Sobhy Sets Up Cleveland Classic Semifinal Against Waters

Sobhy (r) against Pallikal. (image: Michael Weil)
Sobhy (r) against Pallikal. (image: Michael Weil)

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Team USA’s Amanda Sobhy matched her high-water mark in the $50,000 Tub O’Towels Cleveland Classic Sunday afternoon, defeating India’s Dipika Pallikal in a three-game quarterfinal at Cleveland Racquet Club in Ohio.

After enduring a five-game opening match against Victoria Lust, Sobhy came through 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 against world No. 17 Pallikal.

“My game plan was to keep it on her backhand and get good length,” Sobhy said. “She is a hard-hitter of the ball so I had to keep it away from her forehand.”

The twenty-two year old world No. 8 is competing in her fourth Cleveland Classic, and with her result Sunday, matches her best tournament finish of reaching semifinals in 2012.

Like 2012 when she faced Laura Massaro, the American faces English opposition in the form of two seed and world No. 9 Alison Waters.

Waters defeated Team USA’s Olivia Blatchford in her quarterfinal 12-10, 11-3, 12-10, ending Blatchford’s tournament-best run that included two five-game upsets over higher-ranked opposition.

“Experience played a big role tonight,” Waters said. “I didn’t want to drop a game because mentally that would have made Olivia better.”

Sobhy and Waters met just two weeks ago in the quarterfinals of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, which the Harvard graduate won 12-10, 11-3, 11-9 in thirty-eight minutes.

Their match is streaming live and scoring live on U.S. Pro Series Live powered by www.clublocker.com Monday night at 6:45pm ET.