Qatar’s Abdullah Al Tamimi (right) plays a backhand shot against Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad during their match yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Home hero Abdullah Al Tamimi’s journey at the 2024 Q-Terminals Qatar Classic came to an end yesterday when the country’s top-ranked player went down fighting to former world champion Karim Abdel Gawad.
Gawad, the 2016 Qatar Classic champion, was in fine form at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex as he took the opening game 11-7. Al Tamimi, placed 20th in the world, made a comeback in the second game to level the proceedings with a 11-7 score. However, the Egyptian World No: 6 was too good in the next two games as he quickly got back on top to earn his last eight spot with a 3-1 win (11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7) in 46 minutes.
“The Qatari audience is very aware of good shots,” Gawad said, acknowledging the support of the spectators after the match.
“Thanks to the Qatari crowd who supported him but also cheered for my good shots,” Gawad said.
“Abdulla was on fire today and he can hit winners out of nowhere, so it was hard to read him today,” Gawad credited Al Tamimi for his fighting spirit.
Gawad will play World No.2 Mostafa Asal in the quarter-finals.
“It will be a hard match, Mostafa is in good form and won the last two tournaments. I’m playing better squash now too and moving better on the court, so I’m looking forward to it,” Gawad said of his upcoming quarter-final clash.
The high-flying Egyptian Asal defeated World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria earlier yesterday to make it 12 wins in a row.
Asal stormed to the quarter-finals after defeating compatriot Mohamed Zakaria in straight, with a commanding 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-3) win.
“Seeing a talent like Zakaria is great. He is pushing himself and taking the juniors with him as well. My brother is competing against him and he’s having a tough challenge. I’m surprised by how mature he is, he’s still 17 years old and he reminds me of myself,” Asal said.
“I’m very impressed with him and I’m so happy that Egypt are going to dominate again,” Asal said.
Five of the eight men who are lined up in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Platinum event in Doha are Egyptians.
After top seed Ali Farag and World No: 7 Tarek Momen, who advanced to the quarter-finals on Tuesday, Fares Desouky joined his Egyptian compatriots after overcoming a tricky start to beat Switzerland’s Ymitri Stetman 3-1 (1-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-5).
Desouky will take on Welshman Joel Makin, who dispatched Frenchman Auguste Dussard in three sets (11-5, 11-6, 11-4), for a place in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the women’s competition also saw two more Egyptians joining their compatriots in the quarter-final stage.
World No. 2 Nouran Gohar in action yesterday.
World No. 2 Nouran Gohar comfortably beat fellow Egyptian Nada Abbas 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-7) to advance. Gohar’s next opponent Amina Orfi, also from Egypt, yesterday defeated England’s Lucy Turmel 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 14-12) in a thrilling encounter.
Fourth-seed Nelly Gillis of Belgium also made it to the quarters with a dominant win over Wales’ Whyte Locke (3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-6). USA’s Olivia Weaver rounded out the women’s quarter-final line-up when she beat Egypt’s Fayrouz Abou ElKheir 3-0 (11-5, 11-0, 14-12).
Qatar Classic
Second Round Results
Men
[6] Karim Gawad (EGY) bt. Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT) 3-1: 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (46m)
[3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt. Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (49m)
Joel Makin (WAL) bt. Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (39m)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt. Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-1: 1-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-5 (55m)
Women
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt. Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (35m)
Amina Orfi (EGY) bt. Lucy Turmel (ENG)3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 14-12 (47m)
[4] Nele Coll (BEL) bt. Emily Whitlock (WAL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (29m)
[5] Olivia Weaver (USA) bt. Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-0, 14-12 (31m)
