12:23 am
2 May 2024

El Tayeb Topples Title-Holder Serme In Creteil Crash

28 Feb 2010

Local star and top seed Camille Serme failed to retain her Women's Creteil International Open title after losing out to unseeded Egyptian teenager Nour El Tayeb in the final of the $16,000 WISPA World Tour squash event in its fourth year at Centre Marie Therese Eyquem in Creteil, France.

It was a sensational performance by El Tayeb, who becomes only the third sixteen-year-old in the history of the WISPA World Tour to win a Tour title - following in the footsteps of Malaysia's reigning world number one Nicol David and US teenager Amanda Sobhy.

El Tayeb, who celebrates her 17th birthday in just over a week, reached the final after upsetting eighth seed Annelize Naude and fourth seed Emma Beddoes. In the semi-finals, the Cairo star outplayed compatriot Heba El Torky, a qualifier.

Serme, ranked 11 in the world and playing on her home club courts, battled back after losing the first two games to draw level.

But the Egyptian novice refused to be outdone and dug deep to reclaim the advantage in the decider to record her historic 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8 title-winning victory.

The success gives El Tayeb her maiden title on the WISPA Tour - but, no doubt, the first of many more to come.

Final:
Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [1] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8