The quarter-finals of the Africa World Championship Qualifying competition produced a series of upsets as the semi-finalists were decided at the Black Ball Sporting Club in Cairo.
The all-Egyptian men’s matches took place first, and the opening encounter produced a big upset as sixth seed Moustafa Elsirty – who edged home in a round one five-gamer yesterday – overcame top seed Mazen Gamal in five games, taking the win on his fifth match ball.
More upsets followed as Mohamed Nasser beat fourth seed Seif El-Shenawy in straight games to set up a meeting with Elsirty, while in the bottom half of the draw fifth seed Kareem El Torkey, fresh from winning the Rotterdam Open just two days ago, came from a game down to beat second seed Yassin Elshafei. The 19-year-old will meet 16-year-old Mohamed Zakaria, the British Junior Open Champion who beat unseeded Hazem Hossam in straight games in the only men’s match of the day to go with seeding.
By contrast, three of the four women’s matches – which also produced four home winners – went to seeding. Top seed Nardine Garas was tested by young Nour Megahed but came through in straight games, and she’ll face Ingy Hammouda, who ended non-Egyptian interest with a 3-0 win over South Africa’s Hayley Ward, coming from 8-1 down in the third to secure the win.
Fourth seed Habiba Hani went two games up against Malak Fathy but needed a fifth game to ultimately claim the win. She’ll face unseeded Nadien Elhammamy who, after despatching the second seed yesterday, produced another upset in the last match of the day, beating seventh seed Nour Khafagy by taking two tie-break games before easing through the third.
The semi-finals take place tomorrow on the Glass Court, starting at 12.00 (GMT+2).
Men’s Quarters :
[6] Moustafa Elsirty (Egy) 3-2 [1] Mazen Gamal (Egy) 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9 (54m)
[7] Mohamed Nasser (Egy) 3-0 [4] Seif El-Shenawy (Egy) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (30m)
[3] Mohamed Zakaria (Egy) 3-0 Hazem Hossam (Egy) 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (41m)
[5] Kareem El Torkey (Egy) 3-1 [2] Yassin Elshafei (Egy) 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (65m)
Women’s Quarters :
[1] Nardine Garas (Egy) 3-0 [5] Nour Megahed (Egy) 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (30m) [
6] Ingy Hammouda (Egy) 3-0 Hayley Ward (Rsa) 11-8, 13-11, 11-9 (27m)
[4] Habiba Hani (Egy) 3-2 [8] Malak Fathy (Egy) 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-3 (55m)
Nadien Elhammamy (Egy) 3-0 [7] Nour Khafagy (Egy) 13-11, 12-10, 11-2 (36m)
