any decisions, again, we were applauding each other’s good points, and whoever won on the day thoroughly deserved it.
It’s nice to win a match again in a Platinum. As you get older, when you come back from injury, the win is actually to get to play again in that kind of events. So to come away with a win against someone like Amanda, she’s been in really good form, making a lot of finals this year, she had an incredible come back from 2 Achilles’ injuries. And who would even know, with the quality of squash she is playing.
So, very happy to win.
