[3] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-1 Cesar Salazar (MEX) 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (44m)
Bit of a weird match that one, to be honest, with Karim that didn’t seem to be that focused to start with, so many errors, but still very close score wise, 2/2, 4/4, 5/5. Cesar, taking his chances to the front, put the Egyptian under tremendous pressure and manages to clinch the opener on his third attempt, 12/10 in 12m.
The Mexican keeps on at the start of the second with a nice momentum 3/0, but finally Mr Gawad switches the brain on, and finds some exquisite winners 11/6 in 10m
From that point on, I had the same feeling than when Cesar was playing Grégoire in Cairo, focused and moving well one game, then just going for exhibition shots and not running that well in the next. Maybe his hamstring issue is still troubling him?
It’s 4/1, 5/2, 7/4 and 11/5 for the Egyptian in the third in 8m, and again, back full blast for the Mexican in the 4th, from 3/3 to 6/3, looking pretty good. Some superb mad squash rallies up to 7/7, and finally the Egyptian that finds his magic at the end, 11/7 in 8m…
