R2: No miracle for Travelling Malak against Nouran

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[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-0 Malak Khafagy (EGY)  11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (30m)

Well, if you haven’t read my report about yesterday’s game where Malak defied odds, missing bags and penalty game against her to finally clinch the first round 14/12 in the 5th, this is your chance…

So, I was not exactly surprised by the fact Malak seemed a bit flat today. You would have been too…

But all credit to Nouran, she doesn’t take prisoners. She was there to get to the next round as quickly as possible, and that’s exactly what she did today. She was clinical and masterful.

Still, a good second game from the young Egyptian – I know, the score doesn’t tell the story. Close up to the middle of the game, 4/4, 5/5, but 7 points in a row for Nouran and she was up 2/0, 11/5.

The Terminator will be happy with her first two rounds. She is looking good, hungry and calm… Be afraid, be VERY afraid….

“Yesterday I could feel that Lisa had a niggle or something, so obviously today playing an upcoming Egyptian was different. She’s hungry and I was 100% sure that she had nothing to lose and would go for it, obviously I try to focus on every match with maximum effort, but I was more on my toes today.

“I try to have the same mindset and I try to bring my A game every single time I’m on court. Everyone is hungry, everyone wants to hunt you, you’re no longer the hunter you’re the hunted. As the World No.1, no one has anything to lose against you, you have everything to lose, so I just try to take advantage as much as I can and always have the lead so it can help me a bit”