R2: Olivia in four fast paced games against Farida

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[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) 3-1 Farida Mohamed (EGY)  8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (43m)

This in my view, was a typical Farida’s match. It’s about her shots, her head, her thoughts, her belief in herself, her doubts.

When she doesn’t think too much and doesn’t force it, like she did in the first game, she can beat anybody. And she showed it tonight. Despite the American having a great start, 4/1, the Egyptian strung 5 points in a row to come back to 6/4, taking the lead 8/5 then wining the opener on a stroke, 11/8 (8m).

The second was very strange. Farida was up off the blocks, 4/0 but in the reverse of the previous game, it’s Liv that strung the points, to find herself game ball, 10/6. Farida, finding some great winners, clawed back to 8/10, but as she lost the last rally of the game, she went on the floor, in sharp pain with her ankle/foot/calf.

With the help of the physio, she hopped off court. And it reminded me of an sharp injury she had in BlackBall, in … 2021, or 22… She was really screaming in pain, we thought the match was over, but she managed to come back on court, and in my memory, she won the match. But I could be wrong… One thing is sure, she played five games that match.

Thank the Lord, she was fine. After three minutes, the ref, bless him, called her back on court, only to let the two players go to their corners again, as it was the end of the game, 11/8, and he didn’t call it. Sigh.

She wasn’t much of any incidence on the game in the 3rd, 11/4, but she came back stronger in the 4th, a game that saw Liv making her first mistake of the match, at 7/6…. Farida error counts started to mount – maybe the injury, maybe the pressure, maybe the ‘Old Farida’ creeping in again, or maybe, Olivia just too good! And it’s the American that finishes the game and match, 11m last game, 11/8.

Olivia : “It took me a while to adapt to the court tonight. It’s my first match of the week and I’m really pleased to have found a way to win and bounce back after an iffy start.

“It’s definitely cooler than last year but it’s still one of the liveliest courts on tour. It requires a lot of accuracy and control. You just have to get out there, problem solve, adjust, and I’m happy with where I was hitting my targets at the end.

“Gina is one of my best friends on tour. We always have great matches, so I always enjoy being on court with her.”