One week after winning her first college individual title, UPenn’s Reeham Sedky avenged her 2017 U.S. Women’s Championship final loss against Olivia Blatchford, while the S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championship semifinals are set for rematches of the 2017 tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Friday featured the U.S. Women’s Championship semifinals, the S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championship quarterfinals and the first day of National Singles age group match play.
The biggest result of the day came in one of the last matches on court, when Sedky endured two injuries to upset the defending champion in four games, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5. Sedky collapsed with an ankle injury in the fourth game, but managed to see out the match and reach a second consecutive final. Last year, Blatchford won her first title against Sedky in a five-game, eighty-minute final.
“It was really difficult,” Sedky said. “The last game I had to change my game plan and move her around more so I could take some pressure off the ankle. I think with so much adreneline the pain seemed to ware off. It feels amazing to be in another final. Amanda is someone I look up to and I’m really excited to have a final against her. It’s great that all of us are really close in level now.”
Three-time champion Amanda Sobhy reached her seventh career final courtesy of a difficult five-game match against younger sister and 2014 champion, Sabrina. Sabrina held a 2-1 lead when Amanda regained her composure to comeback and win 6-11, 11-2, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8.
Saturday’s final will be just the second U.S. Women’s Championship match up between Sobhy and Sedky, with Sobhy having won their only previous encounter in the 2016 semifinals. Live stream the final at 6:30pm EST on ussquash.com/live.
Saturday’s S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championship semifinals are two rematches of the 2017 semifinals on the same courts. The top three seeds, Todd Harrity, Chris Gordon and Chris Hanson, all progressed to the semifinals courtesy of 3-0 wins.
UPenn freshman pulled off the round’s only upset against four seed Faraz Khan, dispatching the world No. 86 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 to reach a second consecutive semifinal against Harrity. Last year, Douglas shocked Harrity, the then two-time defending champion, in the semifinals to reach his first final.
Defending champion Chris Hanson will once again face two seed and 2013 champion Chris Gordon in the semifinals after defeating Harvard’s Timmy Brownell. In last year’s semifinals, Hanson recorded his first career victory against the U.S. veteran.
Live stream the men’s semifinals Saturday at 5pm EST on ussquash.com/live.
