Elaraby Claims Comeback Watanabe Win To Make US Open Quarters

Egypt's world No.8 Rowan Elaraby fought back from two games down to defeat Satomi Watanabe on day three of the Comcast Business US Open Championships and book her spot in the quarter-finals of the Platinum-level event in Philadelphia.

Japanese No.1 Watanabe reached the final of last week's Silicon Valley Open and looked as though she was going to carry that momentum into the quarter-finals, edging the first two games in tiebreaks, overturning a 9-5 deficit in the second.

But with coach Wael El Hindi in her corner, Elaraby fought her way back into the contest in impressive style, losing only five points across the next two games to force a decider on the all-glass court at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.

That was not the end of the drama, though, with Watanabe crashing into the back of Elaraby in the opening stages of the fifth game. The 25-year-old hit the floor in pain and clutched her neck in what looked like a serious injury, with a lengthy physio treatment following.

Despite valiantly returning to her feet, her subsequent efforts would ultimately be in vain, with No.8 seed Elaraby claiming the victory after 64 minutes of play.

"I was trying just to calm myself down because I was actually very nervous about this match," Elaraby said after victory. "I've never beaten Satomi in my entire career, I think even when we were juniors she used to beat me.

"I was just trying to listen to what Wael was telling me in between games and try to stick to it, and I'm glad it worked."

Elsewhere, Egypt's Youssef Ibrahim reached his first Platinum quarter-final since the 2022 Windy City Open after overcoming Youssef Soliman in a hard-fought all-Egyptian duel.

In his first career win over Soliman from five attempts, Ibrahim rallied well from a one-game deficit to claim victory by a 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 scoreline and book a last-eight tie with top seed Ali Farag.

Farag and fellow world No.1 Nour El Sherbini continued their faultless starts to the event after recording straight-games wins over Patrick Rooney and Melissa Alves, respectively.