[11] Amina Orfi (EGY) 3-0 Tesni Murphy (WAL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (44m)
Next opponent: Nour El Sherbini or Menna Hamed
Interesting match that one. A very frustrated Welsh lady in the first two games with her opponent’s movement, with the ref penalising Amina in the 3rd. Maybe the Egyptian’s movement off the ball when she get tired needs to be looked at, I’m sure her coach Ahmed Aiffat is working on it.
For me the key of the match today was Amina accuracy at the back. She reminded me of Jahangir Khan, who didn’t have to hit hard, but who was so accurate with his length and width, his opponents were pinned (for hours on end) to the back, allowing him to then delicately place a boast or a drop shot. I get that feel from Amina.
Tesni as usual gave her all. I feel she might play a bit differently next time, and I hope to be there when she does!
Amina
I feel that today, I played really well. I was focused from the first point to the last. And even when she tried to get me out of focus in the last game, I kept playing, not speaking with the ref, not thinking about anything else but my game. That was the most important thing today.
I tried to move her a lot, not to play where she was standing, because her hands are really good, so any loose shots, she would put them away.
I don’t think I was in the way when I was going off the ball, I think I was clearing properly. Maybe in the end, there was a bit of unnecessary interference, and that what got her back to the game again. But in the first two games I feel I was moving well, playing my shots and going back to the T, waiting for the next shot, even if she was not going to get it, I was still ready.
I have never played Nour. I don’t want to think about it as a pressure thing, I just think it’s a good opportunity. It’s a great venue, it’s my first time playing on the glass, I’m going to give my all, from the first point til the end, focus and see how it goes.
Tesni :
It’s frustrating. I’m more angry at myself to be honest. Leaving the ball in the middle against a player like Amina is not good enough. So in the first two games, I let her dictate and got very frustrated, and I don’t play well when I’m like that.
In the third game, I tried to relax a little bit, and focus on trying to hit better targets, but it was a bit too late, so it’s just frustrating really. Not the most enjoyable match to come off. I’ll watch it, and hopefully, I’ll get another chance to play her again, and I’ll try to stay calmer I think.
