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TODAY in Cayman: Mon 8th, Day
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Individuals under way
It was an early start (9am) to a busy day at a wet and windy (but
still hot and humid) South Sound Squash Club, with two -
possibly three - rounds for the men and two rounds for the women
as the individual events got under way.
After 50+ main draw matches, and a good few plate games too,
we're down to the quarter-finalists - read on, or scroll down to
the bottom to see who made it through ...
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Session One:
Chan-a-Sue's
Challenge
The first session of play didn't see any of the men's top seeds
in action, they come later, but the first player through was
Ramon Chan-a-Sue, who won 3/0 to set up a meeting with top
seed and defending champion Richard Chin, who just
happens to be his childhood friend and room-mate!
Ramon, now 38, who over the years has been a prolific SquashSite
contributor, explains ...
 "It's
six years since I last played CASA, having played in them from
1990-2004, made the last sixteen a few times, but I really
thought I'd played my last tournament in 2006 in Barbados.
"I really wanted to come and see my friend, countryman and
room-mate Richard Chin defend the title so I though I might as
well play in it too. To be playing Richard next is a bonus, I'm
really looking forward to it.
"We grew up together, and as a ten-year-old Richard used to play
my dad!
"It will be a test of my fitness, but we've been doing some
training together in Princeton and last week in Boston, so we'll
see how that worked.
"It was a bit nerve-wracking to go on court in this event again,
but it's great to get back in the loop and see so many old
faces.
Brennan beats the
youngster, Kelly concedes
 Match
of the session had to be Frank Brennan's 18-16 in the
fifth win over CASA U15 champion Nku Patrick (typically I
missed virtually all of it).
"They're starting them young," declared a confident Brennan
before the match as he surveyed his much smaller opponent, but
he wasn't smiling for long as the 14-year-old Trinidadian pushed
him all the way.
Having finally set up a next round meeting with a rather more
developed junior, third seed Cameron Stafford, Brennan declared
"I had to do that for the old guys!".
Unluckiest loss was for Cayman's Jake Kelly who, at 2-1
ahead and 9-all, was (slightly) ill on court and had to concede
the match.
Hennings'
home advantage
The first upset of the event came when Cayman's Samantha
Hennings met Barbados's Lilliana White in an early meeting of
the 9th and 7th seeds.
After dropping the first Hennings saved four game balls in the
second, taking it 15/13 then going on to secure the win in four
games.
 "I've
never played her before, she's always seeded higher than me,
but I know she's a really good player so I just went out to do
my best.
"I don't usually play the individuals, just the teams, but with
it being at home I thought I would have a go this time.
"I've got Nicolette [Fernandes] next, I've never played
her before either, but that should be awesome!"
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 Session Two:
All
the top seeds took to the court in the afternoon session, and so
far all are through without any drama.
Richard Chin dealt his old friend Ramon a 3/0 hand
although it needed extra points in the third, Cameron
Stafford gave Frank a good runaround and enough points to
keep his sponsorship deal intact, Bryant Cumberbatch
despatched Mark Gilkes in three but also needed extra points in
one of them, and Chris Binnie shrugged off a
self-inflicted hand injury to beat Chris Stout, also in straight
games.
 Things
were equally clear cut in the women's with the top four of
Nicolette Fernandes, Karen Meakins, Cheri-Ann
Paris and Marlene West all cruising through tom the
quarter-finals.
Now we're looking forward to the
men's last sixteen and the start of the plate events this
evening ...
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Session Three:
While some hardy souls (yes, that's you Frank) play their third
match of the day as the plate events get under way, tonight's
main business is the men's last sixteen as tomorrow's
quarter-finalists are decided.
Burrowes in a hurry
 Well,
not on court as it took Jamaica's Bruce Burrowes, the
fifth seed, the full five games to beat Rhett, the middle
of the Cumberbatch brothers, in a tough, tough encounter.
Bruce doesn't have the most elegant of styles, but my oh my is
he determined, and is he effective, his never say die attitude
paying dividends as he hustled and harried Cumberbatch into
errors.
After a couple of do-or-die rallies in the decider Bruce pulled
clear to lead 10-8, and took it on the first attempt. He leant
against the wall then, rushed straight past his opponent,
straight past his supporters and found relief in a large dustbin
outside the court (Jake Kelly take note). That's what you call
giving it all you've got ... (video in
the gallery)
 "I'd
never played him before but I can see he's improved so much. He
has such touch at the front, give him anything loose and he'll
just push it away.
"I really had to dig in and work hard, it wasn't pretty at times
but a win's a win.
"That was tough, and I may get to play his brother next !"
 To
be honest, that was the most dramatic match of the session -
Gavin Cumberbatch's 3/0 win over Alex Arjoon was just as
noisy for sure, while the youngest Cumberbatch Bryant
was just as efficient in his 3./0 win over Dane Schwier, and
seventh seed Joe Chapman, confusingly wearing an England
shirt, beat Micah Franklin in a tough four games.
Cayman got its first quarter-finalists as Cameron Stafford
and Dean Watson both won all-Cayman affairs against Noah
Browne and Gaby Rabess respectively. They will meet in a pupil v
student clash tomorrow, guaranteeing the hosts a semi-final
showing.
Last on were the top two seeds. Chris Binnie was
super-efficient in despatching Kevin Hannaway 11/2, 11/0, 11/5
(so quick I missed it entirely!), while Richard Chin,
after a well-contested opening game, put away recently-crowned
CASA Junior Champion Kale Wilson 11/8, 11/5, 11/4.
So, after all that, the
quarter-finals are:
Men:
[1] Richard Chin (Guy) v [8] Gavin Cumberbatch (Bar)
[4] Bryant Cumberbatch (Bar) v [5] Bruce Burrowes (Jam)
[3] Cameron Stafford (Cay) v [6] Dean Watson (Cay)
[2] Chris Binnie (Jam) v [7] Joe Chapman (OECS)
Women:
[1] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) v [9] Samantha Hennings (Cay)
[4] Marlene West (Cay) v [5] Rhea Khan (T&T)
[3] Cheri-Ann Paris (Bar) v [11] Lauren Mahfood (Jam)
[2] Karen Meakins (Bar) v [8] Alison Strobridge (Cay)
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