Dubai: Camille Serme vowed to keep the French flag flying high at the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Series Finals at Dubai Opera on Thursday after her compatriot and defending champion Gregory Gaultier was knocked out.
Both were awarded respective men’s and women’s PSA Player of the Year Awards at a prize-giving in Dubai on Monday to make for a unique French double, but the pair have had conflicting fortunes since.
World No.1 Gaultier, 34, who qualified for this event after finishing second in the season-long PSA Road to Dubai standings, was eliminated from the men’s group stages after two consecutive defeats to Ali Farag 2-0 (11-5, 11-7) and James Willstrop 2-0 (11-9, 11-4).
Meanwhile, World No.2 Serme, 28, who got here after finishing second in the race, won all three games to top her group and reach Friday’s semi-finals. That’s after beating Alison Waters 2-1 (9-11, 11-5, 11-3), Nouran Gohar 2-1 (11-6, 12-14, 14-12) and Reem Al Welily 2-1 (11-7, 7-11, 12-10).
“It’s a shame,” she said. “We never seem to win at the same time. He’s been in amazing form for the last six months,” she added of Gaultier’s six-tournament and 28 win-in-a-row run coming into Dubai.
“He must be feeling tired and I just hope he can perform well in his last group game to finish on a good match. And I’ll do my best for the French flag [on Friday].”
Asked if the award had given her a boost, she replied: “I don’t know, I felt happy and proud but it could have gone either way and put more pressure on me.
“It’s funny to see what others think of me,” she said of the player vote for the award, “We never talk about it but when you hear their opinion it means a lot. Most of them think I’ve been performing well all season so that’s pretty amazing.
“I’m very excited for the semi-finals, I don’t know who I’m going to be playing yet but it doesn’t matter I’m just glad I’m through.”
As top seed with three wins in a row and a Player of the Year gong to match, Serme is clearly a favourite to win this year’s event, but she thinks otherwise.
“Every player here is really strong and all have different types of games. The main is just to think and focus about that and see who goes through to meet me in the semis so I can prepare for tomorrow.”
Elsewhere, in Thursday’s early games Gohar finished second in Group A behind Serme after beating Waters 2-0 (11-7, 14-12). That puts Al Welily and Waters out of the tournament.
While Karim Abdul Jawad topped the men’s Group A after beating Marwan Al Shorbagy 2-0 (11-7, 12-10) and Simon Rosner finished second following a 2-0 win over Nick Matthew (13-11, 11-8) to eliminate Marwan and Matthew.
Thursday’s results early session
Nouran Gohar bt Alison Waters 2-0 (11-7, 14-12)
Simon Rosner bt Nick Matthew 2-0 (13-11, 11-8)
Camille Serme bt Raneem Al Welily 2-1 (11-7, 7-11, 12-10)
Karim Abdul Jawad bt Marwan Al Shorbagy 2-0 (11-7, 12-10)
Wednesday’s results late session
Nour Al Sherbini bt Nicol David 2-0, (11-6, 11-9)
James Willstrop bt Gregory Gaultier 2-0, (11-9, 11-4)
Laura Massaro bt Sarah-Jane Perry 2-0, (11-6, 14-12)
Mohammad Al Shorbagy bt Ali Farag 2-1, (8-11, 11-8, 12-10)
