• PeterNicolSquash.com UK Grand Prix  •  In association with Prince • 

London U23 Open 2011
11-13 Feb, Roehampton Club
Finals, Sun 13th:

Charles Sharpes beat top seed James Snell in a high energy five set encounter. Snell showed few ill effects from his 5-set win over Kuwaiti Ammar Al-Tamimi the previous evening and took the first game stepping positively onto the ball and searching out opportunities to volley. However, Sharpes gradually started to control the T and took the second.

Snell wasn’t done and got a good start in third to once again edge ahead. Some high octane rallies at the start of the fourth saw it evenly balanced at 4-3 but Sharpes seemed less affected by the corner to corner coverage and Snell started to tire falling behind his younger opponent despite his best efforts to push up the court. The decider was a one way affair with Sharpes racing to 6-0 and never looking back in closing it out 11/3.

Earlier Nada Elkalawaay had demonstrated why she is already a force to be reckoned with on the women’s tour even at the tender age of just 15 by defeating top seed Rachel Wilmot to in straight games. Both players had progressed to the final without dropping a game so a close encounter was anticipated and the first game didn’t disappoint.

After 20 minutes of clean striking from both players, working each other hard particularly across the back of the court it was the young Egyptian who sneaked it 12/10 at the second attempt. This seemed to boost her confidence, and at the same time deflate Wilmott’s and Elkalawaay took the second 11/5 before easing to 10/1 in the third, winning the title on the third match point.

 

 

drupal
statistics

www.bspasquash.co.uk