Hong Kong Squash Open: ‘Terminator’ Nouran Gohar sees off Japan’s Satomi Watanabe to reach semi-finals
- Japan’s Satomi Watanabe pushes world No 1 to two tiebreaks in the opening two games, before being edged out in straight sets
- New Zealand’s Joelle King keeps her unbeaten streak alive with a convincing 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 win over England’s Sarah-Jane Perry
Nouran Gohar secured her place in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Squash Open on Friday with a clinical, straight sets win over Japan’s Satomi Watanabe, although it was not all smooth sailing for the world No 1.
Gohar, the 2016 Hong Kong Open champion, set a cracking pace early in their quarter final showdown, but needed to draw on her years of experience to disrupt Watanabe, who was initially able to slow her pace and assert control.
Watanabe, the first Japanese player to reach a PSA World Tour Platinum quarter final, was at her best in the opening game where she clawed back from 9-6 to hold the edge briefly.
It was a similar situation in the second game, where the 23-year-old overturned three game balls, before finally succumbing 12-10. Play was halted after Watanabe caught an unlucky strike to the face by Gohar’s racket, but no lasting damage was done.
As game three kicked in, Gohar lived up to her moniker of “The Terminator” and took control to rattle off five successive points and open up a commanding lead. In the end, Gohar needed just 37 minutes to end Watanabe’s run, winning 14-12, 12-10, 11-6.
“It was a great match, that is the first time I’ve played Satomi,” Gohar said after the match. “We have quite a similar style, she likes to play fast, which doesn’t always happen on court with me. Usually I’m the one setting the pace.
“It’s really good to have a talented player from Japan in this tournament, I think it’s good for the sport, it’s very exciting.”
Gohar will now move on to face fellow Egyptian and world No 3 Hania El Hammamy in Saturday’s semi-final after she defeated Nour El Tayeb 6-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8.
Watanabe said she was proud of her performance and her ability to claw back some points from the world No 1.
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect, the first game I was really struggling with her speed. I was just mind blown in the first couple of points,” Watanabe said.
“I just told myself, I have to slow this down, you’re not ready to play at this pace. I think I did quite OK in the first two, but then at the end I wasn’t good enough to close it up. But I was glad I could pull her out of her ‘Terminator’ mode for a while. It was a really good experience.
“I’m really excited for the second half of the season.”
World No 5 Diego Elias booked his place in the semi finals for the first time after he overcame Egypt’s Youssef Soliman in a tense and testing battle.
The pair had only ever contested two fixtures on the PSA World Tour, with Elias winning both in straight games. Friday’s match, while far more competitive, ended in similar fashion with Elias taking a straight sets win 11-9, 12-10, 11-5.
New Zealand’s Joelle King also kept her unbeaten streak alive with a convincing 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 win over England’s Sarah-Jane Perry.
