Team USA is off to a winning start at the 2016 WSF Women’s World Team Championship, sweeping Wales 3-0 in the opening match of Pool B Monday afternoon at Squash-Club Saint-Cloud in Paris, France.
The first match of the tie saw two nineteen year olds make their senior debut in the form of Team USA’s Reeham Sedky and Wales’ Lowri Roberts. After splitting the first two games, Sedky pulled away to win her debut 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-1 in thirty-four minutes to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
U.S. No. 1 and world No. 7 Amanda Sobhy followed on against Wales world No. 28 Tesni Evans. Evans started on the front foot, taking the first game 11-6, but Sobhy clawed back to win the second and third. Evans responded by forcing a fifth game, which Sobhy edged out 11-6 to win the fifty-five-minute match and seal the match for Team USA 2-0.
U.S. No. 2 Olivia Blatchford cruised through the dead rubber match, taking out Nia Davies in three games and nineteen minutes.
“I thought the girls played really well today, ” said Paul Assaiante, Ganek Family US Squash Head National Coach. “It was Reeham’s first match in the senior team, once she was able to get over her nerves I thought she did great. Amanda was up against Tesni, one of the hardest young girls out there, and she played fantastic in the third and fifth games. And Olivia did a great job as well.”
Team USA faces two seeds England next in Pool B, Tuesday at 6pm local time, 12pm noon ET.
“It’s great to have Thierry (Lincou) with us, he calms the girls down. Tomorrow we are facing England, one of the best teams in the world, so no pressure on us. Maybe the pressure will be on them if we can do what’s needed … Sabrina Sobhy hasn’t arrived yet because of some passport issues, but she’ll be with us tomorrow.”
Live stream Team USA’s match against England from Jeu De Paume Court 1 on the Women’s World Team Championship live streaming page. For more reports, images and more information visit the WSF Women’s World Team Championship official website.