Milwaukee Hong Kong Squash Open 2024 moved to an outdoor venue in Central on Thursday with both men’s and women’s top seeds marching to the semifinals.
In a specially set-up glass court in Edinburgh Place, Nour El Sherbini of Egypt, women’s World No.1, overcame a slow start to beat compatriot Rowan Elaraby, the eighth seed, 3-0 (12-10, 13-11, 11-6) while Ali Farag, her men’s counterpart, scored the same result against another Egyptian Mazen Hesham after winning an hour long battle 11-6, 11-9, 15-13.
It’s the first time the platinum tournament has its quarterfinals, semifinals and finals being held in the heart of the city with a big TV display broadcasting the event live.
Spectators can receive a beautifully packaged player card as giveaway, with some of them having players’ autographs. Many spectators came earlier for the precious souvenir before the match started.
Farag, who reached the Hong Kong Open final three times before including last year but finished all runner-up, now set his sights of breaking the duck. And he passed a tough test given by Hesham, the sixth seed, in the quarterfinals especially in the final game when he won after a long deuce.
“I think I did well in the first two games to contain him as much as possible,” Farag said after his victory. “You’re never going to contain him for the majority of the rallies, but for most of them, I tried. And then in the third he was in charge.
“He is very skillful and it was too hard to read him. In the third game, my ball fell too short, too often. He was dictating the play … and I tried to contain him at the end by keeping a little bit more straight. And I was very lucky to win that third.”
Farag, who won two tournaments this season before his arrival in Hong Kong, said he came here with a good momentum.
“Hopefully I can take it to my advantage and make the most use of it. Hong Kong Open is my first ever PSA event outside of Egypt back in 2009 when I lost to Leo Au (of Hong Kong). I was lucky to reach a few finals here and hopefully this time I can do one better,” he said.
He will now meet Diego Elias of Peru in the next round. The fourth seed beat Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt 3-1 in another quarterfinals with a 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 win.
In the women’s draw, El Sherbini, who won her only Hong Kong Open title in 2017 and lost in the semifinals last year, is determined to do better this time. However, she was fully stretched by her compatriot Elaraby in a close battle.
Against the number eight seed, the World No.1 was never in the lead in the opening game and had to save three game points before coming from behind to draw the first blood 12-10. The second game was also a close rally which was decided after deuce when El Sherbini won 13-11.
She attributed it to a slow start as she had to adapt to the conditions of playing in the outdoor venue for the first time in the tournament.
“It was a bit tricky to switch courts as we played indoor in the first two days,” she said. “I was a bit scared at the beginning of the match, but once I had adapted to this and just tried to stick to the game and not to lose a game, that was the main thing for me.
“I am happy with the win but not with my performance as I could play better, but I won the match without losing a game and this is important for me. So I just hope for a better performance next round. Last year I had a quick section in the semis and I will try to make it the better one this time.”
El Sherbini will now take on Olivia Weaver of the United States in the semifinals. The fourth seed American scored a comfortable straight game win over Nele Coll of Belgium in another quarterfinals after cruising through 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 in her only second appearance in Hong Kong.
The duo last met in the US Open in October when the Egyptian prevailed only after a five-game rally.
The tournament continues in the glass court at Edinburgh Place today with four other quarterfinals to decide the fixtures of the semis.
