[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-2 [5] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 9-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8 (93m)
To be brutally honest – why changing the habit of a lifetime – I didn’t understand why Nevine El Hammamy, Hania’s mum, who seems to love the position I always sit in to watch her daughter play, was so nervous before the match.
Looking at the stats, it looked like a simple affair, H2H 7/2 for Hania, with her wining the last three quite comfortably.
But then, they started playing.
Hania played the whole of the match at a slow/mid pace, which is maybe not her natural game. She obviously had a game plan to take a weight off the ball to force her opponent to create her own pace/speed, and not offering her the ride.
In doing so, Hania has more time on the ball, and more time to think. So many different choices. And she made a few too many uncharacteristic errors.
As the MC told us that SquashTV had been commenting on the high number of errors, here as my stats – they are what they are…
Game 1: 3 errors each – 18m actual game
Game 2: 5 errors Hania – 6 errors Siva – 17m
Game 3: 3 erros each – 1 stroke each – 18m
Game 4: 1 error Hania – 4 errors Siva – 10m
Game 5: 1 error Hania – none Siva – 18m (in that game, I was distracted and missed the 6 first points)That’s a lot of errors for Hania, who I feel was trying to be more proactive that she can normally be. And that means higher percentage maybe?
A very nervous Hania started the match. Down quickly 6/2, she slowly find a bit of balance, catching up 7/7, 8/8, 9/9, two winners for the Malaysian at the right end, and it’s 11/9. To be noted that Hania challenged one of the pickup in the last game, but because of some technical issues, they couldn’t check it. Hence Andrea’s decision stood, ball was called good and Hania was not a happy bunny.
The second game is probably the turning of the match: down and out Hania, from 3/3 to 3/8. A big push, forcing errors out of the Malaysian racquet, and the Gazelle (don’t like the Leopard, sorry) scores 7 points in succession, 10/8.
Siva fights hard, the rallies are ridiculous intense and hard work, and Hania will finally clinch the game 12/10 on her third attempt.
Very different third game, close the whole way, nothing between them, but it’s the same score, 12/10, this time for Siva, on her second attempt from 10/9.
A complete change of intention for Hania in the 4th. She is dispatching the shots deeper, faster, harder, and she levels quickly, 11/5.
Nothing again between them in the 5th up to 8/8. At that point, the hard work produced shows some dividend for Hania, with Siva looking running a bit slower than she would like and it’s 2 winners and a video confirmed stroke for the world number one, 11/8.
Never in doubt said the Hammamy camp, not….
Hania :“It was very tough. I’ve just seen the duration of the match, and it was such a long match. It was a long and nervy match. I’m really pleased and grateful for the off-day tomorrow, it’s going to be much needed.
“It’s definitely a lot of pressure. I’m playing in front of my home crowd, which actually really helped today, screaming my name and trying to push me to come back in the game. It’s a lot of pressure being the No.1 seed, but I just try to talk to myself a bit and, the mindset that I’ve already had a great season, I’ve done a lot of achievements that I haven’t done before, so I’m just trying to stay in the moment and be a bit more positive.
“It’s easier said than done, obviously. You can get a bit stuck in your head sometimes. Tomorrow I’ll try to talk a bit more positively to myself and have a better performance in the semi-finals.”
