Raneem & Amnah Add Local Flavour In Hurghada

Amnah El Trabolsy and Raneem El Weleily doubled the local interest in the Women's Hurghada International in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada when they survived their qualifying finals clashes today in Cairo.

Trabolsy, a 20-year-old from Alexandria, saved a game ball at 7-8 in the third game against England's Sarah Kippax and took the match 9-5 9-5 10-8 with a loud whoop of joy at the first time of asking when a backhand drop fell neatly into the sidewall nick and stayed put.

El Weleily, also from Alexandria, beat Dutch national squad member Margriet Huisman in four games. Huisman had been struggling with a cold but the Rising Star of Egyptian Junior squash moved her so relentlessly that she could not respond after snatching the second, ultimately winning 9-1 8-10 9-2 9-1.

In the longest match of the day, Italy's Manuela Manetta beat Ireland's Aisling Blake 9-4 5-9 9-5 9-7 and was rewarded with a first round draw against Australia's world No1 Rachael Grinham, the defending champion.

Qualifying finals:
Olga Puigdemont Sola (ESP) bt Hend Osama (EGY) 5-9, 9-0, 9-1, 9-3 (43m)
Amnah El Trabolsy (EGY) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-5, 9-5, 10-8 (38m)
Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-4, 5-9, 9-5, 9-7 (53m)
Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Margriet Huisman (NED) 9-1, 8-10, 9-2, 9-1 (35m)