[30] Noor Zaman (PAK) 3-2 Adam Hawal (EGY) 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (55m)
What a match.
Those two are two players I have my eyes on. Noor only for a few months, Adam for… 7, 8 years. They have a very contrasting game, Noor very deceptive and inventing his shots as they come through his head, while Adam is structuring his squash, patiently waiting for attacking that he has build the opportunity.
Adam was solid today. But Noor played divine deceptive squash, boasting/volley dropping every single shot! Adam responding as well as possible, but was struggling to read the Pakistani game. He managed to retrieve and counterattack the lethal short game, but he used a lot of his fuel doing so.
And in the 5th, 8/5, he just dropped physically just for 30s, and that was it for Noor. He rushed into the breach, and never looked back, scoring 6 points in a row.
The young Egyptian is learning, match after match. I was so proud of him, never using his powerful and strong squash to block or make his opponent’s movement awkward. That’s the way squash should be played….
Noor : “I’m very happy with my performance today, and I’m happy that I’m through to the second round of the world champs. Like in London Optasia, I didn’t start well.
Adam is a junior player, a very intelligent player, very talented, upcoming player. And when you are playing an Egyptian on his home soil, he has his coaches, his family, his friends and everyone is cheering for them, so it gives them inspiration.
“We played five months ago in Pakistan and I beat him 3-0, but this time I was not ready mentally that he would give me such a hard time and that was the problem today.
I’m happy that I was 8/5 down in the 5th, and I just seem to find my patience, finally…
https://twitter.com/i/status/2052729400211161246
