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TODAY in Cayman: Tue 9th, Day
TWO
Steve Cubbins in Cayman |
Down to business ...
After a hectic day one the individual event got down to
business today with the quarters and semis. The seeding panel
can feel pleased with their work so far, with only two
interlopers in the quarters, and the top two seeds now through
to both finals ...
Women's Semi-Finals
[2] Karen Meakins (Bar) bt [3] Cheri-Ann Paris (Bar)
11/5, 12/10,
11/4
[1] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) bt [4] Marlene West (Cay) b
11/9, 11/8,
11/4
Men's
Semi-Finals
[2] Chris Binnie (Jam) bt [6] Dean Watson (Cay)
12/10, 11/8,
11/6
[1] Richard Chin (Guy) bt [4] Bryant Cumberbatch (Bar)
11/3, 11/3, 11/0
Women's Quarters
[1] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) bt [9] Samantha Hennings (Cay)
11/1, 11/2, 11/1
[4] Marlene West (Cay) bt [5] Rhea Khan (T&T)
11/2, 11/4, 11/3
[3] Cheri-Ann Paris (Bar) bt [11] Lauren Mahfood (Jam)
11/7, 11/7, 11/9 (
[2] Karen Meakins (Bar) bt [8] Alison Strobridge (Cay)
6/11, 11/8, 11/1, 11/2 (18m)
Men's Quarters
[1] Richard Chin (Guy) bt [8] Gavin Cumberbatch (Bar)
9/11, 11/7, 11/3, 11/6
[4] Bryant Cumberbatch (Bar) bt [5] Bruce Burrowes (Jam)
7/11,
12/10, 11/2, 11/1 (31m)
[6] Dean Watson (Cay) bt [3] Cameron Stafford (Cay)
11/9,
7/11, 11/6, 11/7 (35m)
[2] Chris Binnie (Jam) bt [7] Joe Chapman (OECS)
11/6, 11/7, 12/10
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Five finals each for Fernandes and Meakins
 All
four semi-finals at South Sound Squash Club finished in straight
games, but there was no shortage of drama, even if the Cayman
crowd saw both their hopes go out.
The first women's match was an all-Barbados affair as defending
champion Karen Meakins took on Cheri-Ann Paris,
currently studying in the US so this was their first match in a
year.
The youngster started full of intent, three winners powered her
into a 3/0 lead, but Meakins managed to slow the pace down,
levelled and eased ahead to take the first with something to
spare, 11/5. The second was tighter for longer, but after saving
one game ball at 9/10 Paris couldn't do it again as Meakins
doubled her advantage, 12/10.
 The
39-year-old didn't let up in the third, moving 7/1 and 9/2 ahead
before closing it out 11/4 to reach a fifth consecutive final.
"I knew I had to keep it tight," said the winner, "she
loves playing at pace and I can't compete with her at that game,
and I was pleased with how I managed to control the game once I
settled into it.
"Not bad, five finals in a row for a 39-year-old, but there's
one more match to go ..."
That final will be a repeat of her 2009m encounter here against
Nicolette Fernandes, who also made her fifth final - not in
a row though as she didn't compete last year - as she defeated
three-time champion and local favourite Marlene West
(although Marlene was competing for Jamaica when she dominated
the event from 1999 to 2003).
 West
started the stronger, leading 4/1 and 7/4 in the first in game
of high-quality squash. Fernandes didn't panic, refused to be
rushed, and got the better of some extended rallies as she
levelled at 7-all then took the lead, 11/9.
Although the level barely dropped, Fernandes kept marginally on
top, and kept the scoreboard ticking in her favour for the next
two games, completing the win 11/8, 11/4.
"Even though I knew I should win I was really nervous,"
admitted Nicolette. "She played really well especially in the
first, and I wasn't really patient enough I made too many
errors.
"I'm happy with how I played though, that was a proper squash
match ..." it was too. |
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Repeat final for Chin and Binnie
While Richard Chin and Chris Binnie aren't as
frequent visitors to the final as their female counterparts,
they'll get a chance to reprise their meeting in last year's
climax after both completed straight game wins, over Dean
Watson and Bryant Cumberbatch respectively.
 Binnie,
the 2009 champion here, reached his third final in a row by
dashing Cayman hopes of a second consecutive youth over
experience triumph from Watson. But the 41-year-old couldn't
exert the control he did earlier over Cameron Stafford, and when
Binnie squeezed home 12/10 on a desperately tight first game the
wroiting was on the wall.
Not that Watson was out of it in the second, far from it, but
despite his efforts, and a few catcalls from the crowd as they
thought he was denied a number of strokes, Binnie again edged
it, 11/8 this time, before taking the third with considerable
more ease.
"We were both tired from hard matches earlier," said the
winner, "so it was tough for us both but I just managed to
stay ahead and squeeze out the win.
"I got a bit of a beating from Richard in last year's final, but
I haven't played him since so hopefully it will be a better
match tomorrow."
 The
Jamaican wasn't being presumptuous about his opponent, I had to
wait until he'd finished refereeing the following match before
speaking to him!
That following match was the second semi-final, and it featured
another 41-year-old in defending champion Chin, whose subtle
shots and extraordinary precision quickly became too much for
fourth seed Cumberbatch, who, after the first half a game
offered only token resistance.
"That's two Cumberbatches in a row today, I'm glad I don't
have to play a third one tomorrow," quipped the victor.
"Chris has improved a lot, college squash has brought him on
a lot, and the way he pulled out that match to keep Trinity's
winning streak going showed great character and will have done
his confidence good too.
"It's great to see the Caribbean youngsters like Chris and
Cameron coming through and competing in college squash and on
the PSA tour.
"I'll still be trying to win tomorrow though, at 41 I don't have
too many of these left so I have to try and take advantage while
I still can!" |
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Women's Quarters: No sweat for the top four
 The
women's quarter-finals saw the top four seeds progress to their
expected semi-final dates, largely untroubled and all fairly
quickly.
In the top half of the draw
Nicolette Fernandes and Marlene West wasted no
time at all as they despatched Samantha Hennings and
Rhea Khan in double-quick time.
"She's improved loads," Nicolette told her Dad as she came off
court, but on court Samantha looked too nervous to seriously
trouble the top seed and two-time champion.
West's win was equally comfortable, against an opponent who
moved up through the junior ranks with her.
"I thought it might have been more of a fight," admitted Marlene
after the match. "We played juniors together but she took some
time off. She's always been a really nice player but didn't play
her best today."
 Marlene
expects the semi-final to be much tougher: "I haven't played
Nicolette for quite a while, but it always used to be a battle
between us and I don't expect tonight to be any different.
"She's been playing on the circuit and is a lot more squash
minded than me at the moment, but I'll be going for it and I'll
leave everything out there on the court, as always ..."
The other semi-final will be an all-Barbados affair, and
although Karen Meakins and Cheri-Ann Paris didn't
spend too long on court, both were tested more than their
prospective final opponents.
 Cayman's
Alison Strobridge took the game to defending champion
Meakins in the early stages, taking the first and maintaining
parity to 6-all in the second.
Meakins, with typical determination, turned it around though,
conceding just four more points as she went through in four
games.
"I'd never even seen her play until yesterday," admitted Meakins,
"but she's very good at cutting the ball off, and she controlled
the first game and a half when I was giving her too many
opportunities to attack the ball.
"After that I slowed it down and took the ball away from her and
the last two games were pretty quick."
Paris won in three, but Jamaica's Lauren Mahfood was
never out of contention in any of the games (not that I
know from watching it, I missed this match completely!)
 "She's
very light on her feet and caught me off-guard a few times with
some trick shots at the front," admitted Paris. "She's two or
three years younger than me and is coming on well, which is good
to see."
"I felt pretty good on there, and I managed to get a feel for
the courts, and getting my length sorted out for tonight's match
with Karen."
Both from Barbados they may be, but they haven't played for over
a year, as Paris is currently studying at Bates College in the
US.
"She's young, strong, and no doubt she's improved a lot in a
year," said Meakins, "so I'm sure it will be a tough match ..." |
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Men's Quarters: Teacher removes Student,
Chin on Cumberbatch mission ...
A quartet of men's matches of very
different character as three of the top seeds go through, and
one Caymanian but not the one everyone expected.
 First through was Bryant Cumberbatch who came up against
the whirlwind that is Bruce Burrowes, who had beaten his
elder brother in a five game thriller last night.
Again,
it was the Jamaican's determination that held sway, aided and
abetted by far too many errors from Cumberbatches racket, as he
built a lead of a game and 10-6. A steadier approach and six
points in a row averted the danger of going two down, and after
that Bruce was a spent force, yesterday's exertions finally
catching up with him.
"At 10-6 down in the second I decided I had to change my game,"
Brant revealed. "I was playing his game and I had to slow it
down, to play my own game.
"After I took the second I was lot more confident and he got
tired, but it was a really enjoyable game, I'm looking forward
to the semi-final now."
On the adjacent court Dean Watson took the first against
his pupil Cameron Stafford, utilising his tricky shots to
the full, but when the youngster took the second with some ease
it looked as though this match had turned in a similar fashion.
 Not to be though as Cameron failed to push on, Dean found the
pace to his liking and he continued to control the play, taking
the next two games with his opponent looking out of sorts and
eventually dispirited.
"It wasn't the result I expected," admitted Dean, "but he seemed
to be lacking confidence and wasn't playing his usual attacking
game today, he was playing at my pace and I was able to dominate
for pretty much the whole match except for the second.
"I tried to use my experience and not play a 20-year-old game!
There's not much of a rest now, but still I thoroughly enjoyed
that, because I won!"
 Watson
watched with interest as second seed Chris Binnie was
made to work hard to put away Joe Chapman in three,
they'll meet tonight.
"Thank god I finished it in three," said a relieved Binnie, who
was behind all the way in the third after taking two tough
opening games. "He just wouldn't give anything up, he was tight
and consistent, there wasn't much I could do except stick in
there."
Meanwhile top seed and defending champion Richard Chin
found himself involved in a game of cat and mouse with Gavin
Cumberbatch. It was the eldest of the brothers who played
the feline part to perfection in the first game, but Chin's
flicks, drops, stealthy movement and sheer precision began to
make him work harder and harder.
Chin took the next two games, and despite some deft shotmaking
and determined running from Gavin that twice left the backwall
shaking violently, he took the third too to set up a meeting
with another Cumberbatch tonight.
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