2022 REPORTS REPORTS

R1 : Sabrina Sobhy 3-2 Yathreb Adel

Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 3-1 Yathreb Adel (EGY) 10-12, 11-6, 11-1, 11-8 (35m)

A for effort for Yathreb who has bee struggling for a long time now, mentally, since her mum’s passing unexpectedly right after her wedding.

Yathreb has now lost so much weight – too much at some point – and although I could hear her coughing her lungs out before and after the match poor mite, she fought hard with what weapons she had today.

All credit of Lethal Sabrina today, who mixed power with delicate short game, and to be honest, not many people would beaten the American today in the form she was….

Sabrina :
“I think I just knew that the more I got some practice on the glass court and warmed up my body, I could move better and get a little bit more into the match,” said Sobhy.

“It’s difficult with an earlier start time and coming from the States I have to get accustomed to jet lag. I knew if I kept moving and didn’t take a break it would boost my energy levels and my awareness on court.

“With the colder weather and with it being earlier in the morning, it [the court] was a little bit more dead. I think as the evening progresses and more people come in, the court will be a little bit warmer and more energised. I guess if it’s feeling dead you need to lift your shots a little bit to make sure they get into the back corners.

“The biggest positive is just getting through. The first match of the tournament is always a little nerve-wracking and you’re a bit anxious out there. To get through and to get some time on the glass court is a positive, for sure.”

“I haven’t thought too much about playing Amanda yet. I’m taking it as any other match and hoping that I’m not going to be as anxious playing a higher seed which will be good. I’m looking forward to it. We haven’t played each other for a very long time, so I guess the sibling rivalry flip flops, as does everything else!”

 

Yathreb :
I don’t want to sound like excuses, I have having to mention it, but I’m asthmatic Still, when you get on court, you accept the conditions you are in. We had two heavy days of wind and sand in Cairo, and I have been struggling as I cannot take my normal medicine/inhaler because of doping. So I was struggling a lot with my breathing.

I’m happy I was playing well. But when she got me moving around a lot, I could feel a pain in my chest, and I was struggling to breathe. But at least I’m trying to get back to enjoy my time on court.

I have been struggling a lot after my mum passed away, but my husband is very supportive, he helps me, he understands what it takes to play competition, and what it is to lose as well. I didn’t have much pleasure on court anymore, and as I lost my ranking, I felt that all the work I had been doing for the past two years was lost. It was not an easy time and I struggled a lot mentally with my squash.

The game has changed as well, everybody has been improving, but I am now trying to put all the negative things aside, I lost weight to help my movement, which is something I always struggled with.

I’m happy to be back, enjoying my squash so much more than I used to, despite it all…