27-Feb, Final:
Tayeb topples Serme

A tremendous tournament for the Egyptian teenagers was made complete when Nour El Tayeb beat defending champion Camille Serme in five games in the final.

Adapted from Philippe Signoret's French report ...

Camille Serme faced three Egyptians looking for her scalp in this tournament, not forgetting Italian Manuela Manetta who gave her so much trouble in the quarter-final.

Nour El Tayeb played very well in the final, getting everything back, repelling Camille's attacks, lobbing particularly well and not hesitating to throw herself around the court as only she can.

Even in defence she exerts pressure on her opponent, rising instantly after each dive and ready for the next shot. She knows how to be patient but also plays some superb backhand crosscourt volley nicks.

It has to be said that Camille was not playing at the level she achieved in the semi-final against El Sherbini. The Frenchwoman was nervous and it was obvious from the start of the match that she was impatient and wasn't able to hold her consistency.

Camille made many errors, and when Nour started to tire in the fifth she made three mistakes that boosted her opponent's confidence, which is never a good thing to do.

Nervous tiredness perhaps, and also physical tiredness, playing three Egyptians in one tournament is difficult to deal with. They put such intensity into the exchanges, force their opponents to concentrate 100% of the time, the attacks keep coming and shots you think have won the rally keep coming back.

It's a little like the men having to play Shorbagy, then Darwish and Ashour to finish, Greg and Thierry will understand what it's like.

The problem is that it's necessary to find a solution to playing a succession of Egyptians, they will be everywhere and their rankings will soon be at 20, or 15.

Camille should not be too disappointed with the defeat, she still had a good tournament, and it should be remembered that the world no 15, 23, 34 and 35 had all been ousted by the quarter-finals. For the French number one it's straight onto the plane for India, one day of travel, one day of rest then on Thursday it's another style of player awaiting her in the first round, Mexican Samantha Teran.
 

26-Feb, Semis:
Serme stops Egyptian advance

Home favourite Camille Serme stopped the advance of the Egyptian teenagers as she beat Nour El Sherbini in straight games to advance to the final in Creteil.

She has one more Egyptian to beat to claim the title though, as Nour El Tayeb prevailed in her all-Egyptian matchup with Heba El Torky, also in straight games.



26-Feb, Quarters:
Egyptian takeover in Creteil

Top seed Camille Serme will be on her own in holding the fort against the Egyptian onrush in tonight's semi-finals in Creteil, after three stunning upsets which saw Egyptian teenagers take out much higher-ranked opponents.

Serme took 43 minutes to beat Italy's Manuela Manetta, then came the upsets.

World junior champion Nour El Sherbini, 14 years old, added to her growing list of senior scalps as she beat world number 23 Dominique Lloyd-Walter in four games.

Then it was the turn of Nour El Tayeb, 16, as she overcame world number 34 Emma Beddoes in straight games.

The hat-trick was completed when Heba El Torky, just turned 19, overcame a 58-place gap in the world rankings to beat world number 15 Jaclyn Hawkes in the longest match of the day.