"I thought we both played really good squash. But at the end, on those match balls, I was actually relaxed while I think Nour may have got just a little bit tight," said Londoner Waters after the match (pic: Steve Line). 3rd seed Raneem El Welily and 5th seed Alison Waters (ri) stunned higher-seeded opponents in the semi-finals of the Women’s J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions to set up a surprise final at Grand Central Terminal in New York.
The journey to the championship match had several ups and downs – and ended with a dramatic finish as Waters, the world No.5 from England, had to save three match-balls before claiming victory over 4th-seeded Egyptian Nour El Sherbini 8-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11.
In the 2nd semi-final El Welily eliminated Laura Massaro, the 2nd seed from England, in four games 11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6. “Each of us was playing well at different times,” observed El Welily, now in the 22nd Tour final of her career.
Both finalists will be making their debuts in the climax of the 2015 Women’s ToC – El Welily additionally also becoming the first Egyptian to make the women’s final.
Final:
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) v [3] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Semi-finals:
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 8-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11 (76m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6 (44m)
Quarter-finals:
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [1] Nicol David (MAS) 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-1 (56m)
[4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 12-14, 11-9 (65m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Amanda Sobhy (USA) 11-5, 11-5, 2-11, 11-4 (28m)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [6] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (72m)
1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Rachael Grinham (AUS) 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (40m)
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (47m)
[4] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Annie Au (HKG) 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 (21m)
[8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [Q] Victoria Lust (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (25m)
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-7, 5-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7 (61m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-7, 15-13, 11-7 (39m)
[6] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 12-10 (59m)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (32m)
