13th March, 2015
Egypt’ s dominance over Nigeria on the African table tennis scene came to play yesterday evening at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Lagos (Nigeria) Open when Shady Magdy beat Ojo Onaolapo to the U-21 title at Molade Okoya Thomas Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Occupying the second seeded position in the competition, Magdy accounted for compatriot Ahmed Mabrouk in the semi-finals (12-10, 11-8, 11-9), before securing the title in a dramatic manner.
He recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat the host nation’s Ojo Onaolapo, the top seed and defending champion, to claim the title. Eventually, he succeeded by the very narrowest of margins in the deciding fifth game (6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-9).
“I am so happy winning my first tournament at senior level because this is my first ever Under 21 Men’s Singles event”, reflected Magdy. “I knew I could win because when I was two-nil down, I just told myself that the match had just started,” added the delighted 19 year old. “My coach encouraged me to fight.”
Undoubtedly Shady Magdy, who possesses a rather quiet resolute persona, fought. “In table tennis nothing is impossible even when you are 10-0 down, you can still win”, he said.
“I cannot really explain what happened today (Thursday), I was leading two-nil and I lost the match,” said Onaolapo. “It is painful and I can say I was just unlucky today because I put the ball on the table, he also did the same; I am not really happy because I cannot just understand what befell me today.”
Victory by the very narrowest of margins for Shady Magdy; for compatriot Dina Meshref, life was less traumatic in the women’s category. She secured the Under 21 Women’s Singles title without the loss of a single game.
At the final hurdle she overcame another Egyptian Yousra Helmy (11-7, 13-11, 11-8), having beaten Portugal’s Shao Jieni in the penultimate round 11-6, 11-8, 11-8). In the counterpart semi-final, Yousra Helmy had accounted for Fatma Alaa, also from Egypt (11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3).
“It was not easy winning the title, especially in the semi-final match against the Chinese Portuguese as well as my cousin, Yousra in the final”, said Dina Meshref. “Yousra is a good player, she improves with each match, I am happy that I won in Lagos after losing in the final in 2014.”