The world No.3 Nour El Tayeb, and newest member of Team Dunlop, won her first title this week at the Carol Weymuller Open, beating England’s Sarah-Jane Perry 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8 in 50 minutes. It was a very tightly contested match from the off. With the scores even at 1-1 and 6-6 in the third game, El Tayeb found a way to up her standard and went on to take that game 11-6. She then held her nerve in the final game to see off any revival from Perry.

As the tournament top seed, it was a perfect tournament for El Tayeb as she knocked out Hania El Hammamy, Joshna Chinappa and Alison Waters along the way to taking the crown.

“At the beginning of this season I think I put too much pressure on myself to do better than last year,” said 25-year-old El Tayeb.

“Being in the top four area I was too desperate. I should have enjoyed it more being in the mix. Then I lost early last week too [at the U.S. Open] so I just thought I should enjoy, relax and give it the best I could and this result shouldn’t matter.

The more relaxed attitude seems to have worked as she has won her first title since she began her partnership with Dunlop Squash at the start of the season and the first using her Dunlop Revelation 125 racket. It was also a good week for her, Team Dunlop, partner Ali Farag, albeit ultimately a disappointing one as he made it to, but lost out in, the final at the Channel Vas Squash Championships in Weybridge in a 5 game thriller.

Photo credit: Kelley Holmgren.