SHARM EL SHEIKH: Omneya Abdel Kawy may wish to feed off the memories of two years ago in Cairo when she led Egypt to a world team title triumph with a surprise 2-1 win over the titleholders, England.
Abdel Kawy got past the toughest first round hurdle in the draw on Saturday, boosting Egypt’s hopes of its first female semi-finalist in a World Open.
She knows too that the withdrawal of Rachael Grinham, the former world champion from Australia, has given her a better chance, for she has moved up one slot to fourth seed, offering a significantly better route to the semi-finals.
But that’s something that Kawy does not want to consider for now.
"It can help it," she agreed, "but I have to be thinking match by match as usual.
"I mustn’t be thinking ahead too much. It’s not good to do that. We will see what happens with every match."
The world number five from Cairo won 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 against Tania Bailey, a qualifier but also a former world number four who is making her way back tenaciously after a series of career-threatening injuries.
There were moments, especially in the third game, when Bailey chiseled a four-point deficit back to 8-9, and in the fourth, in which she led 5-4, when it seemed the Englishwoman’s volleying and heavy driving might prevail.
But Kawy, who has always usually done well on home soil, produced some tight-to-the-wall clinging drops and some brilliantly masked winners at vital moments to snatch an important win.
"I was a bit nervous, playing in a World Open in my home country for the first time," admitted Kawy. "But I hope I will feel better from now on. I have my coach and my family here to support me."
The next one is against Jaclyn Hawkes, the 15th-seeded New Zealander, who played a solid match in getting past Donna Urquhart of Australia, by 11-5, 11-5, 11-3.
If Kawy wins again, as she should, she is likely to face Ireland’s Madeline Perry, who began with a 12-10, 11-9,11-5 win over Delia Arnold of Malaysia.
Meanwhile the injured Grinham is likely to be out of action for ten days with the calf injury which caused her to retire against Nour El Sherbini, the 15-year-old Egyptian, in the final of the Heliopolis Open in Cairo.
Earlier Camille Serme, the ninth-seed, had to survive a scare before reaching the second round.
The 21-year-old Frenchwoman was twice within a point of going two games down before she came through 9-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-4 against Annelize Naude, a qualifier from The Netherlands.
