While holding a match ball over U.S. teammate Olivia Blatchford in the semifinals of the $70,000 Ciudad de Floridablanca, world No. 6 Amanda Sobhy tore her achilles and was stretchered off court Friday night at the Parque el Santisimo in Colombia.
Sobhy led Blatchford 11-1, 11-6, 10-5 when the twenty-three-year old collapsed. The injury sends world No. 26 Blatchford in to the biggest final of her career against world No. 7 and two seed Nicol David.
“She was outplaying me completely, she was 100 per cent the better squash player,” said an emotional Blatchford after the match. “I was five match balls down so I thought I would do some different things, I just sent her the wrong way and, when she moved, she went down. I’m praying for her, all I can do now is be the best teammate I can for her now and take her strength by doing my best tomorrow. I know I don’t deserve to be out there tomorrow, she does, so the best thing I can do is honor her by giving my best on court tomorrow. I need to really show up tomorrow for Amanda.”
To all my friends & followers- I unfortunately tore my Achilles while competing in my semis tonight. I appreciate all the messages so far💕💕💕
— Amanda Sobhy (@itssobhytime) March 11, 2017
Watch the final between Blatchford and David on SquashTV Saturday, March 11, at 7:15pmET.