In the women’s event, Belgium’s Nele Gilis got the better of 2018 champion Nour El Tayeb in a gripping contest that saw her win 11-9, 11-6, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9 in 60 minutes.
World No.81 El Tayeb, playing just her third tournament since returning from a 14-month spell on the sidelines due to the birth of her daughter, almost mounted a magnificent comeback, but Gilis kept her focus to see off an incredibly dangerous opponent.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions, you know she’s still coming back from giving birth, and I have huge respect for her and how she’s managed to come back so strongly,” said Gilis.
“I came into the match with no pressure because I know she’s still a top five in the world player, and I just wanted to give it my all. At 2-0 up, I then thought that I have a real chance of winning and then she came back like she did last week and came out firing in the third like she had nothing to lose.”
Gilis will take on England’s Georgina Kennedy next following Kennedy’s 3-1 win over USA No.2 Olivia Fiechter.
USA No.1 Amanda Sobhy got her tournament under way as she recorded a routine 3-0 victory over Canada’s Hollie Naughton. Sobhy will take on Wales’ Tesni Evans after Evans came back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt’s Hana Ramadan.
“I haven’t played a major event since the U.S. Open,” said Sobhy.
“My last couple of results weren’t the greatest, but I’m back and that’s all that matters. I kept it, in true Sobhy fashion, 3-0 under the 30-minute mark. I’m excited to be back, I love this venue, I have great memories here and I hope to keep progressing.”
Reigning champion Nour El Sherbini got off to a winning start against England’s Julianne Courtice, while No.2 seed Nouran Gohar dispatched Canada’s Danielle Letourneau.
The Windy City Open continues with the third round tomorrow (February 25) and play begins at 12:00 (GMT-6). Action will be shown live on SQUASHTV.
For more information on the Windy City Open, visit the tournament website or follow the event on Twitter, Facebook and Insta
Results - Men’s Second Round: 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (34m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt George Parker (ENG) 3-2: 14-12, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6 (76m)
Todd Harrity (USA) bt Declan James (ENG) 3-1: 11-2, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11 (54m)
[6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1: 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (50m)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [5] Diego Elias (PER) 3-2: 6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11 (89m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (32m)
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (40m)
[3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (36m)
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 3-1: 11-13, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (56m)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (45m)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 12-10 (35m)
[8] Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Youssef Soliman (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 (63m)
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (50m)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 (34m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 3-2: 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-9 (75m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (44m)
Draw - Men's Third Round: To Be Played February 25th
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Todd Harrity (USA) v [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) v [3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)
Draw - Men's Third Round: To Be Played February 26th
[4] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v [8] Fares Dessouky (EGY)
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) v Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)
Results - Women’s Second Round: 2022 Windy City Open Presented by the Walter Family
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Julianne Courtice (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Sabrina Sobhy (USA): 3-0 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 (21m)
Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt Donna Lobban (AUS) 3-2: 11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4 (50m)
[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 3-1: 11-5, 2-11, 14-12, 12-10 (43m)
[6] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Tze Lok Ho 3-2: 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10 (63m)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-2: 14-12, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5 (56m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-2: 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 14-12 (67m)
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-1, 11-4 (23m)
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-2 (29m)
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-2: 9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (53m)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 3-2: 13-15, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (78m)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) bt Olivia Clyne (USA) 3-2: 11-2, 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8 (55m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [8] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-2: 11-9, 11-6, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9 (60m)
Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 3-1: 11-8, 13-15, 11-3, 13-11 (58m)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Danielle Letourneau (CAN) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (27m)
Draw - Women's Third Round: To Be Played February 25th
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v Tinne Gilis (BEL)
Alexandra Fuller (RSA) v [7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)
[6] Salma Hany (EGY) v Nadine Shahin (EGY)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) v [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
Draw - Women's Third Round: To Be Played February 26th
[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Tesni Evans (WAL)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) v [5] Joelle King (NZL)
Nele Gilis (BEL) v Georgina Kennedy (ENG)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
