World No.2 Nouran Gohar will take on World No.1 Nour El Sherbini in the final of the CIB PSA World Championships for a fourth season in succession after Gohar came from behind to beat arch-rival Hania El Hammamy at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt.
Gohar will now aim to end a run of three straight World Championship final defeats to her fellow Egyptian after she toppled El Hammamy by a 12-14, 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 scoreline after 94 minutes of action.
Gohar had won 14 of 22 previous matches against El Hammamy, with their meeting in the semi-finals of last season’s World Championships tying the record for the longest women’s match in the competition’s history at 105 minutes.
Today’s match was also a gruelling match which kicked off with a 30-minute first game, with El Hammamy finally converting it at her fifth game ball opportunity.
It was one way traffic in the second game though, with El Hammamy making seven errors en route to a comfortable Gohar victory.
El Hammamy took some time to get her achilles seen to during the game break and then the match then went from one way traffic to traffic issues as a number of stoppages and discussions with the referee halted the momentum of the previously free-flowing squash.
After Gohar had taken the third game due to a no let being awarded against El Hammamy, the latter then received a conduct stroke for shouting at the referee, meaning Gohar had a 1-0 lead at the start of the fourth game.
From there she motored on and, despite a break in play after El Hamammy got the top of her head on Gohar’s jaw when running through to pick up a forehand drive, ‘The Terminator’ stormed into an 8-2 lead.
El Hammamy took the next five points, but a costly tin handed the initiative back to Gohar, who eventually closed out the win, bringing an end to the match at 00:30 local time.
“I’m feeling awesome,” said Gohar afterwards.
“It’s my fourth time being in the final and this is very special. I don’t know how I do it without my coach in my corner today. I’m very grateful for that as without him I don’t think I could have won today.
“Everyone that has seen me and been around me, especially my close ones, I’ve shown them some hard times because I always want everything to be perfect and I think I gave it my heart. I have made a lot of sacrifices to be in this place right now… I don’t think I’ve enjoyed my squash as much as I am doing right now and I think it’s helping me perform well.
“Even with the pressure of the event, you think you can’t enjoy it but today I did enjoy myself on court. I’m really proud of myself.”
Result
[3] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-1: 12-14, 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 (94m)
