Team USA’s Amanda Sobhy is bidding to win her second PSA title of 2015 Monday night after a four-game NetSuite Open semifinal victory against Denmark’s Line Hansen Sunday night in San Francisco.
The women’s final and book-ending men’s semifinals will be broadcast on SquashTV on the NetSuite Challenge Glass Court at Justin Herman Plaza beginning at 7pm local time, 10pm ET.
Sobhy defeated Hansen 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-1 in thirty-four minutes.
“It was a fun match out there tonight, she used the boast well especially in that third game but I’m glad I regrouped well in the fourth to take the match, ” Sobhy said after her match.
“I’m used to being the top seed, especially after playing college squash where I’ve always had a target on my back, but I love being the number one seed here in front of a home crowd and hopefully I can get that last win here tomorrow and have a USA victory in this tournament.”
Sobhy, the $25, 000 women’s draw top seed, will contest the final against English national champion Sarah-Jane Perry, who defeated fellow English international Victoria Lust 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 in twenty-five minutes. in just their second encounter on the PSA tour. Perry, world No. 15, defeated the American world No. 19 in a five-game semifinal this February on her way to the $25, 000 Granite Club Open title.
“I’ve been playing Victoria since juniors and I know she’s a tough player so I’m happy to get the win, ” said Perry. “It’s great to be playing in such a great venue here in San Francisco. I’ve only ever played Amanda once before and it was a really tough match so I know I’ll have to be at my best but hopefully we can produce a really good match.”
The two remaining men’s quarterfinals played out before and after Sobhy’s semifinal with four seed and current world champion Ramy Ashour and France’s two seed Gregory Gaultier both advancing in four games. Ashour held off an in-form Ryan Cuskelly in an entertaining encounter 11-5, 11-5, 11-13, 11-4 in fifty-eight minutes. Gaultier then ensured a rematch of the 2013 NetSuite Open final against Ashour, quelling a resurgent James Willstrop 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 11-3 in fifty-seven minutes.
“That was a very tough four games tonight, ” said Gaultier.
“James is definitely improving and that’s the best I’ve seen him play for a while. At the beginning I was attacking and I could see he was struggling to move but in the second he came out and surprised me and was getting all my shots back.
“Luckily I managed to win the third game which was a big advantage for me and I was able to let my arm go a little in the fourth so I’m very happy to go through today.”
Squash TV Schedule:
7:00pm PT [1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [3] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
8:00pm PT [1] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [2] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
9:00pm PT [4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
To view all draws, to purchase tickets, and for more information visit www.netsuiteopensquash.com, likeNetSuite Open Squash on facebook, and follow @NetSuiteOpenSquash on Twitter.
