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Hurghada
International
2007
07-13 May, Egypt, $21k
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| 09-May,
First Round Part Two
[1] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [Q] Salma Shabana
(Egy) 9/7, 9/1, 9/3
(27m)
Lauren Siddall (Eng) bt [8] Joshna Chinappa
(Ind)
9/7, 9/2, 9/4 (29m)
[3] Engy Kheirallah (Egy) bt [Q] Dipika Pallikal
(Ind)
9/1, 9/2, 9/4 (24m)
Elise Ng (Hkg) bt [5] Tricia Chuah (Mas)
5/9, 1/9, 9/5, 10/8, 9/1 (56m) |
Cities
compete in Hurghada
WISPA
reports from the Red Sea
While Cairo and Alexandria drew
three all in the most cities of players competing
in the Hurghada International, the next group
on featuredtwo from Kuala Lumpur, Hong
Kong and Chennai. The first two might
have been reasonably expected, but two players
from India, never mind from one city, is a new
phenomenon.
Joshna Chinappa, seeded eight here, has
been moving forward since reaching the final
of the World Junior Championship nearly two
years ago, but the new kid on the sub-continental
block is Dipika Pallikal.
While her potential is undoubted, having made
the main draw she was drawn against third seed
Engy Kheirallah, and so had limited opportunity
to show it. The salient point is that she is
aged just fifteen, so like Nour El Tayeb yesterday,
she is gaining experience just competing at
the Red Sea resort.
Could we be looking at two front-runners for
the World Juniors in 2009?
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Draw & Results
"I
was thinking about more length. I just wanted
to try to play my game because Tricia had
started really well."
"I
was very nervous at the beginning playing
on the glass court, but the fun of everybody
cheering for Engy let me enjoy it and I went
for it."
"She
came out pretty quickly but at 7/2 down I
hit a couple of lucky shots that gave me confidence.
Actually, I like glass courts in general as
they give me time and the chance to see the
ball."
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Ng
comeback takes out Tricia
But first on court was an all- Asian affair.
Hong Kong v Malaysia. Elise Ng v Tricia Chuah.
One thing in common, both are currently Netherlands
based while they pursue excellence with the
help of their national federations.
The Malaysian fifth seed started clinically
and simply continued hitting the ball at just
the right pace to discomfit Ng, who was prone
to over hit in the balmy evening air. Slowly
though, Ng was adjusting ... and slowly the
match got closer. The winner of the Hellendoorn
Open last month was beginning to relax and
improved as she did so.
Fewer errors and greater variety to accompany
the better length allowed the slight girl from
Hong Kong to win the third, and although Chuah
went 6/3 up in the fourth her steadiness was
not quite enough to take her to a match ball.
Ng took the game at the second time of asking
and was now rampant.
Moving well, producing wrong footing winners,
she soared away to an 8/1 deciding game lead
and ended with a backhand long drop flourish
to join compatriot Christina Mak in the quarters.
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Engy
despatches Dipika
Full stands had watched this match with quiet
interest. But that all changed when the name
of an Egyptian player was heard from the lips
of the announcer. Engy Kheirallah was
bidding for a quarter final place with the aforementioned
Pallikal in what was expected to be a gentle
opener.
It was. With the evening court time good for
the Alexandrian, as was the experience for the
young Chenite.
Kheirallah put in a subdued performance but
was comprehensively in control even when Pallikal
settled her nerves and started to flow more.
The Indian has one more month based in Cairo
under the tutelage of Egyptian Mohamed Hafiz,
having spent six months so far, with breaks
to return home for school exams.
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Siddall
sacks Chinappa
The third match of the evening saw the other
half of the Chennai challenge take to the court.
Eighth seed Joshna Chinappa took on England’s
Lauren Siddall, ranked only 15 slots
below her at 56.
The portents were for a close match and while
the first game was, after Siddall clawed back
Chinappa’s 7/2 lead, the fizz slowly leaked
out of the Indian’s game. Siddall, patriotically
clad in the red and white of England, reached
her first WISPA Silver quarter final. |
Rachael
sends Salma packing
The English girl now plays world number three
Rachael Grinham. The Australian found
Salma Shabana on song in the first game,
but once the sting was drawn the match was effectively
over. She and her family will get back in the
car for the return run to Cairo, hoping not
to break down as they did on the way down across
the desert.
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The home country is down to three – well, three
and a half if you count Grinham, who has lived
near Cairo for several years. And since they
make up the top four seeds it looks like the
duos from Hong Kong and England will have their
work cut out in the Hurghada International quarter
finals.
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