SYDNEY – Egyptian pair Salma Hany and Youssef Soliman has been crowned the Australian Squash Open champions after defeating Amina Orfi and Victor Crouin, respectively in Sydney.
Salma clinched her maiden piece of silverware on the PSA World Tour with her success in Sydney, as the top seed overcame No.2 seed Orfi 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-9.
The World No.11, who’s been a runner up on four occasions previously, produced a clinical display while also being able to contain Orfi.
After managing the first two games, Salma did well to absorb plenty of pressure applied by her Egyptian compatriot to have six match balls and, despite Orfi saving five of them, Salma converted at the sixth attempt to land her first-ever title on the World Tour.
“I’m very happy. I’m very proud of myself this week, I produced some good squash and opponent Amina is such a strong player, she’s been pushing all of the top players and to play the final with her was great,” Salma said according to psaworldtour.com.
“I’m glad I stayed solid and kept my calm, managed to stick to the plan and I enjoyed my time out there.
“I was 10-4, match ball in the third and I dropped my focus a little bit and she was coming back strong and I managed to win it 11-9. I was able to keep my focus and calm throughout the match and that was the key.
“My head was clear and I was able to think and react to everything she did on court. I’m really happy with the week and to win the title,” Salma added.
The 27-year-old, meeting Orfi for the first time on the PSA World Tour, didn’t drop a single game in Sydney on the way to claiming the title.
Salma was positive and confident in her play from the opening game, with her patience opening up a 6-1 lead. The No.1 seed did a great job of driving the ball deep in the back corners and picking her moments wisely to hit winners.
The top seed found success with the backhand drop into the front left corner as she went one game up, with the second game more fragmented with 18 decisions throughout the entire game.
Salma continued to do an excellent job of containing Orfi as she absorbed plenty of pressure before doubling her match lead having converted game ball at the first time of asking.
Orfi, who was crowned World Junior champion in Australia last year, needed a response but was unable to break down Salma’s solidness as the World No.11 had six match balls to secure her first piece of silverware.
It was a tense finish for Salma, with five of them saved by Orfi. However Hany closed it out to secure her maiden title on the World Tour.
In the men’s final, No.2 seed Youssef dispatched top seed Crouin 3-1 to secure his second Bronze-level title in as many months having triumphed at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington D.C. in February.
It was the pair’s fifth PSA World Tour clash, and their second this season having played out a five-game battle at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York City in January, where Crouin was victorious.
It didn’t go the distance this time, though, as Youssef executed his game plan superbly – timing his moments to attack and remained solid throughout even when Crouin halved the deficit when he won the third 11-4.
But Youssef remained composed in the fourth, winning 11-6 to secure the 11th title of his career.
“I’m over the moon to have this title,” Youssef said.
“It’s been a very tough week, the conditions have been very tough and to play Victor [Crouin] in the final for a Bronze event – he’s World No.11 and I’m No.12 – and we both came here to win the title.
“He was coming back when I was 2-0 up and I’m glad with the way that I managed it in the fourth. It’s been a tough week and I’m feeling relieved,” he added.
Youssef and Crouin were going head-to-head for the fifth time on the PSA World Tour, their second encounter of the season after the French No.1 came out on top in a five-game battle at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York City.
It didn’t go the distance this time, though, as Youssef executed his game plan superbly – timing his moments to attack incredibly well which he had done so well all week in Sydney.
In a scrappy, absorbing opening game with plenty of decisions, it was Youssef who was victorious in 19 minutes with an 11-8 success over Crouin.
The response from Crouin was just what was required from the Frenchman, tidying up the errors that had been costly in the first two games as he halved the deficit.
But the errors crept back in for Crouin, who was struggling to find his range as Soliman remained composed despite losing the third to get back on top and seal the match with an 11-6 victory in the fourth.
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