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Winnipeg Winter Club Open
2018
01-04 Feb, Winnipeg, Canada, $10k |
Down to the final
in Winnipeg
Trevor Borland reports
Top seeded Egyptian Nadine Shahin claimed her second $10k
title in two weekends as she beat Misaki Kobayashi in the final
in Winnipeg ...
The 2018 Winnipeg Winter Club Women’s Professional Squash
Championships wrapped up today with a contest between the 1st
and 3rd seeds in the event.
 The
top seed, Shahin, came out strong early setting the tone for the
match with some hard hitting length and full stretch gets. It
looked early like Shahin strategy would be to push the pace and
test the stamina of Kobayshi.
The first two games ended up both needing extra and were split
by the two players, Shahin winning the first and Kobayashi
taking the second. By winning the second game however, Kobayashi
had to expend a lot of energy. The Egyptian player seemed to
sense a little fatigue from Kobayashi and she began to push the
pace more with hard hitting length and attacking with volleys at
every opportunity.
She comfortably took the third and was well placed to take the
title. The crowd was of course hoping for a fifth and deciding
game by Shahin had other plans as she was relentless with her
pressure. This began to affect Kobayashi as we saw more and more
errors creep in to her game.
Shahin was able to safely carry the momentum to the finish line
and win her first Winnipeg Winter Club Women’s Professional
Squash Championship.
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Winnipeg Winter Club Open
2018
01-04 Feb, Winnipeg, Canada, $10k |
Round One
01 Feb |
Quarters
02 Feb |
Semis
03 Feb |
Final
04 Feb |
[1] Nadine Shahin (Egy)
11-1, 11-1, 11-2 (19m)
Anam Mustafa Aziz (Pak) |
[1] Nadine Shahin
11-8, 13-15, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7 (62m)
[5] Ho Tze-Lok |
[1] Nadine Shahin 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 (33m)
[4] Zeina Mickawy |
[1] Nadine Shahin
12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-4 (43m)
[3] Misaki Kobayashi
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[5] Ho Tze-Lok (Hkg)
11-3, 11-3, 11-2 (20m)
Melina Turk (Can) |
[6] Nikki Todd (Can)
11-3, 11-5, 11-4 (20m)
Nicole Mailey (Can) |
[6] Nikki Todd
11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)
[4] Zeina Mickawy |
[4] Zeina Mickawy (Egy)
11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (21m)
Nour Elhendawi (Egy) |
Devika Deraj (Can)
11-2, 11-0, 11-4 (18m)
[3] Misaki Kobayashi (Jpn) |
[3] Misaki Kobayashi
11-7, 11-3, 11-8 (26m)
[8] Diana Garcia |
[3] Misaki Kobayashi
4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5 (65m)
[7] Menna Hamed |
Alix Younger (Can)
11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (25m)
[8] Diana Garcia (Mex) |
Anika Alexander (Can)
11-0, 1105, 1105 (18m)
[7] Menna Hamed (Egy) |
[7] Menna Hamed
12-10, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8 (40m)
[2] Danielle Letourneau |
Jordyn Lambert (Can)
11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (23m)
[2] Danielle Letourneau (Can) |
Down to the final
in Winnipeg
Trevor Borland reports
 The
first of our two semi finals featured an all Egyptian match up
with #1 Nadine Shahin taking on last years’ finalist and #4 seed
Zeina Mickawy. The first game started out as expected with some
hard hitting, hard retrieving rallies. Both players were pushing
each other early, testing out each other’s legs with numerous
punishing rallies.
Shahin managed to pull out the first game with a tight 11-9
score. The hard hitting pace continued in the second game.
However Mickawy started to show her variety with a number a
great touch drop shots taking an early lead 6-2. However,
Mickawy then went on an error streak combined with some great
tight length from Shahin and we were all tied up at 7. Shahin
again managed to cut off a few more shots and apply the pressure
taking the second by the same 11-9 score.
In the third Shahin raced out to an early lead and never looked
back as she applied relentless pressure with great attacking
volleys. Shahin moved on to the final by taking the third
comfortably 11-3.
 The
second match of the day featured a third Egyptian, Menna Hamed
taking on Misaki Kobayashi of Japan. In the first game Kobayashi
was rattled early with what she felt were some calls against her
and wasn’t able to shake off the frustration as Hamed dominated
with an 11-4 opening game. Kobayashi regained her focus during
the break and came out ready to go in the second.
She started getting in front of her opponent with some good
length allowing her to show off her fine touch. With a number of
precise drops she was back in it at 1-1. Both players were
looking to gain the advantage to move the other short first in
the rally throughout the third game.
Both players displayed their ability to consistently put in the
volley drop, however it was kobayashi taking the game with an
emphatic roll out nick off the serve on game ball in the third.
Hamed would not be deterred as she continued to work her length
to set up her volley drops, which she caught fire on in the
fourth.
The crowd was in awe of the accuracy and consistency of the
Egyptian. It was anyone’s match heading in to the fifth. With
both players perhaps feeling a little fatigued a few more
incidents of interference occurred. With Kobayashi having
established a comfortable lead, there was then a stoppage in
play to fix up a cut knee the Eyptian suffered while attempting
a tough get.
After a ten minute break, Kobayashi was then able to win two
straight points and secure her place in the final.
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Egyptian trio reach
semis in Winnipeg
Trevor Borland reports
Quarter Final Night in Winnipeg lived up to the
expectations the crowd had for it. The first match of the night
ended up being the tightest. It was the first seed Nadine Shahin
taking on Ho Tse-Lok (Tomato) of Hong Kong.
 The
match featured a total contrast in styles. Shahin, a strong
aggressive player in both movement and hitting tried to set the
tone with some hard hitting. Tomato’s game plan of slowing the
game down and keeping the ball straight seemed like the right
one as the two players were tied at one game all after the first
two. Shahin taking the first 11-8 and Tomato taking the second
in extra points 15-13.
The third game went quickly in the way of the Egyptian with
Tomato appearing to tire. However, the Hong Kong player dug deep
to pull out a tight 11-9 fourth with some fantastic volley
drops. The fifth game was back and forth with the top seed
holding a slight lead throughout. In the end it was the pace of
the Egyptian proving just a little too much for the young Tomato
Ho of Hong Kong.
The second match featured the hard hitting Zeina Mickawy taking
on crowd favorite Nikki Todd. Mickawy who was last years
finalist came out strong looking to improve on her placing this
year.
Mickawy’s pace made Todd have to stretch out frequently and
sometimes she just didn’t have the reach to track down all
Mickawy’s shots. While Todd mounted a strong come back in the
second game with some fantastic displays of delicate touch.
However she came up a point short losing it 11-9. Giving all
that she could in the third just wasn’t quite enough to overcome
the talented young Egyptian who is looking like a strong
possibility to make the final in Winnipeg once again.
The third match of the night saw the only upset according to the
seeding. Canadian interests were dashed when the #2 seed
Danielle Letourneau of Calgary fell to the third Egyptian player
to make it in to the semi finals here in Winnipeg.
The first game was a tight in extra points after the Canadian
let an early 6-2 lead slip away. Near the end of the game she
made some uncharacteristic errors, particularly on the backhand
side.
The frustrating play kept up for Letourneau in the second as
Hamed took it in efficient fashion 11-3. The feisty Canadian was
not ready to go down without a fight as she battled hard in the
third. Letourneau’s brave play paid off with a tight 11-9 win in
the third.
Hamed was able to race out to a two point lead in the 4 th which
she was able to maintain throughout. Both players showed a great
array of accurate low kill shots, but in the end it was the
Egyptian pulling off the upset by an 11-8 score.
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