Semi-Finals

 
[3/4] Madeline Perry 3-1 [1] Laura Massaro  6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (55m)
[2] Alison Waters 3-1 [3/4] Jenny Duncalf     5-11, 11-6, 11-2, 12-10 (58m)

[1] Nick Matthew 3-1 [3/4] Daryl Selby           8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (84m)
[2] James Willstrop 3-0 [3/4] Adrian Grant              11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (62m)

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Defending champions through to finals
as Madeline makes it at last

While the men’s final will be a repeat of the last two years between the top two seeds Nick Matthew and James Willstrop, defending women’s champion Alison Waters will face a first-time finalist after Ireland’s Madeline Perry broke a spell of six losing semi-finals by beating top seed Laura Massaro.

 [2] Alison Waters 3-1 [3/4] Jenny Duncalf   5-11, 11-6, 11-2, 12-10 (58m)

Waters through to 8th final

“And I’m only 29,” said a delighted Alison Waters after reaching her 8th Nationals final with a 3-1 win over Jenny Duncalf.

Considering the pair had already contested three Nationals finals - Duncalf winning two of them - a close match was to be expected, and that’s what we got.

Duncalf was on top in the early stages, capitalising on a 3-0 lead and playing confidently as she took the game 11-5. Waters fought back though, and moved ahead from 3-all in the second to level the match 11-6 before dominating the third 11-2 to take the lead.

Duncalf looked to be taking it to a decider, moving ahead from 3-all to lead 6-3, but Waters fought back to level at 6-all. Duncalf moved ahead again, getting two game balls at 10-8 as Waters tinned two attempted dropshots.

Those were the last errors the defending champion made though, as she took the next four points to close out the match and move into yet another final.

“Jenny played really well,” said Waters, “she came out firing and really put me on the back foot at the start.

“In the second and third I knew I had to try to step up, volley more and put her under pressure, but then in the fourth she came back again.

“At 10-8 down I told myself I really didn’t want a fifth, so really pushed to finish it off there and then.

“I’ve got three titles to my name and I want more – so can’t wait for tomorrow!” she added.

Video of the first game

 [1] Nick Matthew 3-1 [3/4] Daryl Selby   8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (84m)

and a seventh for Matthew

Nick Matthew made it through to a seventh National final in a row (he was out injured for 07 and 08) with an especially hard-fought four-game win over Daryl Selby, who was the last player to beat Matthew in this event in the 2011 final.

The defending champion had the slight edge in the first, but from 7-8 down Selby put in some exceptional rallies to take the lead 11-8.

The second was equally tight, but from 8-all it was Matthew who pulled clear this time to level 11-8, and he then went on to control the third, taking it 11-6.

Selby was back in business in the fourth, leading 7-3, but as Matthew started to peg that lead back the play became rather scrappy with the referees involved more than anyone would like. Matthew edged ahead 9-7 with Selby unhappy at a couple of no lets, but that seemed to fire him up as he levelled at 9-all.

A stroke as Selby failed to clear from the side wall brought up match ball, and a fluffed dropshot off Selby’s toes ended the match after 84 minutes.

Matthew’s post-match interview to the crowd was slightly marred as one spectator decided to boo the world no.1. In response Matthew told the crowd: “To the person that booed, I’d like to see how they would react under so much pressure on there.

“It was getting a bit physical out there,” admitted Matthew, “and the referees were involved more than we’d like.

“I still have fresh memories of him beating me in the final a couple of years ago, I really didn’t want it to go to a fifth as that would have tipped the scales in his favour again, so I was pleased to be able to finish it off in four. Hopefully tomorrow’s final will be a cleaner match."

“It’s the semi-finals and emotions and passion obviously run high," said Selby. "I felt like I got some poor decisions in the fourth and it turned the tables. It’s hard to take when you’re on there slogging your guts out, training hard throughout the year.”

Video of the first game

[3/4] Madeline Perry 3-1 [1] Laura Massaro  6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (55m)

Madeline makes it at last

They’ve contested the semi-finals in each of the last three years, and last year it was 12-10 in the fifth, so a close match between Laura Massaro and Madeline Perry was to be expected.

The first game went point for point un to 6-all, then Massaro, two-time champion and top seed, pulled clear to take the lead 11-6.

Perry, playing in her seventh sem-final in eight years and yet to win one, did much the same from the middle of the second, couldn’t capitalise on two game balls at 10-8 but after Massaro had levelled it was the 14-time Irish champion who found two crisp winners to level 12-10.

Both players looked a little edgy, with the odd error mixed in with patient rallying, but again in the third it was Perry who finished better, taking three points in a row from 7-all. Massaro pulled two back but then hit the tin as Perry took a 2-1 advantage.

The upset - the first one of the tournament - was on the cards, even more so when Perry took a 7-0 lead in the fourth. Massaro managed to lengthen the rallies, and got back to 5-8, but a return of serve kill by Perry, a lob that drifted out from Massaro brough up five match balls.

Perry needed only two, and as she played a final dropshot she raised her arm in triumph - Madeline had finally made the final.

“I wasn’t very comfortable in the first round on the other courts,” said Perry, “but I felt good on here in yesterday’s match and I think I played well today. I came close to Laura a couple of weeks ago in Cleveland, so I knew I could win, but even at 7-0, 8-1 in the fourth I knew that she’s quite capable of coming back.

“I’m trying to stay calm, as I’ve got a final to play tomorrow,” added the delighted winner. “I’m 37, so it’s about time!

Video of the first game

[2] James Willstrop 3-0 [3/4] Adrian Grant  11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (62m)

Willstrop sets up repeat final

The men’s final will be a repeat of the last two editions after James Willstrop came through a tough three-game encounter with Adrian Grant.

Two-time champion Willstrop was quicker out of the blocks, taking an early lead and consolidating to take the first 11-5 after 15 minutes. Grant was still struggling to get on terms as Willstrop forged ahead to 6-2, but Grant’s annoyed reaction to his own unforced errors told us he wasn’t finished yet.

Working hard, Grant pulled back to 7-8 , Willstrop got three game balls but Grant saved two of them only to volley into the tin on the third, 11-9 in 21 minutes.

Grant made a better start to the third, but Willstrop always manged to stay a point or two ahead, and from 7-6 he again had three match balls at 10-7 as Grant missed a volley.

On the next rally Grant powered the ball deep then collapsed in a heap as Willstrop caught him in the ribs on the way past. That was a no let, but Willstrop finished it off on the next rally to move into a seventh final, and a third in a row against Matthew.

“I had to plot my way through that one,” said Willstrop, “it was a good quality match, a bit of a chess game really trying to find the right areas to put the ball into.

“Adrian’s a great athlete and he plays well here, I knew all of that so that’s a very good win for me.

“You can’t fail to get yourself up for a match like tomorrow’s final against Nick. There’s no pressure on me, I’m about 800 to one down, but I may not have too many of these occasions left so I’ll try to enjoy it and make the most of it.”

Video of the first game