Omneya Abdel Kawy (pic) became the first Egyptian to win the Women’s Monte Carlo Classic title after beating former champion Vanessa Atkinson in the final in Monaco. Atkinson, the 3rd seed from the Netherlands who was champion in 2005, was celebrating her 40th appearance in a WISPA final. But it was Abdel Kawy’s day as the 25-year-old top seed from Cairo fought for 33 minutes to beat Atkinson 11-5, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 to celebrate her triumph. The Monte Carlo Classic success marks the eighth Tour title of Abdel Kawy’s career. The runner-up also had her share of the limelight, however, when a special presentation was made to Vanessa Atkinson by The Monégasque Fédération to mark her tenth appearance in the Monte Carlo Squash Classic since the first edition in 1996 – in which she reached the final four times and won it in 2005.
