El Torky & El Tayeb Tie Up Heliopolis Upsets

Significant upsets by local teenagers Nour El Tayeb and Heba El Torky in the first round of the On The Run Heliopolis Open have ensured that half of the players lining up for the quarter-finals of the women's $20,000 WISPA World Tour squash event at the Heliopolis Sporting Club in Cairo are Egyptian.

El Tayeb, a 16-year-old qualifier from the Egyptian capital, twice stemmed fight-backs by fifth seed Manuela Manetta to beat the Italian 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 2-11, 11-6 in 37 minutes.

"It was the most difficult match of my life, she is fit and fast," admitted the reigning British Junior U17 Open champion. "I was impatient, but I played well in the third - I changed my game as my coach Hatem Hassan told me. He told me to keep her behind me and be patient, which I did! I am happy with the win as it is in my club."

El Tayeb will now face compatriot Engy Kheirallah after the fourth seed from Alexandria beat promising Egyptian Nour El Sherbini. The 13-year-old, also from Alexandria, was making her WISPA Tour debut after beating two higher-ranked fellow countrywomen in the qualifiers.

But 27-year-old Kheirallah, ranked 21 in the world, was too strong for the youngster, winning 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7.

"It was a good match - we both played a good game," said El Sherbini afterwards. "I was very happy to play Engy as it is the first time."

Unseeded Heba El Torky stopped South African Tenille Swartz, the sixth seed, 3-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 to set up another all-Egyptian quarter-final clash with third seed Raneem El Weleily, an 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 victor over Hong Kong's Elise Ng.

"It is difficult to beat Tenille as she beat Engy last week - that was all what I had on my mind," said the triumphant El Torky later. "She is a very difficult player as she goes for every point. I had to change my game and be patient and persistent."

1st round:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6 (38m)
[7] Orla Noom (NED) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 1-11, 11-5 (20m)
[3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Elise Ng (HKG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (18m)
Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [6] Tenille Swartz (RSA) 3-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (36m)
[Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [5] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 2-11, 11-6 (37m)
[4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7 (38m)
[8] Christina Mak (HKG) bt Lucie Fialova (CZE) 12-14, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8 (49m)
[2] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (22m)