El Naggar takes on Wardany in all-Egyptian final at ISC Open
MUSCAT: Defending champion Mohammed El Naggar will take on Wardany Hamdy in the pennant clash for the men’s singles crown at the Villeroy & Boch + Hansgrohe Open Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club on Sunday.
In the all-Egyptian men’s final will be the concluding match in the two-week long tournament. Top seed Mohammed El Naggar will defend his men’s singles title against his doubles partner Wardany Hamdy who is participating in this tournament for the first time but has surprised everyone with his brilliant all-round game.
El Naggar advanced to the final after an epic semifinal encounter which had all the ingredients of a final, in which he outsmarted mercurial Omani second seed As’ad Al Raisi in six thrilling games.
It was a match par excellence which El Naggar won 11-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 13-11. The scoreline is an indication of the thrilling and tense battle that ensued between the two. The final result could have gone either way, but El Naggar’s perseverance and temperament prevailed over the flamboyance of the Omani lefthander.
In the sixth game cliff-hanger, As’ad clawed back from 4-8 down and saved a match point to level at 10-all. He gained game point which El Naggar saved and converted the next match point to enter the final.
Wardany Hamdy’s route to the final included the scalp of third seed Al Khalil Al Brashdi in the pre-quarters and Ismail Al Suleimani whom he defeat- ed 11-9, 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 in the semifinals. The Egyptian combo of Mohammed El Naggar and Wardany will take on the Omani duo of Sami and Maher Al Jabri in the men’s doubles final also to be played this evening.
All table tennis enthusiasts are invited to this table tennis finale which will also include prizes for the lucky spectators and other surprise prizes for all.