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glo Greenwich Open 2012
23-28 Jan, Usa, $35k |
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Final:
[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-2 [[3] Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/7, 5/11, 11/7, 5/11,
14/12 (63m)
Sherbini takes third title in Greenwich
Phil Barker reports
 A
packed gallery were treated to some scintillating squash at the
Greenwich Country Club last night as two of the rising stars of the
WSA played one of the best Greenwich Open Finals in recent memory.
Low Wee Wern, a 22 year old from Malaysia (WR7) was taking on 17 yr
old Egyptian sensation Nour El Sherbini (WR6). El Sherbini was a
slight favorite heading into the match but Wern had impressed this
week and from the outset had no intent on turning up for 2nd place.
From the outset this match was a contrast in styles. Wern playing a
steady, disciplined game keeping El Sherbini in the back court
trying to limit the talented Egyptian's deadly short game and
maintain control of the points. El Sherbini, looking for an
opportunity to attack the front court, used her tall frame to power
the ball to the back and often had Wern on the defensive as she
battled to stay in front of the intimidating El Sherbini.
 The
scoreline didn't quite reflect how evenly matched these player's
were as many points lasted 30-40 shots before an opening came - this
remarkable given the slow court conditions which are normally
conducive to short attacking points.
Wern and El Sherbini traded games until a deciding 5th game tiebreak
had the players go back and forth in a tense tiebreaker which saw El
Sherbini hold her nerve and lift the Glo Greenwich Open Title for
the first time.
Low Wee Wern will rue a few missed opportunities to win the title
herself but no doubt will get her chance again to turn the tables on
El Sherbini as they clearly both have a bright future on the WSA
tour.
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SDA Chilton North
American Open Doubles |
  glo Greenwich
Open 2012
23-28 Jan, Usa, $35k |
Round One
25 Jan |
Quarters
26 Jan |
Semis
27 Jan |
Final
28 Jan |
[1] Raneem El Weleily (Egy)
11/8, 11/2, 11/7
[Q] Amanda Sobhy (Usa) |
[1] Raneem El Weleily
3/11, 11/9, 11/7, 14/12[8] Camille Serme |
[8] Camille Serme
11/4, 11/5, 11/7
[3] Low Wee Wern |
[3] Low Wee Wern
11/7, 5/11, 11/7, 5/11, 14/12 (63m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini |
[8] Camille Serme (Fra)
11/8, 13/11, 18/16
Natalie Grinham (Ned) |
[3] Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/9, 9/11, 11/5, 11/5
[Q] Aisling Blake (Irl)r |
[3] Low Wee Wern
11/7, 5/11, 11/4, 11/6
[5] Madeline Perry |
[5] Madeline Perry (Irl)
11/4, 11/5, 11/7
Maria Elena Ubina (Usa) |
Rachael Grinham (Aus)
7/11, 11/7, 11/4, 11/4
[7] Kasey Brown (Aus) |
[7] Kasey Brown
11/8, 9/11, 11/8, 11/3
[Q] Nour El Tayeb |
[7] Kasey Brown
11/7, 11/9, 11/8
[2] Nour El Sherbini |
[Q] Nour El Tayeb (Egy)
11/8, 11/5, 9/11, 11/9
[4] Annie Au (Hkg) |
Donna Urquhart (Aus)
7/11, 9/11, 12/10, 14/12, 11/4
[6] Dipika Pallikal (Ind) |
[6] Dipika Pallikal
11/8, 9/11, 2/11, 11/2, 11/5
[2] Nour El Sherbini |
[Q] Joey Chan (Hkg)
11/9, 11/5, 11/5
[2] Nour El Sherbini (Egy) |
24-Jan, Qualifying Finals:
Nour El Tayeb (Egy)
bt
Samantha Teran (Mex) 11/9,
11/4, 12/10
Aisling Blake (Irl)
bt
Joshana Chinappa (Ind)
11/9, 11/8, 9/11, 7/11, 11/8
Joey Chan (Hkg) bt Lauren Briggs (Eng)
9/11, 11/5, 11/8, 11/4
Amanda Sobhy (Usa) bt
Heba El Torky (Egy)
11/9, 11/5, 11/5
23
Jan, Qualifying Round One:
Samantha Teran (Mex) 3-0 Sam Cornett (Can)
11/6, 11/7, 11/8
Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 3-0 Jacqueline Barnes (Aus)
11/1, 11/2, 11/5
Aisling Blake (Irl) 3-0 Maria Toor Pakay (Pak)
11/6, 11/6, 11/2
Joshana Chinappa (Ind) 3-1 Lucia Fialova (Cze)
4/11, 12/10, 11/9, 12/10
Lauren Briggs (Eng) 3-1 Sabrina Sobhy (Usa)
11/8, 11/8, 4/11, 11/8
Joey Chan (Hkg) 3-0 Cecilia Cortes (Usa)
11/8, 11/6, 11/3
Heba El Torky (Egy)
3-2
Delia Arnold (Mas)
5/11, 11/5, 11/9, 8/11, 11/8
Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-0 Liu Tsz-Ling (Hkg)
11/3, 11/2, 11/3
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Youngsters reach Greenwich final
Phil Barker reports
Sunday afternoon saw all the squash action move to Greenwich Country
Club. In the ladies event we saw order restored as the seeded
players moved through to the final. Two of the rising stars of the
WSA Tour Low Wee Wern and Nour El Sherbini will battle
for the title in a bid to further cement their status as leading
players on the tour.
[3] Low Wee Wern bt [8] Camille
Serme
11/4, 11/5, 11/7
 Low
started the more positively in a very free hitting first game in the
first Semi, the Malaysian was getting onto the ball earlier, taking
advantage of a slow start from Serme, who had caused the upset of
the tournament, beating the no 1 seed in a tense five setter over at
RHC yesterday.
The second was much the same, long rallies but Low having the
patience and better mobility weathered the storm to taken the second
11/5.
In the third, Serme came out firing, giving it everything she could.
Wern weathered the storm and kept the game tight till a 7/7
scoreline. Sensing victory Low held her nerve as Serme finally broke
and made a couple of unforced errors to move Wern into the final
tomorrow evening.
[2] Nour El
Sherbini (Egy) bt [7] Kasey Brown (Aus)
11/7, 11/9, 11/8
The second semi final saw rising WSA
talent Nour El Sherbini up against the seasoned Australian Kasey
Brown. On paper this was always going to be a close match up with
both players having had close matches the day before and no doubt
feeling the effects heading into the match.
It was Sherbini who came out the stronger, using her reach to good
affect, with Brown giving the talented Egyptian too much time at the
front of the court to hold and sent Brown the wrong way. Sherbini
was always in front in the first, never letting her lead slip taking
it 11/7. Brown rallied in the second game, capitalizing on some
Egyptian mistakes but the racket speed of Sherbini was causing Brown
problems.
Several times Brown struggled to react, being sent the wrong way as
Sherbini held on, taking the game 11/9.
The third was a close affair, Brown hitting tight rails but working
the harder of the two. In the end it came down to a couple of bad
drops from the Aussie which allowed Sherbini to counter attack,
winning the third game 11/8 and booking her place alongside Low Wee
Wern in Monday's final.
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SDA Chilton North
American Open Doubles |
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26-Jan, Quarters:
Saturday afternoon saw a ton of great squash at the Round
Hill Club. It was a nice mix of veterans and new faces squaring off
and entertaining the crowds with their incredible athleticism and
pinpoint shotmaking.
#8 Camille Serme (Fra) def #1
Raneem El Weleily (Egy)
3/11, 11/9, 11/7, 14/12
The first match of the day saw the
tournament's #1 seed, Raneem El Weleily succumb in four games
to the tenacious Camille Serme of France. Raneem came out of
the blocks strong hitting numerous winners with her fierce,
attacking style of play. Camille came back, slowing the game down,
tightening up her drives and not allowing Raneem to shoot and
therefore forcing the errors out of her to take the second game. In
the third it was a contrast of great change of pace from Serme and
impatience from Raneem. Camille took the third 11-7. The fourth
really got the crowd on the edge of their seats with both girls
trading points all the way to the wire. At 9-9 the girls endured the
longest and finest rally of the match, working each other corner to
corner waiting for the opportunity to attack, which was followed up
by starting the rally again with nice high lobs to regain composure.
It looked as though the world #2 was going to hang in after saving 5
match balls but Camille finished the match with a clinical back hand
volley drop! UPSET!
#3 Low Wee Wern
def #5 Madeline Perry (Irl)
11/7, 5/11, 11/4, 11/6
While the veteran Perry showed the
grit that has made her a perennial top 10 player for over a decade,
the young Malasian proved to be too much and won in a decisive four
games.
#7 Kasey Brown
(Aus) def Nour El Tayeb (Egy)
11/8, 9/11, 11/8, 11/3
Kasey Brown, the 2011
Greenwich Open champion seemed to be returning to form as she took
out up and coming El Tayeb of Egypt in a hard fought four
games. Kasey, who lives and trains locally, simply outlasted El
Tayeb and demonstrated the sheer will it sometimes takes to win at
the highest level.
#2 Nour El Sherbini
(Egy) def. #6 Dipika Pallikal (Ind)
11/8, 9/11, 2/11, 11/2, 11/5
The final match of the day was a
seesaw battle between two very talented young players. Both El
Sherbini and Pallikal possess exquisite racquet skills
and an uncanny ability to send their opponents in the wrong
direction. It was El Sherbini who came out on top though as she
battled from 2-1 down to take a decisive 5th game victory. |
SDA Chilton North
American Open Doubles
FRENCH
TALK
"Je suis super contente d'avoir battu Raneem aujourd'hui! Ce n'est
que la 2ème fois de toute ma carrière que je réussis cet exploit :)
Notre match a été un peu irrégulier au début: j'ai eu du mal à bien
bouger dans le 1er jeu, et elle a fait beaucoup de fautes dans le
2ème. Mais ensuite, les 3ème et 4ème jeux ont été de meilleure
qualité, avec de longs échanges et une grosse bataille physique et
mentale.
J'étais soulagée de gagner ce 4ème jeu après que Raneem ai sauvé 3
balles de match!
Après avoir bien savouré ma victoire aujourd'hui, je vais pouvoir me
focaliser sur mon match de demain face à Wee Wern Low.
Encore une grosse bataille en perspective... :)
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25-Jan:
Main Draw gets going in Greenwich
Ryan Abraham reports
There
was some great squash tonight at the Field Club of Greenwich with
some of the top seeds being pushed to their limits. 7 of the top 8
seeds move on to the quarter finals, while Nour El Tayeb caused the
upset on paper.
#1 Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt Amanda Sobhy (USA)
After a strong showing at the TOC, Amanda Sobhy powered her way
through the qualifying round only to draw the top seed first round.
Although the first game was somewhat close at 11/8, El Weleily began
to think a little more in the next two without rushing her shots.
And Sobhy began to look a little out of sorts compared to her
regular game, which didn't help the situation.
El Weleily eventually won the next two games comfortably to advance
to the quarterfinal stage.
#8 Camille Serme (Fra) bt Natalie Grinham (Ned)
This was going to be a tough contest from the beginning and although
the match was only 3 games, it lasted just over an hour. The young
Frenchwoman has demonstrated her right to be in the top 10, and
Natalie had just come off her recent victory at the T.O.C. final the
night before.
Each game got closer as the match went on, and Grinham would show
amazing tenacity in her retrieval skills. However, Serme was
determined not to prolong the match and just kept sticking with it
and waiting for an error by her spritely opponent. After exchanging
a few game / match balls in the 3rd game, Serme eventually held on
to take the match in 3.
#3 Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt Aisling Blake (Irl)
In another gritty much from start to finish, the theme of the match
was steadiness. The first two games were traded between players and
both Blake and Wee Wern looked solid on the court with some
extensive rallying. However, once the 3rd game was underway, the
duration of the rallies slowly began to take its toll on the Irish
player as Wee Wern would begin to increase her lead. After winning
the 3rd game 11/5, the 4th followed in similar fashion and the #3
seed from Malaysia would advance to the quarterfinals
#5 Madeline Perry (Irl) bt Maria Elena Ubina (USA)
Perry had no intention of underestimating her opponent despite
facing off against a wild card local. Ubina who is one of the top
ranked U.S. Juniors and a member of the host club (Field Club of
Greenwich) put up a strong fight against the vastly more experienced
Perry. She would eventually lose in 3 straight games but showed some
spurts of high level squash to rally with a former top 3 player.
#7 Kasey Brown (Aus) bt Rachel Grinham (Aus)
In the Aussie-Aussie showdown of the night, these two ladies have
obviously played each other a few times before. Grinham started off
strong taking the first game 11/7, but Brown quickly took control of
the match with steadier pace and keeping Rachel constantly on the
run. Despite having played at the T.O.C. final the night before,
Brown managed to keep up the right intensity to finish the match.
Nour El Tayeb (Egy) bt #4 Annie Au (Hkg)
In the upset match of the night, the young Egyptian was just too
strong for the #4 seed tonight. After taking the first two games, El
Tayeb found herself in a tighter 3rd game and began to lose control
of her game a bit. Au pulled back the 3rd game 11/9, and both
players were gutting it out in the 4th. After regrouping from the
3rd game, El Tayeb, found her patience again and just tried to pick
her spots before attacking the ball and closed out the match 11/9 in
the 4th
#6 Dipika Pallikal (Ind) bt Donna Urquhart (Aus)
In what was probably the longest match of the night, Urquhart was
inches away from upsetting the ranks. She took the first two games
by matching everything Pallikal sent her way and was able to force
some errors out of her opponent to take a 2-0 lead. The following
two games were just as close, needing tie-breaks to decide each one.
Pallikal saved a couple match balls along the way with Urquhart just
not being able to convert on the key points. Pallikal hung in there
and used her holds in the front court almost flawlessly.
In the deciding game, Urquhart just looked spent and lost a step or
two which only strengthened Pallikal's ability to dominate the
points as she took the match home 11/4 in the 5th.
#2 Nour El Sherbini (Egy) bt Joey Chan (Hkg)
The second-seeded Sherbini was in strong form tonight and followed
the lead of her top-seeded compatriot who played earlier. Coming up
against a determined Chan who played well through the qualifiers,
the 1st game seemed to allude to potentially tough match. But the
young Egyptian changed gears in the second game and never looked
back as she took the next two games 11/5, 11/5 to make her first
quarterfinal berth at this tournament.
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SDA Chilton North
American Open Doubles
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24-Jan:
Qualifying finals in Greenwich
 With
only 4 qualifying matches to be played, players were ready to push
the limits to make the main draw. While 2 matches were completed in
clinical fashion, the other 2 were full of grit. The match of the
day was hands-down the Blake / Chinappa match-up
Blake Denies Chinappa Comeback:
Despite taking a 2-0 lead with some close points throughout, Blake
would not be let off that easily. Chinappa was intent on making a
tough contest out of this match and began to capitalise on some
crucial points.
As the points got closer, naturally so did the contact and the
referee was forced to make some tough calls. With the score even at
2-2, Blake refused to let this match run away from her and she
gradually began to regain control.
At 10-7 match ball she hit a hard cross court which then caught a
fortuitous bounce in the nick and there was nothing Chinappa could
do.
Blake earns her main draw spot and will face #3 seed Low Wee Wern in
the first round
El Tayeb Topples Teran:
Although Teran may have been seeded higher, most were expecting a
tough match against the aggressive El Tayeb. From start to finish,
although the rallies may have been long, El Tayeb never seemed to
lose control of the match. In the 3rd, she began making a few errors
and Teran stepped up her game near the end, but it was too little
too late as El Tayeb would close it out 12-10 to win 3-0.
The Egyptian next faces #4 seed Annie Au in the main draw
Chan Outlasts Briggs:
Briggs started the first game quite strong, matching everything that
Chan sent her way and took the first game 11/9 in a tough battle.
However, everything changed after that, as Chan seemed to be one
step ahead and one step faster to every ball. She began to grind
down her opponent and the intensity slowly took its toll on Briggs.
Despite a hard push in the 3rd game to take an 8-5 lead, Chan still
had lots left in the tank and just wore Briggs down bit by bit until
she won 6 straight points to win the 3rd.
The 4th game was pretty standard and with that win, Chan moves on to
play #2 Nour El Sherbini in the main draw
Sobhy Too Strong For El Torky:
El Torky had a strong showing in her first qualifier match, but this
one was a lot different. Sobhy eased into the match with a first
game that was closer than desired, but then took her game up a notch
with her regular attacking and volleying style which became too much
for the young Egyptian to withstand. The next two games were
relatively one-sided as Sobhy won the next 2 games clinically.
She got the "lucky" pick of the draw and faces #1 seed Raneem El
Weleily in the first round
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SDA Chilton North
American Open Doubles |
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