Skip to content
2022 Windy City Open
  • NEWS
  • SCHEDULE
  • DRAWS
    • 2022
      • 2022 Men’s Main Draw
      • 2022 Women’s Main Draw
    • 2020
      • 2020 Men’s Main Draw
      • 2020 Women’s Main Draw
    • 2018
      • Pro Men 2018 – Main draw
      • Pro Men 2018 – Qualification Draw
      • Pro Women 2018 – Main Draw
      • Pro Women 2018 – Qualification Draw
    • 2017
      • Pro Men 2017 – Main Draw
      • Pro Men 2017 – Qualification Draw
      • Pro Women 2017 – Main Draw
      • Pro Women 2017 – Qualification Draw
  • PATRONS
    • Diamond Patron
    • Platinum patron
    • Gold patron
    • Silver patron
  • MEDIA
    • Video Gallery
      • 2022 Videos
      • 2020 Videos
      • 2018 Videos
      • 2017 Videos
      • Mega rallies
      • The Vault
    • Photo Gallery
      • WCO 2022
        • Day 1 – February 23rd 2022
        • Day 2 – February 24th 2022
        • Day 3 – February 25th 2022
        • Day 4 – February 26th 2022
        • Day 5 – February 27th 2022
        • Day 6 – February 28th 2022
        • Day 7 – March 1st 2022
        • Day 8 – March 2nd 2022
      • WCO 2020
        • Day 7 – March 4th 2020
        • Day 6 – March 3rd 2020
        • Day 5 – March 2nd 2020
        • Day 4 – March 1st 2020
        • Day 3 – February 29th 2020
        • Day 2 – February 28th 2020
        • Day 1 – February 27th 2020
      • WCO 2018
        • Day 7 – February 28th 2018
        • Day 6 – February 27th 2018
        • Day 5 – February 26th 2018
        • Day 4 – February 25th 2018
        • Day 3 – February 24th 2018
        • Day 2 – February 23rd 2018
        • Day 1 – February 22nd 2018
      • WCO 2017
        • Day 7 – March 1st 2017
        • Day 6 – February 28th 2017
        • Day 5 – February 27th 2017
        • Day 4 – February 26th 2017
        • Day 3 – February 25th 2017
        • Day 2 – February 24th 2017
        • Day 1 – February 23rd 2017
  • TICKETS
  • SPONSORS
  • LIVE SCORES
  • ARTICLES
    • COLL AND GOHAR CAPTURE WINDY CITY OPEN TITLES
    • 2022 Windy City Open on Fox 32 Chicago
    • WGN News Now – Chicago Squash 101
    • Showdown in Chi-town! (Podcast)
  • ARCHIVE
    • DAY EIGHT – FINALS PLAYER REACTIONS
    • DAY EIGHT – FINALS: THE STATS
    • DAY SEVEN: SEMIS ROUNDUP: IBRAHIM REACHES MAIDEN PLATINUM TITLE DECIDER
    • DAY SEVEN SEMI-FINALS – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY SIX ROUNDUP: NEW ZEALAND DUO KING & COLL REACH SEMIS
    • DAY SIX – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY FIVE ROUNDUP: ELSHORBAGY SENDS WORLD NO.1 FARAG OUT
    • DAY FIVE – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY FOUR ROUNDUP: KENNEDY REACHES FIRST PLATINUM QUARTER FINAL
    • DAY FOUR – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY THREE ROUNDUP: IBRAHIM COMPLETES STUNNING COMEBACK TO SEND ELSHORBAGY OUT
    • DAY THREE – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY TWO ROUNDUP: PAJARES STUNS ELIAS IN DRAMATIC COMEBACK
    • DAY TWO: GLASS COURT – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY TWO: SIDE COURTS – AS IT HAPPENS
    • DAY ONE ROUNDUP: SOBHY AND HARRITY CLAIM WINS ON HOME SOIL
    • DAY ONE: GLASS COURT – PLAYER REACTION
    • DAY ONE: SIDE COURTS – AS IT HAPPENS

DAY FOUR ROUNDUP: KENNEDY REACHES FIRST PLATINUM QUARTER FINAL

England’s World No.10 Georgina Kennedy has reached the quarter finals of a PSA World Tour Platinum event for the first time after she came through a gripping five-game battle against Belgium’s Nele Gilis at the Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family earlier today.

Kennedy, 24, has enjoyed an extraordinary rise up the PSA World Tour Rankings over the past 12 months, moving up from No.167 in the world in February, 2021 to inside the top 10 for the first time earlier this month.

The Londoner showed no signs of slowing down either as she came back from 2-1 behind to get the better of Gilis in a fascinating contest. High-octane, lengthy rallies were the order of the day as both players entertained spectators at the University Club of Chicago, and it was Kennedy who put together a run of points at the crucial stages to cap an 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8 victory in 78 minutes.

“All credit to Nele, it’s so difficult to get a point off of her,” said Kennedy afterwards.

“She forced so many errors from me just because I didn’t know how to win points against her sometimes.

“Last year I was just watching SQUASHTV and hoping to be at these amazing events, and to be in the quarters is just way beyond my expectations.”

Kennedy will take on World No.2 Nouran Gohar in the next round where she will look to claim her first win over the Egyptian at the third attempt. Gohar got the better of India’s Joshna Chinappa, winning 11-0, 11-6, 11-8.

Meanwhile, United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy squeezed past Wales’ Tesni Evans in a captivating five-game contest. Evans had fought back from 2-0 down and then two match balls down to level the scores, but Sobhy tightened up and held her nerve in a nail-biting fifth game to progress to the last eight.

“Before the match I was joking that I would continue the trend of my five-set matches never going over the hour mark,” said Sobhy.

 

“I saw the finish line when I was up in the third, she came with full force, but at the end of the day I’m through and I’m just happy about that.”

An exciting fixture against New Zealand’s Joelle King awaits. King’s match with England’s Lucy Turmel followed a similar pattern as the Kiwi surrendered a two-game advantage, before coming through to prevail in the decider. King has won eight of her nine matches against Sobhy, including the last four in a row.

In the men’s event, No.8 seed Fares Dessouky and World No.9 Mazen Hesham went toe-to-toe, with the former winning the all-Egyptian battle by a 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8 scoreline.

Up next for Dessouky is a meeting with World No.5 Tarek Momen, who saw off former World No.3 Omar Mosaad in impressive style.

 

“Mazen is one of the most talented players on tour, I have so much respect for him,” said Dessouky.

“We’ve been competing since we were very young and I’m happy today that I won, I felt he was the better player at times and I got a little lucky at the end I think. I’m just enjoying every match, I’m happy to be back here again competing on this court. I’m trying to find my way again and I’m happy to be in the quarters.”

2020 runner-up Paul Coll has also booked his place in the last eight after a 3-0 victory against England’s Adrian Waller saw him set up a quarter final match with Welshman Joel Makin. Makin saw off former World No.1 Karim Abdel Gawad to advance and he will look to avenge his defeat to Coll at December’s CIB Squash Open Black Ball, where he forced to retire from the match due to injury despite holding a 2-1 lead.

“I wanted a good, solid performance,” said Coll.

 

“I’m last on and it’s a long day, I just tried to stay switched on and focused and executed my game plan from the first to the last rally, so I’m very happy.”

The Windy City Open quarter finals begin tomorrow (February 27) and play begins at 14:00 (GMT-6). All of the action will be shown live on SQUASHTV.

Results – Men’s Third Round (Bottom Half): 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-1 (33m)
[8] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8 (66m)
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-1: 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (74m
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (39m)

Draw – Men’s Quarter Finals (Top Half): To Be Played February 27th
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
Ikar Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)

Draw – Men’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half): To Be Played February 28th
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [8] Fares Dessouky (EGY)
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)

Results – Women’s Third Round (Bottom Half): 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-2: 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8 (64m)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) bt Lucy Turmel (ENG) 3-2: 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 1-11, 11-8 (64m)
Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-2: 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8 (78m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-0, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)

Draw – Women’s Quarter Finals (Top Half): To Be Played February 27th
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)
[6] Salma Hany (EGY) v [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)

Draw – Women’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half): To Be Played February 28th
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [5] Joelle King (NZL)
Georgina Kennedy (EGY) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)

Follow me on Twitter

Tweets by @ChicagoSquash

Recent Posts

  • Scheduled
  • 2018/19 PSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BECOME FIRST MILLION-DOLLAR SQUASH TOURNAMENT
  • EGYPTIANS EL TAYEB AND ELSHORBAGY LIFT WINDY CITY OPEN CROWNS
  • MO ELSHORBAGY AND EL TAYEB CLAIM 2018 WINDY CITY OPEN TITLES
  • WINDY CITY OPEN: FINALS – AS IT HAPPENS
2020 Windy City Open
Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress