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Rhode Island Open
2018
15-18 Nov, Providence, Usa, $5k |
Final: Fiechter
claims a first
Arthur Gaskin reports
The Rhode Island Final was a
great match, which was well attended started off
with a high tempo.
Egypt's Menna Hamed was looking to move home favourite Olivia
Fiechter around the court early to see if there were any signs
of fatigue from the previous night - no such luck for Menna and
it was all about Olivia in the first.
The second and third games were anyone’s. Menna playing some
aggressive squash but her error count was to high and Olivia was
far to solid and at 10/9 in the third earned her first match
ball.
Menna saved that and earned herself a game ball only to put an
ambitious backhand drop into the tin to hand serve back to
Olivia who tidied up nicely to close it out 13-11, and with it
claim her first PSA title.
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Rhode Island Open
2018
15-18 Nov, Providence, Usa, $5k |
Round One
14 Nov |
Quarters
15 Nov |
Semis
16 Nov |
Final
17 Nov |
[1] Nicole Bunyan (Can)
11-7, 11-9, 11-6
Marie Stephan (Fra) |
[1] Nicole Bunyan
11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[8] Nessrine Ariffin |
[1] Nicole Bunyan
11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-13, 12-10
[3] Olivia Fiechter |
First PSA title for Olivia
[3] Olivia Fiechter
11-6, 11-9, 13-11
[5] Menna Nasser
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[8] Nessrine Ariffin (Usa)
11-2, 11-0, 11-3
Zahab Kamal Khan (Pak) |
[6] Charlotte Jagger (Eng)
3-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5
Fanny Segers (Fra) |
[6] Charlotte Jagger
11-3, 11-3, 11-8
[3] Olivia Fiechter |
[3] Olivia Fiechter (Usa)
14-12, 11-5, 5-11, 11-5
Melissa Alves (Fra) |
Julia Le Coq (Fra)
3-0
[4] Lucy Beecroft (Eng) |
[4] Lucy Beecroft
11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-7
[5] Menna Nasser |
[5] Menna Nasser
11-4, 11-6, 11-9
[2] Kace Kartley |
Alexa Jacobs (Usa)
11-4, 11-2, 11-2
[5] Menna Nasser (Egy) |
Elspeth Young (Sco)
3-0
[7] Alicia Mead (Eng) |
[7] Alicia Mead
11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4
[2] Kace Kartley |
[wc] Quincy Beck (Can)
14-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9
[2] Kace Kartley (Eng) |
Semis:
Arthur Gaskin reports
First semi between Nicole Bunyan and Olivia
Fiechter was a
great showcase for squash and proved how healthy the womens game
is. This match had everything! Different styles with Nicole
relaxed/smooth and Olivia very deliberate.
Splitting the first two games, Nicole established a solid lead
in the 3rd - A mini comeback from Olivia wasn't enough and 2/1
to Nicole it was.
The 4th was a brutal game, grueling rallies, stressful movements
and savage attacking counter dropping from both players. At 10/9
Nicole had her first match ball and a second at 11/10, set it up
nicely for a backhand volley drop to just clip the tin and
Olivia took it 13-11 to set up a decider.
The American brought that momentum into the 5th and raced to a
6-2 lead and again to 10-7 only for Nicole to save 3 match balls
to take the match into a tiebreak. At this point it was a toss
of a coin. Both players had multiple match balls,dug deep,
played at an incredible tempo & bringing the best out of each
other & there wasn't a body in the crowd that didn't start to
feel for the player who would come out at the wrong end of this
tiebreaker.
A tin, a backhand hold cross later and Olivia was victorious
after 70 minutes! While both players embraced, the crowd stood
to clap in appreciation for the display of squash they showed.
Semi 2 was a bit more of a one sided affair with Menna array of
attacking very difficult for Kacey to deal with. the 3rd was a
close game with kacey racing to a 5/1 lead but Menna was in no
mood for a 4th and after a few intense exchanges it was Menna
who pulled through in 3 games.the night off with Kace pulling
through in four. |
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Quarters:
Arthur Gaskin reports
Nicole Bunyan started the night off and
continued to look strong and dominant despite flashes of
brilliance from Nessrine Arrifin, Nicole was to consistent and
strong.
Next up Olivia Fiechter raced to a 2/0 lead. A spirited thirdrd
from Charlotte Jagger which was not enough to extend the match,
sets up a cracking semi between the two former Princeton
team-mates.
Menna Nasser and Lucy Beecroft were next, both epitomizing the
two nations styles of squash and was a real crowd pleaser with
the Egyptian coming through in four.
Last up Alicia Mead and Kace Bartley provided the crowd
with a quality match to finish the night off with Kace pulling
through in four and is now set to meet Menna Nasser in the other
semi final. "
Round One:
Great night of squash at the Rhode Island Open
with crowd favorite and local legend Quincy Beck showing a
dazzling display of squash with her trademark lob drop style
taking second seed Kace Bartley by surprise to game ball in the
first to just fall short.
Q sustained her level and hung tough to sneak a tight third. The
4th was nip and tuck only for Bartley to pull away at the end
hitting an outrageous volley crosscourt nick to close the 11-9
and with it the match. The former Brown #1 can be proud of her
performance!
Olivia Fiechter and Melissa Alves was the match of the day and
didn't disappoint. A high quality match with plenty of variety.
With Olivia taking a tight first it would've taken a brave man
to bet against the tenacious American. Both of these recent
college grads will be ones to look out for in the future for
sure.
Top seed Nicole Bunyan was impressive, after a nervous start
from both she looked the cooler of the two and at the end of
each game had more variety and severity in her hitting to come
through in three.
Matches were well attended and great to see so many of the
juniors staying till the end absorbing the squash on show and
getting inspired.
It's 9.59pm, an hour since the last match concluded - squash
balls are being cracked off the front wall in the distance ...
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