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36th Barbados National Championships
08-15 May 2010 |
At the trophy presentation
ceremony that was held after the finals B.O.A. Director, Lt.
Col. Trevor Browne, commented on the high standard of
the matches he had seen and noted that the B.O.A. was always
pleased to see when its significant investment in the
various National Sports Federations yielded good results,
both domestically and regionally.
He lauded the medal winning achievements of squash at the
last CAC Games in 2006 and at various Caribbean and
Pan-American events held since then and urged the gathered
players and administrators to keep doing what they had been
doing in the recent past and to continue to strive for
excellence.
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15-May, Finals Day:
It’s number ten for Karen,
Simpson hits for six
Craig Archer reports
The two best Barbadian players over the past decade,
Karen Meakins and Shawn Simpson, were both pushed
hard but ultimately prevailed in their respective finals as
the curtain came down on the 36th annual National Squash
Championships, sponsored by the Barbados Olympic Association
Inc., at the Barbados Squash Club.
The Ladies top seed and Caribbean #2, Meakins, who has made
Barbados her home since 2000 and has played for the Barbados
national team since 2002, duly claimed her tenth straight
national squash title in a pulsating encounter with
Barbados’ best ever female junior player, and reigning
Caribbean under-19 champion, Cheri-Ann Parris.
Both players started a little nervously but the Meakins
settled down quicker and helped by several unforced errors
from her powerfully built teenaged opponent duly wrapped up
the first game for the loss of only four points. The #2
seed, Parris, however, was not fazed by this and increased
her pace of shot in the second game. This game was played at
an incredible tempo and few players, male or female, in
Caribbean would have been able to live with it.
 Meakins
got sucked into this power hitting game and her length and
width deteriorated and Parris was able to pull away to win
it at eight to the delight of the spectators crammed into
court #1 who had never before seen Meakins drop a single
game in ten years at the National Championships until then.
In adversity the truly great players can always make
adjustments and re-group and the tall elegant Meakins did
just that. She concentrated on placement instead of power
and as her length and width improved the athletic Parris
could not dominate the rallies like before.
The third game was over in a flash and the fourth game
followed the same pattern as Meakins visibly relaxed and
grew more confident while placing her shots precisely into
the corners to win in four games: 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6 in
34 minutes. Parris, who is still only 19, can be truly proud
of her efforts in her fourth National Championship final
which was the most competitive seen since 2000.
The men’s final was just as exciting as the top seed and
Caribbean #3 player, Shawn Simpson, was pushed to the very
brink by the dreadlocked, Bryant Cumberbatch, the #3
seed who started the first game hitting the ball not as hard
as he can do and tried moving his tall, left handed opponent
front to back and side to side with deceptive shots and
acute angles.
Both players worked hard throughout the match and retrieved
each others shots with amazing skill and agility. After
Cumberbatch claimed the first game 11-9, Simpson tried to
keep the rallies longer and played a bit more conservatively
but the second was always close with no player taking a
significant lead until Simpson claimed the final two points
to take it 11-9.
In the context of the match that probably was the turning
point as at one game all Simpson would have felt much more
comfortable than if he had gone 0-2 down. Cumberbatch then
played a loose third game and made quite a few unforced
errors as he tried to win points quickly. Simpson took that
game for the loss of only four points. The fourth game began
in a completely different way.
 Cumberbatch
began playing better length and tried to extend the rallies
as Simpson visibly began to tire. There was never more than
a couple of points in it but Simpson when pushed to the
front either tossed up high lobs to get out of trouble or
re-dropped effectively without making too many errors. A few
times the younger Cumberbatch lost patience and went for a
winner when a safer shot was what was needed.
He held two game balls, the second one in the tie-break, but
couldn’t convert either and as the momentum shifted Simpson
then had a match ball, which he lost, and then another which
he clinched to win his sixth national title in his eighth
straight final. He acknowledged the applause from the
appreciative audience by raising his weary arms aloft in
triumph after a 36 minute match which he won by three games
to one: 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 14-12.
In the ladies third place match, #3 Lilianna White
easily defeated a plucky Alex Jordan in straight games while
in the men’s equivalent, the evergreen #4 Mark Sealy played
very well to take a two games to one lead and fully extend
the #2 seed Gavin Cumberbatch to five games in a
marathon match before the younger, charismatic Cumberbatch
finally prevailed: 11-7, 6-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-6 in 45
minutes which was the longest match of the tournament.
Ladies’ Final #1 Karen Meakins
def. #2 Cheri-Ann Parris
(3-1) 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6 (34 mins.)
Ladies’ Third Place #3 Lilianna White def. #5/8 Alex Jordan
(3-0) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 (16 mins.)
Ladies’ Fifth Place Ayoni Bradshaw def. Lea Solomon by
walkover (illness)
Ladies’ Plate Gylla Mackenzie def. Nicole Jordan
(3-0) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (19 mins.)
Men’s Final #1 Shawn Simpson def. #3 Bryant Cumberbatch
(3-1) 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 14-12 (36 mins.)
Men’s Third Place #2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. #4 Mark Sealy
(3-2) 11-7, 6-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-6 (45
mins.)
Men’s Fifth Place Andy Gill def. Fabian Goodridge by
walkover
Men’s Consolation Plate (9th Place) Mark Gilkes def. Nigel
Griffith
(3-2) 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4 (45 mins.)
Men’s Plate Final Ryan Foster def. Stuart Tippleston
(3-1) 11-8, 19-17, 4-11, 11-8 (32 mins.)
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Day Nine
Craig Archer reports
The dynamic former Barbados and Caribbean Junior Champion
Bryant Cumberbatch, who is now 21, caused a significant
upset at the semi-final stage of the 36th annual National
Closed Squash Championships, sponsored by the Barbados
Olympic Association Inc., when matches continued at the
Barbados Squash Club last night (Friday).
The prodigiously talented, Bryant, seeded here at #3 is the
third of four squash playing siblings and put his
charismatic older brother, the #2 seed and defending
National Champion, Gavin Cumberbatch, in the shade in their
Men’s semi-final match with a comprehensive display of
attacking squash in which the result was never in doubt
after a long and punishing first game that took the wind out
of the older brother’s sails.
The rallies in that first game were very fast with both
players playing their shots at extreme pace and moving each
other to each and every corner of the court. Bryant lost
that first game 11-13 but the damage had been done and Gavin
thereafter never tried to attack with pace again, and chose
to try to slow things down in the remainder of the match to
save his legs and lungs from further punishment.
This tactic didn’t work and he was also undone by several
unforced errors at crucial times and was never able to mount
a further challenge as his younger brother ran away with the
next three games to win: 11-13, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 in 22
minutes.
In the other men’s semi-final, the top seed and Caribbean #3
player, Shawn Simpson, started out in his first game
very slowly, making a number of unforced errors with his
drop shot and boasts and allowed his opponent, the #4 seed
Mark Sealy, to get the early lead in the first game which
Sealy closed out for the loss of only 3 points.
After Simpson warmed up however, things became a little
easier for him as his pace of shot and court coverage
allowed him to dominate most of the rallies from about
halfway in the second game which he clinched at seven. As
Sealy tired his errors increased and Simpson then was able
to impose himself on the match and closed out the last two
games without further fuss to win by three games to one:
3-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-0 in 31 minutes.
In the ladies semi-finals the top seed and Caribbean #2,
Karen Meakins, moved smoothly into her tenth straight
national final with a straight forward 3-0 victory over
local radio personality, Alex Jordan, who has made a return
to the local squash scene. In the bottom half of the draw
the local #2 female and the 2009 Caribbean GU-19 champion,
Cheri-Ann Parris, was pushed hard by the #3 seed
Lilianna White who played some of her best squash in years
with a gritty fighting performance, hitting great length and
width with her drives and volleying and dropping to telling
effect.
After splitting the first two games the third was always
going to be crucial and to her credit, Cheri-Ann raised her
game to meet the challenge and then began to impose herself
on her smaller opponent with powerful ground strokes and
great court coverage. The third game was close and went to a
tie break but when Cheri-Ann took that game 13-11 the end
was nigh and she wrapped up the fourth and final game in
style to win: 9-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-5.
Today’s final will be the fourth successive time these two
fantastic players have met in the National Ladies final,
with Meakins holding a 3-0 advantage over her young rival
thus far.
Ladies’ Main Draw –
Semi-finals
#1 Karen Meakins def. #5/8 Alex Jordan (3-0) 11-3, 11-2,
11-2
#2 Cheri-Ann Parris def. #3 Lilianna White (3-1) 9-11, 11-6,
13-11, 11-5
Men’s Main Draw – Semi-finals
#1 Shawn Simpson def. #4 Mark Sealy (3-1) 3-11, 11-7,
11-7, 11-0
#3 Bryant Cumberbatch def. #2 Gavin Cumberbatch (3-1) 11-13,
11-4, 11-8, 11-4
Ladies’ Classic Plate (5th to 8th place) - Semi-finals
Lea Solomon def. Lucyla Seale (3-0) 11-5, 11-2, 11-2
Ayoni Bradshaw received a bye
Men’s Classic Plate (5th to 8th place) - Semi-finals
Fabian Goodridge def. Rhett Cumberbatch (3-2) 3-11,
13-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9
Andy Gill def. Marlon White (3-2) 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11,
11-5
Men’s Consolation Plate – Semi-finals
Nigel Griffith def. Jonathan O’Dowd (3-0) 11-5, 11-4,
11-4
Mark Gilkes def. Matthew Mackenzie (3-1) 11-5, 11-3, 11-13,
15-13
Ladies’ Plate – Semi-finals
Gylla Mackenzie def. Zoe Lisk (3-0) 20-18, 11-4, 9-11,
11-4
Nicole Jordan received a bye
Men’s Plate – Semi-finals
Ryan Foster def. David Lewis (3-1) 11-7, 7-11, 11-6,
11-9
Stuart Tippleston def. Terry Millar (3-0) 11-8, 11-9, 16-14
Matches this afternoon
(Saturday) will begin from 2:15 p.m. with the last match,
the Men’s final, re-scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. The
presentation of trophies for this tournament and the
National Veterans Championships that preceded it last week
will be held in BSC court #1 immediately at approximately
6:45 p.m. immediately following the conclusion of the Men’s
final this evening. |
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Day Eight
Craig Archer reports
There were some exciting matches played last night
(Thursday) May 13th as the 36th annual National Closed
Squash Championships, sponsored by the Barbados Olympic
Association Inc., continued at the Barbados Squash Club, but
in the end the seedings panel were proven correct as three
of the top four ladies and all of the top four seeded men
progressed smoothly into their respective semi-finals.
On the ladies side the top seed and Caribbean #2, Karen
Meakins, moved to within one match of her tenth straight
national final with a straight games victory over Ayoni
Bradshaw, while in the bottom half of the draw the local #2
female and the 2009 Caribbean GU-19 champion, Cheri-Ann
Parris, also only dropped ten points while overcoming
the plucky Lucyla Seale, also in three straight games.
In the ladies semi-finals tonight, Meakins will face local
radio personality Alex Jordan, who has made a return
to the local squash scene and reached her first national
semi-final by default when her opponent, the #4 seed Natalie
Chesham, failed to show up due to bout of illness. In the
other ladies semi-final, the #2 seed Parris, who will be
trying to reach her fourth straight national final will face
National teammate Lilianna White, seeded here at #3,
who held off the challenge of the up and coming Lea Solomon
11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6.
Both the Men’s semi-finals tonight are mouth watering
prospects. The top seed and Caribbean #3, Shawn Simpson,
a five time former national champion, will be up against the
experienced Mark Sealy, an eight time former champion
himself. In their respective quarter-finals, Simpson quelled
the challenge of Rhett Cumberbatch in three hard fought
games, while the #4 seed Sealy used all his guile and court
craft to hold off the challenge of his much younger opponent
Fabian Goodridge in a hotly contested four game match.
In the bottom half of the draw, siblings Gavin and Bryant
Cumberbatch will face each other, with the defending
champion and #2 seed, Gavin, having to face the real
prospect of defeat at the hands of his prodigiously talented
younger brother, Bryant, who is still only 21 years of age
and is five years younger than Gavin, who is the eldest of
the talented Cumberbatch family.
In their respective quarter-finals Gavin was taken to four
games by Andy Gill, another former national champion, who is
making a welcome return to local competitions this year,
whereas the local #3, Bryant, had few problems dispatching
former age group champion, Marlon White, who failed to
convert two game balls in his second game and faded
thereafter to allow Bryant to prevail in straight games:
11-3, 12-10, 11-5.
The following sixteen matches were played last night at the
Barbados Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ
Church:
Ladies’ Main Draw – Quarter-finals
#1 Karen Meakins def. #5/8 Ayoni Bradshaw (3-0) 11-2, 11-3,
11-5
#5/8 Alex Jordan def. #4 Natalie Chesham by default (due to
illness)
#3 Lilianna White def. #5/8 Lea Solomon (3-1) 11-4, 10-12
11-4, 11-6
#2 Cheri-Ann Parris def. Lucyla Seale (3-0) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3
Men’s Main Draw – Quarter-finals
#1 Shawn Simpson def. #5/8 Rhett Cumberbatch (3-0) 11-7,
16-14, 11-7
#4 Mark Sealy def. #5/8 Fabian Goodridge (3-1) 11-5, 4-11,
11-6, 12-10
#3 Bryant Cumberbatch def. #5/8 Marlon White (3-0) 11-3,
12-10, 11-5
#2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. #5/8 Andy Gill (3-1) 11-9, 10-12,
11-7, 11-9
Men’s Consolation Plate – 1st Round
Nigel Griffith def. Leon Truss (3-2) 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 9-11,
12-10
Jonathan O’Dowd def. Charles Chambers by default
Mark Gilkes def. Don Benn (3-1) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8
Matthew Mackenzie def. Mickey Armstrong (3-1) 11-6, 12-10,
9-11, 11-8
Men’s Plate – 2nd Round
David Lewis def. Roger Martin (3-1) 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9
Ryan Foster def. Michael Best (3-1) 11-1, 11-4, 6-11, 11-1
Terry Millar def. Ran Dana (3-0) 15-13, 11-5, 11-4
Stuart Tippleston def. Peter Harris (3-1) 11-4, 8-11, 11-4,
11-6
Matches this evening (Friday) will begin from 5:45 p.m. as
all the semi-finals will be played: in the Ladies and Men’s
Main Draw as well as in the various plate competitions for
both men and ladies who have lost once thus far in the
tournament. All told a total of 12 matches will be played
this evening, beginning from 5:45 p.m. All finals will be
played this Saturday, May 15th beginning from 1:45 p.m. with
the last match, the Men’s final, scheduled to start at 5:00
p.m. The presentation of trophies for this tournament and
the National Veterans Championships that preceded it last
week will be held in BSC court #1 immediately following the
Men’s final on Saturday afternoon. |
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Day Seven
The 36th annual National
Closed Squash Championships, sponsored by the Barbados
Olympic Association Inc., continued
last night (Wednesday) May 12th but there were no upsets in
the first round of the Men’s Main Draw as all of the top
eight seeds moved into tonight’s quarter-final encounters.
In fact, the only seeded player to drop a game was former
National Over-40 champion, Marlon
White who
found himself embroiled in a dog-fight with the tenacious Don
Benn, who
won the first and fourth games before fading in fifth to
allow a relieved White to win 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4
in 35 minutes. The seven other seeded players all cruised
into their respective quarter-finals with the top seed Shawn
Simpson looking
the most comfortable while dismissing the wily veteran, Leon
Truss, for
the loss of only ten points: 11-2, 11-2, 11-6.
The
following fourteen matches were played last night at the
Barbados Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ
Church:
Men’s Main Draw 1st Round
#1 Shawn Simpson def. Leon Truss (3-0) 11-2, 11-2, 11-6
#5/8 Rhett Cumberbatch def. Nigel Griffith (3-0) 11-2, 11-8,
11-8
#5/8 Fabian Goodridge def. Charles Chambers (3-0) 11-6,
11-4, 11-3
#4 Mark Sealy def. Jonathan O’Dowd (3-0) 11-4, 11-6, 11-9
#3 Bryant Cumberbatch def. Mark Gilkes (3-0) 12-10, 11-4,
11-5
#5/8 Marlon White def. Don Benn (3-0) 7-11, 11-7, 11-8,
9-11, 11-4
#5/8 Andy Gill def. Matthew Mackenzie (3-0) 14-12, 11-7,
11-4
#2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. Mickey Armstrong (3-0) 11-3, 11-7,
11-7
Men’s Plate – 1st Round
David Lewis def. Sanjay Amin (3-1) 11-6, 11-1, 4-11, 11-9
Michael Best def. Stewart St. John (3-2) 8-11, 11-7, 4-11,
11-7, 11-5
Ryan Foster def. Craig Archer (3-1) 6-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10
Terry Millar def. Orson Simpson (3-1) 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4
Ran Dana def. Ronald Watson (3-0) 13-11, 11-7, 12-10
Peter Harris def. David Spink (3-2) 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5,
11-5
Matches will be even more competitive from this evening
(Thursday) as both the Ladies and Men’s quarter-finals will
be played, as well as the first round of the Ladies Plate,
the second round of the Men’s Plate, and the first round of
the Men’s Consolation Plate. All told a total of 18 matches
will be played this evening, beginning from 5:45 p.m.
Matches begin at 5:45 p.m. both today and tomorrow (Friday).
All finals will be played this Saturday, May 15th beginning
from 1:45 p.m. with the last match, the Men’s final,
scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. The presentation of trophies
for this tournament and the National Veterans Championships
that preceded it last week will be held in BSC court #1
immediately following the Men’s final on Saturday afternoon.
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