R2: Zeina 10/3 match ball down, takes the match in 5…

[2] Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-2 Madison Lyon (AUS)  9-11, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 (41m)

When I saw that the seed number two – and the only Egyptian in the draw – was two love down, I thought I might as well going to watch a few rallies. Little I knew I was going to witness one of the comebacks of the century…

Maddy, the young Australian based in Brisbane, 20 years old and ranked 87, took the first two games quickly, 8m and 5m. A good reaction from Zeina in the 3rd, 5/1, 6/2, 10/4, taking the game 11/7 in 8m.

Zeina admitted that she was in her head organising the return to Cairo, calling the Agent to change her flight, you know the kind of thoughts, as she found herself 7/2, 10/3 match ball down… “Thank God” she thought, “Ramy (Ashour, her coach) is very busy with the Heliopolis Club Board Elections, and probably didn’t watch the match”….

But as Ramy did one day to Shabana, from 0/10 match ball, Ramy coming back to 10/10, out of the blue, Zeina remembered she could actually play great squash, and found winner after winner. The fact that Maddy is young and doesn’t have the same experience than the Egyptian helped, obviously, as on the last 6 points, the Australian got 4 tins and penalised with the stroke…

Not surprinsingly, the young contender never came back in the match after that, and it’s a 11/4 in 5m for the Egyptian in the decider…

Zeina : Why am I doing that to myself???

Oh my God! I was thinking how I was going to be able to organise my return to Cairo tonight, to try and change my ticket, and erase that tournament from my brain. Forgetting is a blessing…

Oh my God. How did I win? I just don’t know. Ok, maybe I wasn’t playing my best squash, but she played a great squash, she was very brave, and I didn’t expect such a great match from her.

Last time I played on that court was 6 years ago, it has changed a lot, when I was young and fearless too. This time, things feel very different, I didn’t have any idea of how she played, it’s a bit stressful.

When I was down, I kept my eyes on the ball, I didn’t look outside, and I didn’t anything else than play my shots. I told myself this could be the last shot of the match, do your best, and try not to make any errors. And it’s worked.

I’m used to play higher seeds or the same seeds than I, I’m not used to be one of the top seeds, it’s such a different pressure. I’m glad I went through. I don’t know how but I’m really proud of myself for not letting this one go.