01-Feb-15, FINAL:

Dipika Pallikal (Ind) 3-0 Heba El Torky (Egy) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8

Pallikal takes Winnipeg title

Right from the start of the match the top seed Dipika Pallikal looked in full control of her game and the match.

Dipika was striking the ball crisp and clean as she always does, mixing in an array of wicked offensive boasts, mostly from the forehand side as well as timely flicks and lots of dying length.

Perhaps Heba El Torky's hour and forty-five minute match from the day before had something to do with it, but Dipika looked in as good of form as we had seen this week.

After getting down 10-6 in the second, Heba climbed back to 9-10 on a few of Dipika's errors, but at 9-10 Dipika decided to do nothing but wait for an error from El Torky which she was rewarded with after an a very long backhand rally and took the second.

A little tighter third, but the outcome looked inevitable, as Dipika rolled on to win her second Winnipeg Winter Club Women's Open title.

Unfortunately I couldn't recover well from the semis match against Samantha Teran that lasted an hour and 45 mins.

I was playing well but I did hit so many tins from winner positions and wasn't patient enough at times during my finals.

Thanks to Trevor, the sponsors and everyone who helped out during the tournament. Thanks to all the amazing hosts here in Winnipeg specially mine who I came again here to see!

Special thanks to my parents, sisters and my coaches Karim Shohayeb, Tameem El Welily and physical coach Said Abdel Kadr. Huge thank you to my sponsor Harrow sports #teamharrow is the best!

 

Watch the replays

11-5, 11-5, 11-8

[4] Donna Urquhart

11-4, 11-9, 11-8

[2] Heba El Torky

10-12, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10

[2] Heba El Torky

Qualyfying finals

Thaisa Serafini (Bra) 3-0 Melina Turk(Wpg)                               11-2, 11-7, 11-6
Millie Tomlinsson (Eng) 3-0 Nayelly Hernandez                          11-1, 11-9, 11-4
Maria Toorpakai (Pak) 3-0 Hana Essam Khedr (Egy)                  11-8, 11-8, 11-5
Cyrielle Peltier (Fra) 3-0 Alix Younger (Wpg)                             11-8, 11-6, 11-4

Qualifying first round:

Alix Younger (Can) 3-0 Hannah Blett (Can)                                   11-4, 11-3, 11-5
Melina Turk (Can) 3-1 Ashley Maienchak (Can)                            12-10, 11-5, 11-7
Hana Essam Khedr (Egy) 3-0 Alexia Clonda (Est)                          11-3, 11-2, 11-2
Maria Toor Pakay (Pak) 3-0 Mia Kirbyson (Can)                            11-3, 11-4, 11-4
Nayelly Hernandez (Mex) 3-0 Anika Alexander (Can)                    11-9, 11-6, 11-3

31-Jan, Semis

Heba El Torky 3-2 Samantha Teran

The two semi finals were of completely contrasting styles today.

Semi final one between Heba and Samantha was fiesty, fierce and physical. In the earlier part of the match Samantha played like to the experience pro she is, with great grit in her retrieving, using the lob wise and cutting off cross courts whenever possible. Her consistency managed to win her the first two games in extra points both.

As the match wore on it became more physical with lots of stops and starts for lets. Teran's frustration with the physicality grew as did El Torky's confidence as she took the third. It was near the end of the third that referee warned the players for being overly physical. For the next game and a half or so the play was cleaner and El Torky's squash improved taking the fourth.

The fifth was deservedly so a see-saw affair that came right down to the wire. Teran fought of two match balls before El Torky Took it in extra points in the fifth.

Dipika Pallikal 3-0 Donna Urquhart

Donna playing in one of her first tournaments back after a foot injury had been having a good tournament, before running in to the top seed and 2013 Champion, Dipika Pallika.

Dipika took control early in the match going up 8-2 in the first. She stayed in control making Donna look uncomfortable with her movement at times.

Donna however picked up her level in the third game, using as we have seen all week, good variety in her game. Using the lob and some xcourt angle volley drops she gained an 8-6 league in the third game before the world #14 dug in and ran a string of points to take the match in three straight games.

30-Jan:
Quarters

Heba vs Oliva (11-6, 11-8, 11-3)

The first quarterfinal of the evening has number two seed Heba El Torky taking on American Olivia Blatchford. Olivia displayed excellent racquet skills in this match.

Heba was very consistent and was moving really well tonight and ultimately produced too much quality squash for Olivia tonight. Heba won the match three games to love and continues her quest to avenge her loss in the finals of the WWC Women's Open last year.

Sam vs Aisling (11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5)

The fourth seed Samantha Teran of Mexico and Aisling Blake of Ireland was a battle of two tour vets who play extremely solid and disciplined squash. Very little separated these as they got virtually every ball and played a very strategic and tactical game.

Samantha was slightly stronger in her movement and her pace and that slight edge added up towards the end of the games and she was able to pull away at the end of the first two. The 3rd and 4th were more one sided either way, but Samantha moves on to face Heba in tomorrow's first Semi.

Donna vs Amanda (13-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8)

This was a battle of two lefties, house mates for the week, and from the countries down under. It was a very high level of play in this match. Both players were moving extremely well and hittng the ball all over the court with great accuracy and a good variety of shots. Donna managed to pull off the first two games by the smallest of margins.

The third was also extremely close with Donna going up 10-8 and having two match points. However she was unable to capitalize as she made a few unforced errors trying to finish things. Amanda came back to take a close third in extra points.

The high level of squash continued in the fourth with things going back and fourth and coming right down to the wire. The difference was Donna was the better shot maker towards the end of the game as she came out on top in the end.

Dipika vs Nadine (11-4, 11-9, 11-3)

The top seed Dipika Pallikal appeared in more control of her game and ultimately the match tonight than she did in her first round. She was playing with a lot of confidence against the young egyptian.

Nadine moved extremely well to cover the court and extend the rallies but Dipika was much too consistent and her quality of squash was too high for her younger opponent in this quarter final. Dipika mixed up her hard length with great attacking low kills to move on to tomorrow's second semi final to face Donna Urquhart.

  29-Jan:
First Round - seeds safely through

Dipika vs Cyrielle 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6

A suprising match to most of the fans at the Winnipeg Winter Club as the top seed as pushed much harder than perhaps even she thought she may be. The french player Peltier came out with a determined and non initimidated attitude which she maintained throughout.

The lounge at the club was full which made for warm courts and little more difficulty in putting the ball away for most players over the night. While Peltier put up a terrific fight, it was ultimately the talented Indian who had enough shots in her repatoir to hold off the fierce french competitor.

Amanda vs Maria 11-9, 11-3, 11-6

Amanda was very consistent, Maria was very aggressive, very high risk/high reward and she just made too many errors especially on the backhand and from the back of the court. Amanda moved well and looked strong and fast and used a working boast very effectively to bring Maria to the front off the court.

Maria had some great shots when she had time and used deception well but ultimately she didn't move fast enough and she made too many mistakes. Amanda moves on with a 3-0 victory.

Heba vs Millie 11-8, 11-9, 13-11

El Torky and Tomlinson started the match with excellent squash, great attacks, great gets, along with consistent play and very few errors from both players in the opening game. El Torky's working boast helped her get to game ball in the second before Tomlinsson climbed back to 9-10, ultimately losing 11-9.

The third game was perhaps the best game of squash of the night. Both players looked fit and fast. Lots of attacking and great gets made for exciting squash. Both players were involved in a number of lets with a fair bit of contact, but it was Tomlinsson who mangaged to win the 9-9 point and earn her first game ball of the match. But Heba was too the more experienced of the two as she pulled it off 13-11 in the third.

Donna vs Laura 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5

This was a sea saw affair throughout, with both players splitting the first four games in nearly even scores. Both players showed good all round games. Lots of good long rallies with lots of variety in shots, including nice use of the lob and volley drops, as well as pace.

In the fifth it was Urquhart who looked to have a little more spring in her step as she raced out to a 9-3 lead before ultimately taking it 11-5 in the decider, as Donna moves on to face fellow lefty Amanda Landers Murphy.

Samantha vs Nikki 14-12, 11-6, 11-7

The final match of the day was Samantha Teran of Mexico against Canadian and local favorite Nikki Todd of Canada. The veteran from Mexico was very consistent all match. Samantha won the first two games based on her effort and consistency.

Nikki put up a great fight as the fans in Winnipeg have grown used to from Nikki. In the third Nikki was up 7-4, but the veteran from Mexico dug in and climbed her way back with shear grit and determination taking the game 11-7 and moving on to face Aisling Blake.