Kheirallah & Stoehr In Surprise Alexandria Final
French champion Isabelle Stoehr and local star Engy Kheirallah are the surprise finalists in the Women's Alexandria Sporting Club Squash Open in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Both players reached the last four without dropping a game – and maintained this momentum in their semi-finals against higher-ranked opposition.
Kheirallah, the 23-year-old fourth seed from Alexandria, toppled top-seeded compatriot Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-5 9-4 9-1 in her first WISPA World Tour victory over the world number eight.
After a first close game which went to the wire in the other semi-final, third seed Stoehr took control of the match against No2 seed Annelize Naude, from the Netherlands, winning 10-9 9-1 9-4.
The success marks the eight-times French champion's first appearance in a WISPA final since returning to live in France, in Chambery, after being based in Manchester, England, for more than a year.
While Stoehr boasts seven WISPA final appearances to date, with three wins, Kheirallah has a 100% record in her two Tour career finals so far.
RESULTS: Women's Alexandria Sporting Club Squash Open, Alexandria, Egypt
Quarter-finals:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [8] Aisling Blake (IRL) 10-9, 9-4, 9-0
[4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [5] Lauren Briggs (ENG) 9-5, 9-0, 9-4
[3] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [7] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 9-3, 9-5, 9-5
[2] Annelize Naude (NED) bt Amnah El Trabolsy (EGY) 5-9, 9-4, 4-9, 9-4, 9-6
Semi-finals:
[4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-5, 9-4, 9-1
[3] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [2] Annelize Naude (NED) 10-9, 9-1, 9-4