World champion Nour El Sherbini rescued herself from a first day setback with a calm and authoritative victory over Camille Serme, advancing to the last four of the PSA World Series finals yesterday.
Sherbini’s 11-4, 11-6 success against the Frenchwoman, last year’s British Open champion, enabled her to qualify from her group in second place after her opening loss against Egyptian compatriot Raneem El Welily, and to approach the knockout stages in a sounder frame of mind.
So far it has also been a personal success for the diffident 20-year-old, who has experienced new and increasing pressures after grabbing the top ranking for the first time this month, becoming a target for all her rivals, and being loaded with public relations commitments.
“I’ve managed to stay calm and be focussed,” Sherbini said after a performance in which she mixed adroit volleying and nice front-court touches with characteristically imposing drives.
“I really didn’t want to lose, so I needed to focus from the beginning and I managed to do that. I was helped because my opponent made some mistakes, but my aim was to qualify (for the semi-finals) and I’m pleased to have done that.
“When I first arrived here I wasn’t relaxed and I had a lot of stuff to do, but now it’s better. Winning this tournament would be a nice end to the season but I’m not allowing myself to think about that.
“Amr Shabana always says ‘step by step’ and I’m managing to do that,” Sherbini concluded, referring to the words of the popular four times former world champion who is now Egypt’s team director.
Sherbini’s progress since last month’s world title triumph in Kuala Lumpur has been further hampered by the need to study very soon afterwards for exams in media management.
Yesterday, though, she looked in better form, but much tougher tests should happen from now on when she will compete with the customary best of five games scoring instead of the truncated best of three used in the group matches.
Sherbini was left to wait and see who she will face in the semi-finals while her conqueror on Tuesday, Raneem El Welily, finished top of group B with a 100 per cent record after a 15-13, 11-9 victory over her best friend and compatriot Omneya Abdel Kawy.
Men’s world champion Gregory Gaultier also qualified for the semi-finals, winning all his three matches.
He had to pull out a few extra tricks though to prevail 7-11, 11-8, 11-1 against Omar Mosaad, yet another high level Egyptian.
Although Gaultier’s progress to the last four had already been already assured and Mosaad’s exit confirmed, the match had tangible drive and tension, probably deriving from it being a repeat of the World Open final six months ago in Seattle.
“I had to play a hundred percent,” said the Frenchman.
“In other matches he was struggling with his movement but this time he was covering the court well, so I had it tough.
“But I’m pleased to stay a hundred percent, and would really like to win this title again,” added Gaultier, who has won the World Series finals twice before, but not for seven years.

RESULTS
Men (Group B): 8-Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt 6-Simon Rosner (GER) 11-2, 11-7; 2-Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt 4-Omar Mosaad (EGY) 7-11, 11-8, 11-1
Women (Group B): 4-Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt 6-Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 15-13, 11-9; 2-Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt 7-Camille Serme (FRA) 11-4, 11-6