- 1 hour ago
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I'm here.
01:16Hello and welcome to semifinals day here at the Optasia Championships 2026.
01:22We are back in Wimbledon after the US and Australasia tour.
01:25Day five here and we are down to the last eight players.
01:30Well, I'm Vanessa Atkinson.
01:32I'm joined in the studio by Joey Barrington.
01:34Joey, fantastic to be back in London, our fifth year here at the Wimbledon Club
01:38and a very strong field for this year's championships.
01:41It is incredibly strong.
01:42In the men, you've got seven of the top ten in the world playing in the men's tournament
01:45and, of course, in the women's, the two icons at the moment,
01:49the world champion, Noor El Shabini and the world number one, Hanya El Hamami.
01:53So, I mean, it's perfect for the first UK event of 2026.
01:57Well, before we get into the action,
01:59a very exciting initiative that's being launched today called Rally 28.
02:04It's a collaboration between the PSA, the WSF and the Squash United Foundation.
02:09Let's find out more.
02:13Squash is heading to the Olympics at last.
02:18But inclusion isn't the end of our journey.
02:23This is how we turn pride into progress.
02:27Players.
02:28Clubs.
02:29Fans.
02:31Federations.
02:32One movement.
02:34This is Rally 28.
02:39Support Squash.
02:41Build a legacy.
02:45Well, a fantastic initiative, Joey.
02:48Sort of a way to capitalize on the momentum gained towards LA 28.
02:52And hopefully something we'll really see in action across the Squash community over the coming months.
02:57Yeah, very, very important, Vanessa.
02:59Really important for the governing bodies to get a grasp of it.
03:02The PSA and Squash United have done an amazing job to initiate this with the WSF.
03:08But the governing bodies have got to get behind it in their own backyards to get these outdoor courts,
03:12get these youngsters playing and get people seeing Squash and getting a feel of the game, which is obviously fantastic.
03:18And then as we approach the shop window at LA, it's going to be the ultimate pinnacle for the sport.
03:24And it will look fantastic as well.
03:26So let's just hope we get a lot of people around the world playing Squash for the first time up
03:30until LA.
03:31Well, if you want to find out more about Rally 28, head over to the Squash United Foundation website at
03:37squashunitedfoundation.com.
03:39But for now, focusing on semifinals day here at the Optasia Championships, let's have a look at our order of
03:45play for today.
03:49And coming up in the last match, huge clash between the world number one, Mustafa Sal and Joel Makin.
03:56And then in the second women's semifinal, the English number four seed Georgina Kennedy taking on Noor El Shabini.
04:03The number two seed Shabini here for the first time, Diego Elias back in action.
04:07The number three seed, he's taking on Karim Gawad.
04:10And then in the first match, Hanya Elhamami, the number one seed, the world number one defending champion as well.
04:16She's up against Satomi Watanabe.
04:18So if you focus on those first two semifinals, first off, Joey, I just wanted to ask you about the
04:22Diego Elias Karim Gawad clash.
04:26It's quite close in the head to heads, but Elias has had the better of him in their more recent
04:30meetings.
04:31What do you make of that one and particularly of Elias' form so far?
04:35Well, the stars have aligned quite nicely for both these players in this event because they haven't really been tested
04:40at all.
04:41You had Gawad had a bit of a lighter match against Ibrahim because of the shoulder issue.
04:45And of course, Diego Elias got rid of Noor Zaman very well, but he also only played a game and
04:50a half against Joan O'Brien.
04:51So they'll both be physically fit and strong for their encounter together.
04:56Both very, very smooth players.
04:58And I mean, it could be anyone's, but I think Diego's got a got a point to prove here in
05:03Optasia this week.
05:04And then in the first women's semifinal, the number one seed, Hanyu Elhamami, up against Tomi Watanabe.
05:09Watanabe did get a win against Hamami, the first player to beat Hamami this season at the China Open.
05:15Yeah, I mean, Watanabe is a very dangerous player and she's got a good track record in this event as
05:20well.
05:21She lost out to Hanyu Elhamami here in the semifinals 3-1 last year.
05:25And as you said, beating her in China, I would say that for me, Elhamami will be looking to really
05:29get stuck into her again.
05:30She did get rid of her at the TOC in January. So, I mean, it's, Watanabe's got nothing to lose.
05:36She'll get good support from the crowd. It's a bit of a home from home for her.
05:40She just down the road at Roehampton, so she'll have that slight bit of advantage with the crowd.
05:45But all the, all the crowd love Elhamami as well.
05:47So I think it'd be a belter to get us going for the semifinals today.
05:50Absolutely. A great one to kick off the action. Both former champions here, of course.
05:54Hamami taking on Satomi Watanabe. Let's head over to our MC, Tom Bushell.
06:01And it's time to say a big hello to the Wimbledon Club. Hello, everyone.
06:07Ready for a massive semifinals day here today at the Optasia Championships.
06:12Now, for our first semifinal of the day, please welcome onto the glass court, an 11-time PSA Tour champion.
06:19The most successful Japanese player of all time.
06:24And the third seed this week at the Wimbledon Club.
06:27From Japan, Satomi Watanabe.
06:41And ladies and gentlemen, please welcome a 19-time PSA Tour champion.
06:47The world number one and defending champion.
06:50From Egypt, it's Hanya Elhamami.
07:10Hanya Elhamami, she is the number one seed, the current world number one, playing the rising Japanese star Satomi Watanabe
07:17in this first semifinal.
07:18I'm Joe Barrington and joining me from the studio and myself joining her from the studio is Vanessa Atkinson, if
07:24that makes any sense.
07:25It's not too far, thankfully. Good afternoon, Joey.
07:34Tomi Watanabe, this was the China Open win.
07:37Really catching Elhamami slightly out there.
07:39Elhamami struggling with a bit of jet lag in that event.
07:42I don't want to take anything away from Watanabe because she is such an aggressive player.
07:46And to beat someone in this kind of manner right at the very end of the fifth game was pretty
07:51epic.
07:52It was. It was still a really tough match to get through against Elhamami that certainly wasn't playing as well
07:58as she had done up to that point.
07:59But as you can still see there, it was still a huge win, a huge moment for Watanabe.
08:04And a match that will give her confidence heading into this one, despite the loss at the TOC.
08:0927 years of age, just shy of that, highest world ranking of number six.
08:14She has won this event previously. It was a smaller event back in 2024.
08:18She took out Nayla Gillis in that final.
08:22It was a superb achievement for her and then reaching the semifinals last year.
08:27So really, really good memories for the Octasia Championship.
08:31She's now gunning down on close to 250 matches, Vanessa, and a decent conversion rate of 11 titles out of
08:3720 finals.
08:38Yeah, she's gaining experience. She's finding that consistency that was lacking.
08:42Maybe when she first sort of shot up the rankings, she struggled a little bit with the pressure, I think.
08:47But that seems to have settled more recently, and we're seeing the consistent performances from Watanabe.
09:03There's Satomi Watanabe's corner or bench, her sister who's living with her here in London and her partner.
09:11And also, Alison Waters, who's looking incredibly stern there. Give us a smile, Alison.
09:17Very, very tight-lipped there, but she's working with Satomi.
09:21Former world number three in her own right, Alison.
09:27And the starlet of the PSA squash tour, she could easily probably go into the movies in Hollywood if she
09:34has a good Olympics in 2028.
09:36Hopefully, she will be there. 25 years of age and in the mid-70s for that win rate that is
09:41creeping up with this season of her life.
09:44She's hit the world number one spot. She's achieved so much already, cutting down on 400 matches in those 19
09:51titles.
09:51And, of course, she's the defending champion here in Octasia.
09:53Yeah, I mean, the development of Hanya Elhamami has been a little bit more gradual, maybe, than some of her
10:00compatriots or contemporaries from juniors.
10:04But she's developed really well. She's grown as a player, 25 now.
10:09And the world is at her feet, really, playing the best squash of her life so far this season.
10:15Well, we've got Elhamami's corner there and Laura Massaro, who, a former world champion, world number one, working with her
10:23along with Kareem Darwish.
10:25She was a bit of a rival to Alison Walters.
10:27I know.
10:28On the other side, England teammates together. So you've got the English coaching corner for both these players.
10:37And we're alluding to that Sol win in the studio to the build-up of this China Open back in
10:43November 2025 for Satomi Watanabe.
10:48But she has got the power to trouble a lot of these top players. It's a real element of a
10:52game.
10:52The big question is if she can keep that consistency, keep the ball out of the tin, Vanessa.
10:56I mean, she's had 95 minutes on court, which I wouldn't be too worried about that compared to 72 for
11:03Hanya.
11:03No, and she did at times against Amanda Sobe, there were those little strings of errors.
11:10But managed to cut that out for the most part on the big points at the back end of each
11:15game.
11:16A really good comeback in game two to prevent going too loved down.
11:28And the atmosphere, tremendous. It is a very intimate setting here.
11:31And you've got the live DJ as well, which we've had all through the week.
11:35Really does add to it. Packed crowd. Packed VIP area. Packed in amongst the crowd.
11:41Right in the middle there. Ashley Smith from England will be the central referee.
11:47And another Englishman, Jason Foster, as his VR.
11:49So, tremendous experience for Ashley Smith to be refereeing at a major semi-final.
11:58Well, the DJ just situated by the player's corner.
12:05Sellout crowd. And a very knowledgeable crowd here at Optasia.
12:16Optasia Championships 2026 women's semi-finals match.
12:22Hanya El Hamami of Egypt to serve.
12:27Satomi Watanabe of Japan to receive.
12:32Best of five games.
12:47The first semi-final of this Optasia Championships 2026 live from the Wimbledon club opposite the All England club.
12:56El Hamami looking to defend her title.
13:01And it's a rematch from last year against the rising Japanese star, Satomi Watanabe.
13:16One love.
13:17Well, Hamami hasn't looked particularly happy with the performances so far.
13:22I mean, she's come through three love in both previous rounds, but just looked at times like she was trying
13:30to get used to the court.
13:32She had that little bit of time off as most players did that didn't opt to go to New Zealand,
13:37Australia.
13:39So, a little bit rusty perhaps.
13:42Do expect a little bit of a gear shift here from El Hamami.
13:49I'm just at the end.
14:02You guys are going to click the left towards home, if you see there's a little bit of a gear.
14:05I don't know.
14:05You can see that, but you can see there's a lot of gear left.
14:06You can see there's a lot of gear left.
14:07But you can see there's a lot of gear left.
14:15It's less than a gear.
14:15So, I mean, I'm going to keep the feet in here.
14:21and that's that extra bit of power it was a loose ball but she really does time the ball
14:26beautifully on the forehand and the backhand side and just that bit of misdirection as well
14:31so important against a player with Hamami's speed
14:41she was able to hit quite a lot of winners against Amanda Sobe if she found herself in a good
14:49position
14:49but Hamami for the most part that ball will often come back into play so the reset within the rally
14:56is so important for Watanabe and that's going to be the test Vanessa of her patience levels you know
15:01if she is happy to reset and go through the motions again and possibly a third or fourth time
15:07or goes finer and finer and ends up making the error
15:19that's ferocious
15:20flat as flat can be right into the knee
15:24so a rip-roaring start from the Japanese number one
15:34ok
15:44ok
15:46ok
15:46ok
16:01Hand out.
16:04Two ball.
16:16Two ball.
16:17Two ball.
16:20Two ball.
16:22Two ball.
16:24Two ball.
16:28Two ball.
16:30Three ball.
16:32Three ball.
16:40Let's go.
17:09Oh, brilliant.
17:10Hard-working rally.
17:12It was a hard-working rally.
17:13She started, as I said, very well.
17:15Just seeing that kind of slight stumble boast.
17:18What I'd like to see from El Hamami, Vanessa, is a little bit more height.
17:22I know this ball is flying around, and it's very, very bouncy because of the hard hitting.
17:33No, just be put right before I have the contact.
17:36Sean, no legs.
17:37Why?
17:41Why is that in my legs?
17:43See, I saw no contact.
17:44Do you wish to remain?
17:48It was a very strange error.
17:50One before they hit the ball.
17:52And out.
17:54There was contact.
17:56There was no debate in the contact, 100%, but she kind of played a shot.
17:59If she'd hit the winner, would she have stopped?
18:01That's the question.
18:02If the winner had come in, would she say, look, stop, there was contact?
18:06No, but that's the prerogative, isn't it, of the player who's playing the shot if they go through interference and
18:13accept it.
18:15Four, three.
18:17There was definitely contact anyway.
18:18It was just, yeah, it was sort of almost during, wasn't it?
18:21Just caught her foot, I think.
18:23Yeah, just going back to El Hamami because she's got that ability to really chop and change the front wall.
18:29I'd love her to use a little bit of height just to break up this rhythm of Watanabe.
18:34Trying to control the ball while it's like this, when you're going kind of higher on the front wall, is
18:39tricky at this stage.
18:41But when the ball softens up, because she does love the ball, coming onto her racket quickly, the Japanese number
18:48one.
18:49Well, she's done the opposite.
18:50Suddenly the pace has gone up.
18:55Battle for the middle of the court.
19:06Battle for the middle of the court.
19:07Battle for the middle of the court.
19:07Oh, a bit lucky there.
19:10And out.
19:14Four-al.
19:26physically looked in very good order against Amanda Sobe
19:33and actually going back to that China open win
19:36there was moments in the match where I thought that
19:40it was going to physically become too much for Watanabe
19:43and she was recovering really well
19:46held it together
20:01high quality start though to this first women's semi-final
20:12being rewarded for that bit of patience that she's showing
20:25always need to win every point
20:40good whiff
20:46Watanabe using a bit of height there
20:51very good good pace changes there she's looking very complete at the moment Watanabe
20:57certainly brought her very best a game to this semi-final
21:10so
21:16so
21:33this is better and there's the reward yeah one too many there's the reward the temptation she
21:40started to use height two shots in a row using height and Watanabe couldn't help herself right
21:46into the towel box yeah the reward for Hammami but also that's where the reset didn't happen
21:52for Watanabe
21:596-0 checking the ball there
22:41she got that
22:46yeah she gets very very irritable when she's questioned on her pickups that looked good
22:53to me there's not many balls she can't get back and she does call her balls as well
23:03oh she's banging on the wall
23:08let's get the court service in
23:11she wants a nubby
23:13decision is good
23:14decision overruled
23:16El Hammami has two reviews remaining
23:18yes left
23:226-0
23:32right box thank you
23:426-0
23:54down
23:56well that's
23:57and out
23:58what are your four unforced errors I'd say in this game
24:01from Hammami
24:18it's a little bit awkward at the body just maybe needed to
24:22it wasn't it wasn't intentional for it was a better shot from El Hammami but for me it was the
24:28softer shot and that's
24:30where Watanabe can get it slightly wrong she was trying to go soft off soft she likes the ball coming
24:34onto her racket quickly
24:37El Hammami's got to really back herself with the front wall and even from when she's deep there I mean
24:42that went out of court but just to
24:43break up the play a little bit more keep it away from shoulder height
24:49go in low go high chop and change
25:12that was perilously close to the line
25:30no left
25:36and out
25:378-2
25:43point for point stuff
25:45I mean this is what you want as we get to the business end of the first game
25:48yeah I do feel that Hammami hasn't played particularly well this first game
25:54a few too many errors
25:57that I'm sure won't continue and there's a beautiful winner
26:02really adapted very well quick hands
26:059
26:058
26:06yeah that was a unbelievable improvisation from Watanabe
26:27so Watanabe on a roll you can hear the crowd right behind her she's got two game balls
26:32game ball another loose ball so two loose balls in a row from El Hammami
26:38two opportunities to close this first game out
26:51that came out of nowhere but caught Watanabe by surprise
26:559-10
26:57you think we're going into a tie break Vanessa
26:59I think Watanabe might take it
27:07I think Watanabe might take it
27:29it comes around so quickly I mean they're going to take middle ground aren't they
27:33they're going to take middle ground so review
27:35is lost for
27:37Anuel Hammami
27:38decision upheld
27:39clever self
27:40Clever service though
27:40Del Hammami has one review remaining
27:479-10
27:51game ball
27:59and that's the other variation the lobster
28:12well this is unrelenting here
28:13for Watanabe
28:15goodness me this is pressure
28:17wow
28:25oh it was a silly choice
28:27silly choice
28:28she tried to take the quick one
28:29she was off balance
28:30a player must win by
28:32two points
28:34yeah it's the on the attack all rally
28:36and then just when she needs to hit a more defensive shot
28:38she tries to get that last winner in
28:46I do feel that Watanabe needs to win this game
28:49because Mamie
28:51is going to get better
28:52she's going to get better and better
29:21it's a good shot
29:22she's very subtle but she just delayed a swing
29:23it was very, very subtle
29:25but she just delayed a swing
29:26and the worst shot
29:28which made the movement was stopped to Watanabe she couldn't get her wheels
29:31going terrific shot selection a game ball for the first time for El Hamami and she
29:40gets the stroke the stroke goes through so Watanabe went through two
29:47opportunities to take the first and she storms off court she's got to be pretty
29:52angry it was hers for the taking and it's now as we look at the scorecard there
29:58an El Hamami first game 17 minutes and nail-biting first game into the tie
30:04break couldn't be any closer number one seed leads by one game to love
30:11Hanya El Hamami would be wondering how on earth she managed to win that first game
30:15she didn't play particularly well was a little bit loose at times quite a few
30:18errors Watanabe was able to build a lead without really hitting any of those
30:25outrageous winners that we expect to see from her she was just being quite
30:29patient using good pace changes that was a lovely winner through the middle but
30:36Hamami playing the big points well that was what it was all about at the end in
30:41the tie break a Japanese player an Egyptian player two English coaches resume in 60
30:52seconds one a former world number one the other a former world number three
31:14but I agree with you El Hamami is going to get better as this semi-final goes on she
31:20wasn't playable resume in 30 seconds game from Watanabe up until 10-8 we just see
31:28Amy Gibson who is the UK number one paddle player sitting next to the very prominent
31:34figure of Steve Heaney from Dunlop she's in the top hundred in the world in paddle that
31:40she's watching professional squash for the first time have you ever played paddle I
31:43have I bet you're quite good aren't you well it's just about management
32:07level
32:09level
32:22Oh Mammy kicking off this second game more hard-hitting straight away from Satomi Watanabe
32:36Blow out a few cobwebs for El Hamami
32:39I mean I think we would have seen her raise her game whether she'd won or lost that first game
33:00but she'll be counting her lucky stars that she's one lover
33:07just free things up a little bit before the world number one
33:12That was a great hold
33:36there it goes do love it
33:45Court's becoming a bigger place now for Watanabe the variations are coming in from both players
33:50it's a lovely lob from her
33:55yeah she's starting the ball as these white balls always do softening off a bit earlier
34:01which means the court becomes a bigger place and
34:05you rightly said about El Hamami starting to kind of find a range a bit more there's a bit more
34:09confidence and variety about her game
34:11yeah there was a lovely hold on the backhand side not something that we see too often from Hamami
34:18again another variation there
34:22three things just starting to come together a bit more
34:31yeah
34:36yeah
34:37yeah
34:37yeah
34:46yeah
34:48yeah
35:07Oh, no one's getting that one back.
35:10Hand out.
35:13Two, three.
35:16She hit a lot of those winners in a quarterfinal.
35:19Against Amanda Sobe, that front right-hand corner was a great area for her.
35:32Okay, and this is a lovely pace change.
35:34That's a terrific shot.
35:36So it's all starting to work.
35:38You just see the way she's manipulating the tempo at times and the paces in the front wall.
35:45A golf is starting to appear, not quite on the scoreboard at 4-2 in the early stages,
35:51but just in terms of the amount of variety that's going in from El Hamami.
35:56She's not looking to hit with Watanabe.
36:02One, two, three.
36:17One, two, three.
36:19One, two, three.
36:21One, two, three.
36:23One, two, three.
36:32Five, two.
36:34Yeah, just setting herself nicely, taking her time, making sure that the drop hit its mark,
36:40didn't need to overcomplicate things.
36:44Yes, let's play a review, El Hamami on the Yes, let's call service, please.
36:49Using her second review here, Hamami.
36:51She read this very quickly.
36:56She wants to hit the cross court.
36:58Watanabe a little bit slow to clear.
37:10Referee's feeling that there was enough space there to hit the cross court.
37:14Decision upheld.
37:15El Hamami has no reviews remaining.
37:22Left box.
37:28Five, two.
37:38Three, five.
37:40Three, five.
37:57Five, two.
37:58Four, three.
38:24Yeah, the depth and the weight of stroke.
38:286-3.
38:29Aaron on that volley there, just saw the racket face, just manoeuvre around the ball, get a bit more cut,
38:35fade it away from her opponent.
38:37Another sign of more relaxation in the technique of El Hamami now that she's settled down.
38:43And that's a gift, and we will probably see a few more of those, unfortunately.
38:48Margins are very fine, aren't they, Watanabe?
38:50And when you're hitting those fine margins with a lot of power, the risk goes up even more.
38:56Oh, yeah. Things have really turned on its head here.
39:01Error's starting to creep in for Watanabe.
39:05Hamami, as we expected, just getting better and better as this match progresses.
39:11We're looking more and more comfortable out there.
39:24It does sometimes take, well, number one, a little bit of time to sort of find those targets.
39:44Left hand.
39:49Left hand.
39:51Left hand.
40:15Only two points adrift here though.
40:17What an RB.
40:23It's a temptation, it wasn't a particularly great lob, but the height and soft ball, she
40:30really does try to go soft from soft Watanabe, if somebody hits the ball hard so often, she
40:35then goes soft, she'd be better off actually hitting that with a bit of pace.
40:39Yeah, it was the wrong shot selection, if you looked at the positioning of El Hamami as
40:43well, the space was more in the back left, didn't need that level of risk.
40:48As tight as a tiger.
40:54So this is how quickly it can change, you were making the point and rightly so at 7'5",
40:59and now there's a four point lead as we really do go down the business end of the second.
41:04And a wise old man on the commentary once said there's a big difference between two love
41:10and one all.
41:18Just slightly, yep, slightly overstretching, I just wish I could stretch like that, I don't
41:24think I ever could do.
41:48Well nullified from El Hamami, again, that's a great shot.
42:08Video referee decision on the Watanabe.
42:11Probably a wise one I would say, I would go VR to this.
42:14It's a poor shot, but she didn't follow her own, this bow, she didn't follow it up quickly enough.
42:24She was deep, when she started to make her move she was at least a foot behind the tee Watanabe.
42:33She was really hanging back, yes it wasn't a great shot, but did it just do enough?
42:44For me, if you're going to try and decipher this, it's either got to be a no-let or a
42:48stroke.
42:49I think they'll go right in the middle.
42:51Oh you've nailed it, so I would love to know the explanation for why that would be a level.
42:57I think because they're unsure whether it was too good maybe.
43:01So therefore it should be a no-let.
43:04But possibly she could have got it, could she have got it?
43:08Just?
43:09Well then it's a stroke.
43:26Down.
43:27Well that's a real miscue, we haven't seen her kind of produce that.
43:30It was the overstretch on the forehand volley, so she's kind of let that four-point lead go.
43:34We're back to two though.
43:38Slight opportunity for Watanabe to capitalise.
43:42One, two, three.
43:51One, two, three.
44:01One, four, three.
44:03And there he comes.
44:05Favoured area.
44:0610-7.
44:07Against Samantha Soby, she must have hit close to double figures of winners in that front row.
44:12right with the extra pressure here and it gives El Hamami massive massive
44:18opportunity to go to love up in this first semi
44:48such a difference when she's using the front wall like this Vanessa yeah it's very good
44:54out it's really testing the resilience testing the patience of Watanabe two games to love
45:01seeing the current world number one in action now and she's settling into this semi-final very well
45:09a player that is very dangerous in the form of Watanabe the number three seed but it's the
45:14number one seed that moves on to a two love lead
45:21yeah all started to come together a lot better for the defending champion particularly in the
45:26first half of that second game confidence after winning the first after sneaking the first despite
45:34not playing particularly well and raising the bar as we knew she would using that front wall
45:41really lifting very well and starting to gain in confidence with the short game as well
45:48rewarded with quite a few more errors from Watanabe who's feeling the pressure
46:01well we've just initiated on the PSA rally 28 combination of the PSA squash
46:09united foundation and WSF to get grassroots and get clubs pushing to expose squash everywhere and
46:18there's a fund that's being developed and you can scan for more info rally28squash.com to find out and
46:24start applying for grants which is a tremendous initiative and I really do hope Vanessa that it's
46:31supported by all the governing bodies because they've got to get behind this it's now being initiated
46:3530 seconds the governing bodies to promote and to and to really inquire about those funds as well
46:41yeah absolutely and donate if you're willing and able please donate
46:4915 seconds
47:00El Hamami leads two games to love
47:09love all
47:15defending champion number one seed starts the third game with a massive massive advantage two love lead
47:29really feeling very very comfortable in her game
47:36lovely squash perfect squash you can't ask for more opening up the backcourt one love when the
47:43opportunity arise really really putting pressure on the ball softening up is certainly suited El Hamami
47:48yeah it's becoming increasingly evident how important it was for Watanabe to take that first game
47:55certainly had her chances
48:02she's gonna have to hit quite a few of those types of winners
48:08yeah when she gets it right it does look impressive
48:24but then you get the two shake two one anything you can do I can do slightly better
48:32yeah
48:33yeah
48:42yeah
49:05Doing some work here Watanabe, she's been thrown into all four corners of the
49:12court the depth considerable in that last shot it wasn't an error from Watanabe it
49:16was just quality to the back. I've been impressed I bet Vanessa with El Hamami.
49:27Yeah I mean not not wholly surprised really after that first game we knew she
49:32was gonna get better. One of the many reasons that she is the current world
49:39number one ability to work things out. She always has that incredible court coverage
49:55and physicality that she brings to the game but doesn't want to become too
50:00reliant on that. The squash has continually improved over the years.
50:23That's the other side of the coin she can really start to miss Q and make...
50:26One. Remedial errors. Yeah it's it's a combination of things it's it's the
50:33pressure that she's under. Two love down as well feeling that she needs to hit those
50:38extravagant winners to get points on the board so get half opportunity and she's
50:45going for it.
51:11Six one.
51:18El Hamami really showing why she is at the top of the game at the moment on the
51:21women's tour.
51:42Well I mean it was the feet were going like that happens from El Hamami she was doing so much
51:47work to get round and to keep the ball in the
51:51play but a nice change of angle it wasn't a particularly lavish pose but it did enough.
51:59Just a bit of movement in the VIP area.
52:02Yeah if you do go in the VIP area you're not allowed to move at all stand like a statue.
52:21That was a particularly good volley drop from Hamami.
52:26What an Arby finding the tin once again.
52:55And out.
52:56One, two, three, seven.
53:03One, two, three, seven.
53:26One, two, three, seven.
53:35There's the lob that forces the weaker ball.
53:38One, two, three, seven.
53:46Three, seven.
53:47Very consistent here El Hamami.
53:49She's not going for the finish line too early.
53:52Still working the ball around.
53:59Yeah she won't be taking anything for granted here.
54:02Won't want to open the door at all.
54:04Knowing how dangerous Watanabe can be.
54:07That's a great shot though and it came out of nowhere because the service wasn't that bad.
54:11It was into the sidewalk.
54:14Confidence is flowing away from the Egyptian.
54:20Starting to really enjoy yourself out there.
54:34Too much pressure Watanabe just completely buried into the back of the court.
54:39Skyrocketing the ball out.
54:57Down.
54:59Well she was off wasn't she?
55:01I doubt.
55:01She was off back on the district line there Watanabe and...
55:05Four nine.
55:06I wouldn't say there's any panic stations.
55:09Shake of the head.
55:10She needs to seal the deal.
55:11We made her handle.
55:14Got you.
55:26I don't care.
55:40I haven't had anything to do.
55:42down yeah just trying to take the ball off a tight ball yeah it's just it's too risky
55:49over ambitious four match ball six match balls alhamami looking to convert first time for obvious
56:19reasons so the out of court a bit of a masterclass a very very impressive first game from Watanabe
56:29she had her opportunities to close that first at 10 a.m as well the japanese number one
56:34but plenty of smiles for annual hamami because she started to get her tactics right she felt a
56:41lot more comfortable and went from strength to strength and you could see the gulf between
56:46the two players in that third game
56:50quality stuff we're going to be hearing now from the defending champion world number one she's at
56:55court side with tom hania congratulations you're through to another final here at the wimbledon
57:02club at that first game you were down game points of course how important was it for you to get
57:08over
57:08the line and get in front in that match today yeah very important it's uh it was just one point
57:14away
57:14of losing some confidence if i've lost that first so uh yeah it was very very big and uh it
57:20had to
57:21it had to go this way and i uh i made a massive push at the end of the first
57:26and uh yeah after
57:27winning it i i think i the confidence grew from there and i uh sorted a few things at the
57:33end of
57:33the first as well that made me build up throughout the whole match yeah i noticed as well in your
57:37match
57:38there was so much variety in your play you were using a lot of height on the front wall as
57:43well
57:43was that a main tactic of yours today i mean uh she's uh satomi is very attacking and uh whenever
57:51i
57:51i had the ball in falling short in the boxes or around the middle and she'd go for it so
57:56i i had to
57:57get the ball to the back of the court however it was um so i uh yeah definitely the lift
58:03helped a lot
58:04of that and of course you have the legend that is laura mazzaro uh with you in your corner this
58:10week
58:11how amazing is it for you to have her uh there this week because it's such a big week for
58:16you trying
58:16to defend your title of course and everything she has achieved in the game yeah very very uh grateful
58:21and uh always lucky to have her with me in the in the uk events and uh it's such an
58:26opportunity for
58:26me to build up with her and see her more often and uh work on things for the future so
58:31uh so yeah i'm
58:32very very excited and uh will uh will definitely analyze today's match and think about tomorrow and
58:38we'll try to be as uh as ready as i can for tomorrow indeed you're through to another final
58:44congratulations ladies and gentlemen your match winner hanya el hamami
58:51yeah happy lady there there's a sponsor basim haida's sponsor of this event as well
59:00well looking a lot more settled on this court in this match struggled a little bit in that first
59:05game that was the opportunity for watanabe to really put the world number one under pressure
59:11by taking that first game and from that moment on hamami never looking back raising the bar going
59:19steadily through the gears and uh played very very well in the end good tactical match from her through
59:27to the final yet again 44 minutes of quality from hanyuel hamami and she moves into another final
59:38for this season and looking to defend her optasia championships so through love she gets the rest for
59:45the rest of the day and see what is going to happen later on with the second women's semi-final
59:50but before that
Comments