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02:00Yeah, I can't believe that.
02:10It's the next move, yeah.
02:20Oh, I can't believe that.
02:30I can't believe that.
02:37I can't believe that.
02:42I can't believe that.
02:49I can't believe that.
02:52It's the next move, yeah.
05:30Good afternoon and welcome to this grandstanding new event of the PSA World Tour, the General
06:00and what better place to host this inaugural event than at the home of German squash here at Sportwerk.
06:06My name is Vanessa Atkinson. I will be your host for this day three of the event.
06:11It is quarterfinals day and we've got eight quarterfinals coming up for you on this glass court,
06:17alternating between the women's and men's competition.
06:21Lots to look forward to with the two remaining German players coming up in the last two matches this evening.
06:28But it is England v. Egypt up first.
06:31That's in the women's draw. Players are ready, so let's bring them onto court.
06:35First up, the 18-year-old from Egypt, the current world number 20.
06:40Please welcome Firouz Sabwell here.
06:51And her opponent, the number three seed and the world number six from England.
06:56Please welcome Georgina Kennedy.
07:16Welcome to quarterfinals day here in Hamburg for the inaugural German Open.
07:22Of course, we have eight matches for you, four women's and four men's.
07:38Roman, you can hear me?
07:42Well, I'm Simon Parkin. Joining me for this first match is former world number two, Natalie Grinham.
07:48Good afternoon, Natalie.
07:49Good afternoon, Parkin. How are you going?
07:51Very good, thank you. Just recovering from our racquetball hit this morning.
07:55Yeah, I think I might be already regretting that one.
07:59We've got Georgina Kennedy here of England up against Firouz Aboelka.
08:0627 years of age, Georgina Kennedy has already got a lot of experience now.
08:13Up against a real youngster, a real talented youngster, Aboelka.
08:18Just 18 years of age from Alexandria.
08:23It's going to be a tough test for the youngster.
08:26Kennedy looking in fantastic form, isn't she?
08:29Yeah, she definitely is. And she loves a 12 o'clock start.
08:33Yeah, I think she's up for this match.
08:36I just saw Kennedy warming up earlier. She leaves nothing in detail.
08:48Currently number six in the world, and that's her highest world ranking.
08:5127 years of age, and she's been on the tour for 12 years now already.
08:5811 titles to her name.
09:01Anything over that 70% win rate is so impressive.
09:05Kennedy, one of the fittest players on the PSA World Tour.
09:10With an improving, very much improving, short game,
09:13which has taken her to six in the world rankings.
09:19There we have on the right-hand side of the picture, Firouz Aboelka.
09:2320 in the world, and she's been up to 19 already, which is very impressive.
09:27She's just been on the tour for three years so far,
09:30and three titles on average of one a year.
09:36Of course, the start of her career was pretty much through the COVID times,
09:42which would have been difficult.
09:47But in full flow now, and this is the match.
09:49This is why she plays squash, this is the match.
09:53But in full flow now, and this is the match.
09:55This is why she plays squash, this is the quarterfinal here at the German Open,
09:59up against one of the best players in the world.
10:02What are your thoughts on this one, Matt?
10:04Yeah, I think it might be a tight match, but I think Gina will take it.
10:09I think she might take it.
10:11I think Firouz could possibly get a game,
10:14but I'm going to say Gina was on here yesterday,
10:18so she's got a bit more feel for the court.
10:20So I think it's going to be a tight one, but three-nil.
10:29Yeah, your thoughts, Parky?
10:31Yeah, I have to agree with you there.
10:33I think she's looking very sharp, Kennedy.
10:37She's going to be really up for this one,
10:39and she'll have her tactics sorted out with her coach, Ben Ford, back home.
10:46Yeah, I think she'll do a professional job, as always.
11:05Gina Kennedy said yesterday in the interview
11:08she's very happy with the early matches,
11:10likes to get things done and dusted, I guess.
11:13What were you liking? Did you have a preferred time?
11:16Yeah, I actually preferred to play earlier in the day
11:19because I had a bit of a thing with my timing with eating and stuff like that,
11:23so obviously around one o'clock I preferred to play
11:27because it was a good time, enough time to have breakfast,
11:30but I didn't have to have another meal before I played.
11:36And I didn't quite like the ones at night
11:38because obviously with eating the lunch and the timing,
11:41I always found that quite difficult.
11:43Yeah, and you're kind of hanging around as well, aren't you?
11:45Yeah.
11:46So you've got more time to get nervous if there are any nerves.
11:48Exactly.
11:53Play will start in 30 seconds.
11:55Well, there's the unmistakable voice of Ralph Varenberg,
11:59and there he is in his full glory.
12:04He's taking pole position for this match,
12:08and we have Roman Schwetz in the VR seat.
12:11Play will start in 15 seconds.
12:22German Open 2024, presented by Sportfunk,
12:26women's quarterfinal match.
12:28Farouz Aboukir of Egypt to serve,
12:30Georgina Kennedy of England to receive.
12:33Best of five games.
12:39Level.
12:42Here we go, Nat, the first quarterfinal of the day
12:45at this inaugural German Open.
12:51It's been a great week so far, hasn't it?
12:53There's been some fantastic squash.
12:54Yeah, I'm looking forward to quite a few today, actually.
12:57A lot of firsts as well, a lot of players,
12:59and I believe this is their first meeting as well, right?
13:02So...
13:03It is.
13:04You know, that could make it a little bit more interesting.
13:08Both these players come through pretty unscathed.
13:13Just around 20 minutes on court for both of them so far.
13:20It's not going to take a lot out of you, is it?
13:22No, yeah, I think, yeah.
13:24One was 20 and one was 19, right?
13:26So, yeah.
13:27It's about as long as you were on court this morning.
13:38APPLAUSE
13:48Hand out.
13:49One, two.
14:04Oh, lovely shot.
14:05APPLAUSE
14:08Two-all.
14:17What do you think she's going to do, Kennedy?
14:20Do you think she's just going to stick to her normal game,
14:23or is there anything, any slight nuances
14:26that she's going to change against Dabowelka?
14:28Hand out.
14:29Well, it looks like she's already starting.
14:31She's putting the ball in short.
14:33It's hanging a bit too high for me at the moment,
14:35and Bruce looks quite handy,
14:37so I think she's going to be a little bit more careful
14:41with taking it in short from behind,
14:43because this is high.
14:44She's going to get herself in trouble there.
14:48I don't know what was going on there.
14:49There's a couple of loose ones from Gina,
14:51and then the ball just kept coming down the middle.
14:53Completely unintentional, I think, from Dabowelka.
14:56Hand out.
14:57Three-all.
14:58Got tied it up in the end.
15:06Yeah, it's well straightened from Kennedy.
15:10Yeah, I think you're right, though.
15:11She's going to have to try and keep the ball
15:13off the volley of Dabowelka,
15:16and I guess keep it fairly straight and simple,
15:21just at a high pace.
15:22Yeah.
15:36Sorry.
15:40Throw to Kennedy.
15:48Five-three.
15:50Yeah, I just caught her there.
15:51She went to...
15:53Yeah.
15:54Yeah, it has to be, doesn't it?
15:55There was a long look from Dabowelka
15:57at Ralph Arenberg, but no review.
16:05Five-three.
16:11That was a good cross court.
16:12It was.
16:13Beat me to it there, and that was as well.
16:15Yeah, she's got good width there.
16:17Yeah, she's focusing on that.
16:23Six-three.
16:24Nice hold.
16:25It's a bit of a guess as well, isn't it, from Dabowelka?
16:28This happened really quickly
16:30to get to this position for Kennedy.
16:36You asked for a decision.
16:38No lead.
16:40Player review.
16:41Kennedy on the no lead decision.
16:44Let's take a look at this.
16:45It was a bit of a strange one, wasn't it?
16:47I kind of felt that Kennedy's shot herself
16:49was a bit too high from the one here,
16:52but then...
16:55I think she did have to go around and play that really.
16:57It was one of those where she's not really
17:00that type of player, Kennedy,
17:02where she asks for something that she shouldn't get,
17:05but I think there was a bit of contact,
17:07and then she didn't realise she could have gone to the side.
17:10Do you think she created her own interference there?
17:13Yes, probably.
17:17I think she probably did.
17:19And now, four-six.
17:33Out.
17:36Hand out.
17:37Seven-four.
17:41It's going a lot quicker than I expected for the first game.
17:44Yes, it is.
17:46Not too many long rallies.
17:49Poor error there from Kennedy.
17:51Five-seven.
18:03Out.
18:07It just looks a little nervy here, Kennedy.
18:09She doesn't usually make this many mistakes,
18:11especially in the first game.
18:15Well, it is her first match against Verus,
18:17so that could be something to do with it.
18:20Sure.
18:25You know what you want to do,
18:26but then you start to maybe second-guess yourself.
18:28Is that the right choice?
18:30You start to second-guess yourself.
18:31Is that the right choice against them,
18:33instead of just playing it?
18:42Down.
18:44That's better from Kennedy.
18:45She's got into the rally a bit more,
18:46but a bit more of a fight.
18:47Hand out.
18:49Enforcing the error from the youngster.
18:51Eight-six.
19:01One.
19:14Yeah, yes, lad.
19:16Affected.
19:19You know, these ones are always difficult for me.
19:21I kind of always feel if you hit someone there,
19:24it's a stroke for me.
19:26No comments, please.
19:28Explanation is given.
19:32Unless it's the slightest touch
19:34where you don't even really see it, right?
19:36Yeah.
19:38You might have to...
19:39I'll give you Roy Gengel's number.
19:41You can have a little chat with him.
19:43Down.
19:49Nine-six.
19:50I just feel sometimes you get punished for playing the ball,
19:53when if you had just stopped and asked for a let,
19:55sometimes you might get a stroke.
19:57Yeah, I definitely know what you mean.
20:03It's better length there from Kennedy.
20:05Really positive.
20:06Much more positive from the English woman.
20:11Ten-six.
20:12Game ball.
20:14Kennedy, the number three seed here in this event,
20:17behind the Gilles sisters.
20:19Four game balls then for her
20:22in this first quarterfinal here in Hamburg.
20:28Three.
20:31Two.
20:33Seven for Dig Deep here.
20:35Kennedy in this rally, that's what she's good at.
20:38I think Wawelka will be happy with this rally.
20:40She's managing to put a little bit more pressure on her opponent.
20:43That was a great shot.
20:44Great shot.
20:45Definitely two bounces there.
20:47Conceded by Kennedy.
20:49Hand out.
20:50That was promising for the youngster.
20:52Even if she does still lose this first.
20:54Seven-ten.
20:55Game ball.
20:56But if you have to play every rally like that,
20:58it ends up being quite demanding.
21:02Yeah, it's hard work.
21:03Physically, that's for sure.
21:06But, as you know, squash is a brutal sport.
21:11You're not going to get anywhere
21:12if you just sit back and wait for it to happen.
21:18Down.
21:19That's a great shot from the back of the court.
21:21Still shooting those ones in from behind.
21:23Kennedy leads.
21:25One game to love.
21:26Yeah, she gets it in nice and straight.
21:29She marches off.
21:30She never does anything slowly, Kennedy.
21:37Wawelka just taking a bit more time.
21:41So Kennedy comes through.
21:42Eleven-seven in nine minutes.
21:45She leads by one game to love.
21:53Ten seconds.
22:23Play will resume in 60 seconds.
22:54Play will resume in 30 seconds.
23:11Fifteen seconds.
23:12Ready?
23:13Okay.
23:14Kennedy leads one game to love.
23:18Wawelka.
23:24Oh, yes.
23:25Lovely.
23:26Yeah, I think the tactics are spot-on now from Kennedy, aren't they?
23:29One left.
23:32She's just got rid of a few of the quarterfinal nerves
23:36with playing the opponent for the first time nerves.
23:39Yeah.
23:40She's got that first game in the pocket,
23:42so she can relax a little bit.
23:45There's a few reasons.
23:46She's playing a junior, a very talented junior,
23:48and she's got a few reasons.
23:50She's got a few reasons.
23:51She's playing a junior, a very talented junior,
23:53and there's many, many reasons why you might have just a few flutters of the nerves.
24:07Never like to lose to a junior,
24:09no matter when you're a seasoned top pro,
24:12no matter how good they are.
24:13Yeah.
24:17That's great work.
24:18That's a fist bump from Kennedy.
24:22Looking in fine fettle today.
24:24Three left.
24:44That's a great shot.
24:45That's a great shot.
24:46Much needed for a broker.
24:49Played this tremendously well.
25:07That's brilliant.
25:08She plays it so well.
25:09She doesn't really go for the neck, does she?
25:11She goes for front wall, floor, low, straight.
25:15Look at that.
25:16Just fading into the side wall.
25:18Great shot.
25:27No legs.
25:30That was too far.
25:31The distance to the ball was too far.
25:33I agree.
25:34He was very sure of himself there.
25:39She did exceptionally well to get it off the wall so tight.
25:45That's good.
25:51Chance here for Abouelka.
25:53That's a good hold.
25:57Not up.
25:58Just a good bit of delay there.
26:00She had her opportunities, Abouelka,
26:02but kind of relinquished them.
26:04Five, two.
26:05Showing a bit of frustration.
26:09Yeah, I feel Gina's putting the ball in low there
26:12in the backhand corner as soon as she can.
26:14I think that's the right tactic.
26:16It keeps it off the peruse's volley.
26:20Makes her stretch.
26:21She's a big girl, getting down there.
26:25And she plays it so well.
26:26Six, two.
26:27She's hitting fantastic length and width as well, isn't she?
26:30Kennedy, to create these opportunities.
26:33Just basically getting into any of the four corners with pace
26:37and she's able to cover.
26:40But most of the time it is now pretty accurate, isn't it?
26:43Yeah.
26:44After a bit of a shaky first half of the first game.
26:49Stroke to Kennedy.
26:51Player review Abouelka on the stroke decision.
26:56Your thoughts?
26:57Had it gone faster?
27:01Let's have another look from behind here.
27:06No, I think it's moving to the left, isn't it?
27:09Sort of drifting to the left a little bit.
27:11I would think left.
27:12Maybe a lap, yeah.
27:13Oh, there you go.
27:14Stroke to Kennedy.
27:15I have to say it was a close one.
27:17One review remaining.
27:20Just thought it was drifting to the left a little bit,
27:22but there you go.
27:42Wow, wrong footed there, wasn't she, Kennedy?
27:44And able to correct her movement so well.
27:54It's annoying as a player, you know,
27:55when you've wrong footed someone and they still get the callback.
27:59That's when you know they're moving well.
28:03The thing is with Kennedy, she never really seems to move badly.
28:12Shot up.
28:13That's a nice shot, yeah.
28:18She's obviously got some time, Abouelka.
28:20From there, that was a difficult shot to execute,
28:23but she's not getting many opportunities.
28:25And that's a testament to Kennedy.
28:30And this court seems to be holding that shot really nicely.
28:35Dead in the front and dead in the back.
28:38Dead in the front and dead in the back.
28:43Bit too high there.
28:57That's a clever shot, yeah.
28:58Good bit of trickery there from the youngster.
29:03Post was a little bit high.
29:04Too much time available.
29:08It's a lot of ball bouncing there, isn't it?
29:10I've noticed that a lot this week.
29:14All the different styles and the amounts of bouncing.
29:38We need a little bit of a service clock like in tennis.
29:41Yeah.
29:50Stroke to Kennedy.
29:52No, you don't make any effort clear.
29:58Well, Ferenberg must have had an extra coffee this morning.
30:01He's getting very excited.
30:07That was a stroke, I feel,
30:10because it was a little bit of a straighter line.
30:12It wasn't drifting.
30:14Six game balls here for Kennedy.
30:35Lovely shot.
30:36Just berating herself there a little bit, Kennedy.
30:38She just left it slightly loose.
30:40I mean, this came on a racket.
30:42You know, you've still got to put it away.
30:43Yeah.
30:44Now, nice shot from Mladen.
30:47Five game balls now for Kennedy.
30:57That's brilliant.
30:59So happy to shoot it in from the back of the court,
31:03behind the service box on both sides,
31:05but particularly the backhand side, Kennedy.
31:08It's very impressive.
31:09Much more accurate than she was a few years ago.
31:19So Gina Kennedy taking that second game,
31:2111-5 in eight minutes and leads by two games to love.
31:32So Gina Kennedy just carrying on with that game plan
31:34that she was implementing towards the end of the first game.
31:39Just keeping the pace high, nice and accurate.
31:43Really good line, line and width and length.
31:47It's just fantastic stuff from Kennedy,
31:49making life very, very difficult for the talented junior,
31:53not giving her too many options around the middle of the court.
32:04Play will resume in 60 seconds.
32:35Play will resume in 30 seconds.
32:4915 seconds.
33:04Time.
33:06Kennedy leads two games to love.
33:09Level.
33:10Which one is that?
33:33Down.
33:34That's good length there, good start for Kennedy.
33:38Just what she needs.
33:40One left.
33:54Hand out.
33:55One all.
34:05Again, great width on that pass there.
34:10Yep.
34:19Two, one.
34:36Yeah, great shot down the line.
34:38Hand out.
34:41Well, there is Gina's boyfriend at the lanyard on the front row.
34:48He's giving her some support this week.
34:52Here in Hamburg.
34:53Seems to be working, that's for sure.
34:57Playing some fantastic stuff, isn't she?
35:00Chopping it.
35:02Yeah.
35:05Yeah, I think you would, wouldn't you, if you were coaching her.
35:07Coaching her, just get everything on that right hand side.
35:10Not that Kennedy's weak on the forehand, but she's just loving that backhand.
35:19I mean, that's pretty good as well, isn't it?
35:25Four, two.
35:33Out.
35:35Yeah, just running out of ideas here.
35:37Five, two.
35:42Just perhaps pushed too far really against the world number six.
35:46Number three seed here in Hamburg.
36:00No left.
36:01That's a great shot.
36:04It's a bit of a medicine there, isn't it?
36:06Yep.
36:07Lovely volley.
36:08Three, five.
36:27Yeah, she's winning all her points there, coming in short from behind.
36:31Bruce is just not seeing them.
36:34I don't think many people would have seen that one, to be honest.
36:40But Gina definitely looks so confident out there,
36:42and she looks like she's really feeling the court.
36:50Yeah, she's even got a few holds going on,
36:52a bit of delay here and there when she gets there early.
36:55Buying herself a bit of time, using that speed to be proactive and not reactive.
37:04Yeah.
37:10That's good depth.
37:14Hand out.
37:21Four, seven.
37:33Five, seven.
37:46Five, seven.
37:50It's a good little hold there, wasn't it?
37:52Yeah.
37:55I don't know about you, but that bouncing is going right through my skull.
37:59It's a tactic.
38:00Well done.
38:01That's a lovely shot.
38:05Hand out.
38:06Eight, five.
38:24Yeah, lovely volley.
38:25That's brilliant.
38:26Really good.
38:27I mean, that ball is just absolutely perfect on the forehand side.
38:31Nine, five.
38:33Perfectly into the neck.
38:47No lead.
38:48That's too good.
38:49She got a bit of a knock there.
38:57Looks like she just cut the racket in the nose area.
39:01Ten, five.
39:02I don't know if you've had that.
39:03It's not very pleasant.
39:06Actually, I did one time at the Dutch Nationals.
39:11I clopped it on the nose and my nose started bleeding.
39:14Well, perfect.
39:15Ten, five.
39:16Match ball.
39:17That's all you need, isn't it?
39:18But I don't think there's any blood in this case.
39:21Gina Kennedy with five match balls here to go through to tomorrow's semi-finals.
39:35Down.
39:36That's a lovely shot from Abou Elkar, just saving one match ball here.
39:40Hand out.
39:41Six, ten.
39:42Match ball.
39:45It's been a real no-nonsense performance from Kennedy, which you often get, really, these days.
39:52Match ball.
40:00Stop.
40:01And there it is.
40:02She's called it.
40:03Eleven, six.
40:04Match to Kennedy.
40:05Farrenberg saw it and Abou Elkar called it.
40:09Brilliant performance from Gina Kennedy.
40:12Eleven, seven.
40:13Eleven, five.
40:14Eleven, six.
40:15Got her tactics spot on, really, after the first few rallies of the first game.
40:18She'll be very happy with that.
40:20So Kennedy comes through.
40:21Eleven, seven.
40:22Eleven, five.
40:23Eleven, six.
40:24Three love in 28 minutes.
40:25She's going to have a word with Vanessa Atkinson.
40:39Gina, congratulations.
40:41You hadn't played Farouz before.
40:43Very awkward player.
40:44A crop of really good young Egyptian players coming through, sort of led by herself and Amina Orfi.
40:49How did you sort of approach that today?
40:51Sort of not having played her, but having seen her, I'm sure.
40:54And very different playing style to yourself.
40:56Yeah, she's such a threat.
40:58I've never played her before, but because she's been doing so well, luckily there was a lot for me to watch on Squash TV.
41:03And if there is, that just shows, like, how good she is.
41:06And she's been beating a lot, or at least pushing a lot of the top players.
41:10So it was good.
41:11I mean, I was nervous.
41:12It gave me, like, a lot of fire in my belly.
41:14I don't want to lose to someone so much younger than me.
41:17And it helps me, I think.
41:19I mean, I play at a fast pace.
41:21I want to take the ball in short.
41:22And I knew I could make her uncomfortable.
41:24And I think I did.
41:25And I'm really happy with the way I played.
41:27And in terms of the whole season, it's been long already.
41:30It feels like it should almost be coming to an end.
41:32But there's a lot still to come.
41:34Obviously, the British Open, World Championships, Alguna.
41:37How are you feeling in terms of, you know, pacing yourself and making sure that there's enough left for those big events at the end of the season?
41:44Yeah, I'm feeling good, actually.
41:46I had a bit of a dip in the middle of the season due to some, you know, injuries and health problems.
41:52And I think maybe in the long run that will help because I had to take – well, it was over Christmas time.
41:57But I had to pull out of one of the platinums in Hong Kong.
41:59But I wasn't able to train how I would normally do for a couple of months, really.
42:05And although at the time it was difficult because I'm normally, like, chomping at the bit to train, which is probably why I get injured.
42:12But it was good because I had to, like, really pace myself and calm myself down.
42:16So now at this phase of the season with the two biggest tournaments coming up, the British and the Worlds, I feel like I'm in a really good place.
42:22And, yeah, I'm just enjoying coming to these tournaments.
42:26I feel a bit less pressure on myself recently.
42:29I have no idea why, but I do.
42:31And so, yeah, I just want to relax and enjoy it.
42:34And then I think, you know, my best squash comes out.
42:37And tell us about your coach today, who was in the coaching corner, I saw.
42:41Not a squash player, but knows enough about high-level sport to provide some words of wisdom.
42:46Yeah, so he – this is my boyfriend here.
42:48He's an elite footballer or soccer player because he's American.
42:51He doesn't have a clue about squash.
42:53So he kind of just stood there whilst I kind of told him what I think I should do.
42:58And he gave me a few nods.
43:00Next time I want a bit more positive, like, come on.
43:03And I want someone to nudge him, so I want to hear him shout, come on, Gina, tomorrow.
43:08So you guys, make sure he does that.
43:11Well, he'll have to put his coaching hat back on again tomorrow for your semi-final.
43:15Looking forward to it, ladies and gentlemen, Georgina Kennedy.
43:19Thank you.
43:30Well, a nod to Gina's soccer boyfriend there, who knows nothing about squash, apparently,
43:35but I'm sure he knows a lot about the psychology of sport.
43:39But didn't have much to do, I feel, here.
43:41Gina Kennedy was, after maybe a bit of a nervy start, as she said,
43:45because she's playing against a junior, a talented junior,
43:48she got into her stride and started playing very, very good squash,
43:52the kind of squash that we expect from Kennedy.
43:56And she's marching on to the semi-finals.
44:04Well, coming up next, we have Velavan Senthilkumar of India
44:09up against Yenyao Ng of Malaysia.
44:11That will be at one o'clock local time in around 20 minutes.
44:17Join us then.
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