Teenager Nada Abbas British Open’s latest giant-killer

KINGSTON UPON HULL, United Kingdom: Nada Abbas, a 16-year-old who has already been professional for two years, marked her British Open debut on Tuesday with a sensational victory over one of the title contenders.

The self-possessed teenager beat her powerful Egyptian compatriot Nouran Gohar, the runner-up last year and fourth seed this year, by 12-10, 14-12, 5-11, 11- 8, cleverly slowing down one of the world’s most formidable hitters.

Abbas, who hails from Giza, location of the legendary pyramids, remained imperturbable during frequent traffic problems which brought many refereeing decisions and a stop-start feeling, and which sometimes unsettled her 19-yearold opponent.

Gohar never really got going, though it might have been different had she found just one timely winner in the later stages of the second game when both players had two game balls. Abbas has been able to develop her precocious ability because she began touring the circuit before the governing body altered its rules to stipulate an age minimum of 16 years.

During her first year she climbed 106 places, and her current ranking of 45 still does not flatter her. Even though Gohar took control of the third game Abbas found a way to slow down the fourth again and then to close out a remarkable win.

“It’s a great feeling, it’s the first time I’ve ever beaten anyone in the top 10 - I can’t believe it,” she said. “I tried to break her game and not let her play a fast game. I tried to slow things down a little bit and go for shots in the front more.”

Abbas then looked forward: “There’s no pressure on me, so I aim to play my best squash. I want to go as far as I can, and if I play like this then I could go to the quarter-finals.”

Her great result has however a caveat. It happened on bouncy conventional plaster club courts, which were used for 12 f irst round matches. When she moves on Thursday to the all- glass show court which is hosting the rest of the tournament it will be in conditions which are very different.

It was on these same courts three years ago that Nour El Sherbini, now British Open champion, suffered a big first round upset. It was here that Marwan Elshorbagy, the sixth-seeded Egyptian also got his come-uppance, losing 5-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11- 6, 11- 6 to Max Lee, the world number 17 from Hong Kong.

Earlier, Marwan’s elder brother, Mohamed Elshorbagy produced one of the noisiest and bravest recoveries to avoid losing his title in the first round. Elshorbagy trailed 3- 6 in the final game and appeared to be slipping to defeat against fellow Egyptian Dares Dessouky before he clawed and screamed his way back, winning 11- 8, 10-12, 11-7, 8-11, 11- 8. — AFP