Amanda Sobhy shocks top seed Gohar in QTerminals Qatar Classic

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September 14, 2023
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14-September-2023

Amanda Sobhy shocks top seed Gohar in QTerminals Qatar Classic

Doha: USA’s Amanda Sobhy raised the roof a little at the Khalifa Inernational Tennis & Squash Complex on Wednesday as she sensationally dispatched the top-seeded and World No.2 Nouran Gohar in straight games to make the women’s semi-finals of QTerminals Qatar Classic. 

 The 30-year-old Sobhy, who has played out a number of fiery encounters with Gohar in recent seasons, came into the match on the back of a nine-match losing record against ’the Terminator’. 

 Early on in game one, Gohar looked likely to extend this record, with the Egyptian earning four game balls at 10-6. 

The American, however, responded emphatically, scoring six consecutive points to stun Gohar. 

The World No.5 picked up where she left off in game two, attacking confidently and taking on Gohar’s famed power as she doubled her lead with an 11-9 win. 

In a scarcely believable third game, Sobhy was simply unstoppable, firing past a shell-shocked Gohar as she conceded just a single point to complete the rout in 32 minutes. 

“It was a long time coming, we’ve played a lot of times and our head-to-heads have been close, but since 2019 she’s beaten me,” said Sobhy. “Every time I play her, I’m not afraid anymore. I want to play her because it gives me that much more confidence going in against her. 

“I was excited to know that I was going to face again here in Qatar after last week in Paris. I learned a lot in Paris and I translated it into Qatar, hopefully you can see a different version of me, especially emotionally. I’m so pumped. 

“I sometimes get off to a slow start and with her pace it’s easy to get blown out of the court, but even when I was 10-6 down, I felt like I was still in it and I just thought that I had nothing to lose. 

“It felt very relaxed and I just wanted to go out there and take it to her and I’m just glad it paid off.” 

On her telephone celebration, she added: ”I saw that at the US Open, Ben Shelton did it, then [Novak] Djokovic did it on Shelton and I just absolutely love the savageness of it, so when I saw that happen I was like, ‘I have to do it, I have to do it’. So, it might be getting old, but I’m going to roll with it – it’s working.” 

In another upset, Tinne Gilis mounted another impressive comeback as she overcame World No. 12 Salma Hany to reach the semi-finals of a Platinum event for the first time in her career. 

The Belgian was second best in game one, with Hany too strong on the attack as the Egyptian took the lead with an 11-6 win in game one. 

 Just as she did in her 3-2 round three win against Joelle King, Gilis responded to a disappointing performance with a much better showing. 

The World No.10 adjusted well, denying Hany – whose concentration began to wane – chances in the middle to level and then pull ahead with11-7 and 11-6 wins. 

Later, World No.1 Nour El Sherbini avenged her shock El Gouna defeat to Nele Gilis with a thumping 3-0 win over the Belgian. 

Earlier, World No. 3 Hania El Hammamy defeated England’s Georgina Kennedy to earn her spot in the semi-final. 

ElShorbagy overcomes Ibrahim in five games 
In the first men’s round three match of day five in the QTerminals Qatar Classic, England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy beat Youssef Ibrahim in an 81-minute epic 3-2 (6-11, 11-6, 16-14, 8-11, 11-7) while Mazen Hesham defeated his fellow Egyptian Aly Abou Eleinen 3-0 to book their places in the quarter final. 

Later in the day, Diego Elias defeated Youssef Soliman in straight games to earn his spot in the next round. 

ElShorbagy and Ibrahim had met twice before at the Qatar Classic in 2020 and 2021, with Ibrahim winning on both occasions. ‘The Beast’ won their last match-up in the third round of this year’s PSA World Championships. 

ElShorbagy said: “It was very hard for me today. Everything I do in my career, I still learn. He’s beaten me three times in a row and at a time in my career that was very difficult. Don’t get me wrong, he’s unbelievable and the talent he possesses on court – he’s unique.”