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 13-Apr,
Final:
Bailey Breaks
Six-Year Drought
in
Poughkeepsie
Tony Brown reports
[2] Tania Bailey
(ENG) bt [5] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)
9-3, 9-2, 9-6 |
This final provided a
fitting end to a wonderful week of professional squash.
For the past six days the top players in the world have
been battling each other. The event has born witness to
some outstanding matches. In the semifinals Laura
Lengthorn and Shelley Kitchen thrilled the crowd with hard
fought games. Laura Briggs came through the qualifying
rounds and knocked off the top seed, and defending
champion, Natalie Grainger. Omneya Abdel Kawy delighted
spectators with her frontcourt strokes and every
competitor was a credit the WISPA Tour.
The final was fast and furious. The World number 10,
England's Tania Bailey, who chases everything down,
was up against number 15 ranked Shelley Kitchen of
New Zealand. Both are superb athletes, lean, trim, cut,
fit, and they both oozed confidence as they warmed up.
They are both hard hitters as well and the final lived up
to expectations.
 Right
from the outset Bailey indicated her intent. She kept the
ball tight to the wall and used her backhand slice to good
effect. There were long rallies with both women striking
the ball cleanly and crisply. Bailey barely put a foot
wrong in the opening two games. Her good length and
consistency was sprinkled with a few winners. Those
winners and a few unforced errors from Kitchen allowed the
British Champion to take the first game 9-3 and the second
9-2.
 In
game three, Bailey jumped ahead 3-love, and by her own
admission was perhaps guilty of thinking ahead and
assuming victory. But Kitchen is a fighter and she showed
that she too could produce some winners. She not only got
back to level terms, but then went ahead 6-3.
The crowd of around 200 sensed that she could take the
third game and generate some momentum going into the
fourth. But Bailey was on a mission and refocused her
efforts.
She continued to return everything that Kitchen put in
play and produced some winners. She clawed her way back to
6-6. Then with the wind gone from the New Zealander's
sails Bailey finished strongly winning 9-6. The final
rally was outstanding and seemed to go on forever. It was
a grand finale.
 "I'm
just over the moon to have finally won a WISPA Tournament,
it's been six years since I've won one!" said a smiling
Bailey, who after winning a host of British junior
titles, two European crowns and the World Junior trophy in
1997, looked set for a bright future on the WISPA Tour.
But a series of mystery viruses, coupled with a car
accident which injured her knee, provided setbacks from
which she has only fully recovered this year.
She paid tribute to her opponent by saying that it had
been a really hard taxing match, and she was just very
pleased with the quality of the performance.
The Vassar College President, Frances Fergusson, presented
the athletes with their awards and Jane Parker, the Head
Coach of Vassar College Squash, thanked the players for an
excellent final.
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Draw & Results
Photos by Stockton Photo
www.stocktonphoto.com
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12-Apr, Semi-Finals:
And then there
were two
Tony Brown reports
Two different semi-finals, both fiercely fought and
captivating in their own way. In game one Shelley Kitchen
of New Zealand went head to head with England's Laura
Lengthorn, a repeat of last week's Texas Open. In the
other, Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy faced England's Tania
Bailey. The first match was feisty, argumentative at
times, and all about power and speed. The second match
displayed contrasting styles with angles and pace.
The final of the 2006 WISPA Class of 1932 Tournament, to
be played at 6.00 p.m. on Thursday at Vassar's Kenyon
Hall, will pit a northern hemisphere player against a
southern hemisphere player. If it can equal either of the
two semi-finals in terms of quality then it will be a
cracker.
Shelley Kitchen
(NZL) bt Laura Lengthorn (ENG)
9-1, 9-3, 2-9, 9-3 |
 At
this stage of the tournament the crowd expects excellence
and an even contest. After all both players had reached
this stage unbeaten in three rounds. While the score line
might not reflect that this was a particularly close
match, let the record show that it was a very tight affair
and no quarter was asked or given.
Shelley Kitchen is an extremely powerful player. Her shots
have velocity and penetrating length. But Laura Lengthorn
matched her opponent and did a wonderful job of retrieving
seemingly impossible positions.
Game one could definitely be described as a cat and mouse
affair as both players tried to vary their game and catch
their opponent off-guard. Then Kitchen took control and
started putting in short winners and frustrated Lengthorn
to a degree. In game two it was all Kitchen as she
maintained her good short game. It looked as if the New
Zealander would breeze through to the final.
But Lengthorn adjusted and in the third game adopted a
strategy of lobbing the ball high and deep that resulted
in some short volley mistakes from Kitchen. All looked set
for a typical Lengthorn comeback after she won the third
9-2. The same tactic might well have worked in the fourth
but Lengthorn seemed to lose some height to the lobs and
this allowed Kitchen to once again gain the initiative.
| Tania Bailey
(ENG) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
9-1, 9-1, 9-3 |
 This
semifinal was all about Tania Bailey's power, athleticism,
and fitness versus Omneya Addel Kawy's shot placement.
Bailey was intent to keep the Egyptian in the backcourt
and not allow her the opportunity to control the "T".
It meant that the rallies were long and varied as both
players made great shots and the up-tempo pace suited
Bailey.
It seemed that even when Omneya made great angled shots
that looked like winners, Bailey was there to make the
return.
In the end the more consistent shot making of Bailey won
the day.
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Draw & Results
Photos by Stockton Photo
www.stocktonphoto.com
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Kitchen |
Lengthorn |
Kawy |
Bailey |
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1-Apr:
WISPA
lives up to billing with four top quality quarters
A New Zealander, an
Egyptian, and two English women advanced to the semifinals
of the 2006 WISPA Tournament at Vassar College, New York.
One thing that they all had in common was outstanding skill
not to mention incredible mental toughness.
Vassar Quarters
Tony Brown reports
[5] Shelley
Kitchen (NZL) bt
[Q] Lauren Briggs (ENG)
9-1, 9-5, 9-1 |
Kitchen's game plan of hitting
early and forcing her opponent deep had its desired effect.
Lauren Briggs, who yesterday produced a marvellous display
to oust the number one seed Natalie Grainger, could not
recapture that form. In the second game Briggs tried to
break the pattern with some slow ball play but Kitchen still
managed to prevail.
The taller Kiwi, who trains mostly with men, kept up the
pressure and deserved her win. Seeded 5 in this event,
Kitchen now faces #4 seed, Laura Lengthorn in the
semi-finals on Wednesday at 5:00pm.
On paper Kitchen is seeded to lose this match, but at last
week's Texas Open she defeated Lengthorn in a 3-1 encounter.
[4] Laura
Lengthorn (ENG) bt
[7] Rebecca Chiu (HKG)
9-5, 10-8, 9-4 |
Laura Lengthorn, notorious for
coming from behind, lived up to her reputation in today's
quarterfinal against Rebecca Chiu. She trailed 2-8 in the
second game but then staged a rally to win 10-8.
It was a game full of incident with disputed lets generating
plenty of discussion. Lengthorn hit deep and kept up the
pace of the match, while Chiu was adept at using drop shots.
It made for some lovely rallies.
Chiu has great skills at the front and she was pleased with
her performance overall, though she did think she had played
a little too often in the middle.
Laura Lengthorn's strategy included only going short when
absolutely necessary and it kept Chiu in the backcourt for
long periods.
[3] Omneya Abdel
Kawy (EGY) bt
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
8-10, 9-2, 9-2, 9-7 |
This was a match to savour. It
was nip and tuck the whole way with the crowd fully
appreciative of the players' efforts.
Both players were semifinalists last year at Vassar and only
one would be this year, so that no doubt gave an added edge
to the match.
In addition Kawy and Stoehr are infamous on the squash
circuit for having moments of absolute brilliance, followed
by completely erratic episodes!
Today was no exception and more disruption was created by
the excessive let calls from both players. The Egyptian
flair kicked in with more consistency and was perhaps the
difference in this torrid and absorbing match.
Kawy surprised the crowd and her opponent on several
occasion with her delayed yet deft crosscourt drop shot
flick.
[2] Tania Bailey
(ENG) bt
Pamela Nimmo (SCO)
9-6, 9-4, 9-2 |
This was a fast paced battle
that was much, much closer than the score line suggests.
Both players agreed that the rallying was evenly matched,
but in the end it was the finishing touches that made the
difference.
Nimmo's game plan was to keep the ball away from Baileys
lethal backhand drop shot.
Bailey employed a style of play revolving around taking the
ball early to keep the pressure on. She figured that while
this is tiring for both players, she'd had a good season,
and felt fit and strong enough to sustain such an energy
taxing strategy.
In the end this worked well as she was able to get in some
of her backhand drops and also forehand winners.
|
 Vassar
Class of '32
2006
Poughkeepsie, 08-13 Apr, $22k |
Round One
Apr 10 |
Quarters
Apr 11 |
Semis
Apr 12 |
Final
Apr 13 |
[1]
Natalie Grainger (Usa)
9-2, 9-4, 5-9, 9-7
[Q] Lauren Briggs (Eng) |
Lauren Briggs
9-1, 9-5, 9-1
Shelley Kitchen |
Shelley Kitchen
9-1, 9-3, 2-9, 9-3
Laura Lengthorn |
Shelley Kitchen
9-3, 9-2, 9-6
Tania Bailey
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[5]
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl)
9-5, 9-1, 9-4
Sharon Wee (Mas) |
[4] Laura
Lengthorn (Eng)
4-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-2
[Q] Sarah Kippax (Eng) |
Laura Lengthorn
9-5, 10-8, 9-4
Rebecca Chiu |
[7]
Rebecca Chiu (Hkg)
9-6, 9-1, 9-6
[Q] Suzie Pierrepont (Eng) |
[Q] Runa Reta (Can)
2-9, 9-4, 9-1, 2-9, 9-3
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) |
Isabelle Stoehr
8-10, 9-2, 9-2, 9-7
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
Omneya Abdel Kawy
9-1, 9-1, 9-3
Tania Bailey |
Samantha Teran (Mex)
9-6, 10-8, 9-10, 9-5
[3] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) |
Pamela Nimmo (Sco)
9-2, 4-9, 9-3, 9-3
[6] Fiona Geaves (Eng) |
Pamela Nimmo
9-6, 9-4, 9-2
Tania Bailey |
Dominique
Lloyd- Walter (Eng)
9-1, 9-2, 9-4
[2] Tania Bailey (Eng) |
09-Apr, Qualifying Finals:
Lauren Briggs (Eng) bt Christina Mak (HKG)
9/0, 9/5, 9/7
Suzie Pierrepont (Eng) bt Manuela Manetta (Ita)
9/4, 9/1, 9/5
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt Tricia Chuah (Mas)
9/6, 9/4, 9/1
Runa Reta (Can) bt Katie Patrick (Can)
9/3, 9/3, 9/4
08-Apr, Qualifying Round 1:
Lauren Briggs (Eng) bt Ruchika Kumar (Can)
9/3, 9/2, 9/3
Christina Mak (Hkg) bt Amanda Siebert (Usa)
9/0, 9/4, 9/6
Suzie Pierrepont (Eng) bt Nadia Jihad (Usa)
9/1, 9/0, 9/2
Manuela Manetta (Ita) bt Ashley Clackson (Can)
9/1, 9/0, 9/3
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bye
Tricia Chuah (Mas) bt Tara Mullins (Can)
9/7, 10/9, 9/6
Katie Patrick (Can) bt Ileana Novelo (Mex)
9/0. 9/4, 9/0
Runa Reta (Can) bt Wilma Kirsten (Ita)
9/1, 9/0, 9/0
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Round One at Vassar
Tony Brown reports
Day three at Vassar College in New York bore witness to
some of the harsh realities of sport. In game one close
friends and training partners faced off against each other,
but only one would advance. In addition last year’s
semi-finalist, Isabelle Stoehr, was given a run for her money
as qualifier Runa Reta took her to a fifth game. In all the
matches there was just that little bit of grit and
determination that separates the winners from the losers.
 Tania
Bailey (ENG) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)
9-1, 9-2, 9-4
Bailey and Lloyd-Walter are close friends and they are
training partners. Tania Bailey recently won a bronze medal
at the Commonwealth Games, she is also the current British
National Champion. The draw was cruel to Lloyd-Walter as she
had to face a friend and an in-form friend at that. Bailey
played her up-tempo fast paced game and cut off everything
at the "T".
She has a strong overhead and a vicious drop-shot. She used
these to keep Lloyd-Walter from ever gaining any real
initiative.
That isn't to suggest that it was easy, far from it. The
rallies were particularly long and well fought in the second
game, and when in the third game Lloyd-Walter started to
play the same game as her friend she took the fourth point
and it looked like game on even at 4-8. But Bailey powered
her way to the next round.
 Isabelle
Stoehr (FRA) bt Runa Reta (CAN)
2-9, 9-4, 9-1, 2-9, 9-3
Last year's semifinalist, Isabelle Stoehr attempted to
lengthen the rallies and tire her opponent, Runa Reta, but
the tactic almost misfired. The latter had come through the
qualifying rounds and jumped ahead 2-1 in games.
Stoehr regrouped and picked up the pace eventually avoiding
what would have been a considerable upset.
 Rebecca
Chiu (HKG) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG)
9-6, 9-1, 9-6
The score sheet never tells it all, hence sports journalism!
But in this case 9 unforced errors by Pierrepont at least
offer some explanation. The Englishwoman who is an imposing
figure on the squash court took on the somewhat diminutive
Rebecca Chiu and it made for a compelling match.
Pierrepont is an awkward opponent as she dominates the court
and has a long reach. The smaller and quicker player, Chiu,
darted hither and thither taking advantage of the errors to
emerge victorious. Pierrepont will not play in a tournament
for awhile and spend some time working on her game. A change
is as good as a rest and no doubt she will soon be back in
full force.
 Pamela
Nimmo (SCO) bt Fiona Geaves (ENG)
9-2, 4-9, 9-3, 9-3
Fiona Geaves and her drop shots are part of WISPA legend.
She is a wonderful stroke maker. Let her get the center of
the court and the initiative and it is only a matter of time
before you are packing your bags. So credit is due
Scotland’s Pam Nimmo, for she played a disciplined and deep
game that gave Geaves problems. In addition Nimmo had some
nice drop shots of her own to secure a good win. Both
players entered the game knowing it could go either way, but
also knowing that a good game would produce the desired
result. Nimmo got over her early nerves and was able to
execute her game plan.
 Laura
Lengthorn (ENG) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG)
4-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-2
Seeded number 4 in this tournament, England's Laura
Lengthorn had a tough match against qualifier Sarah Kippax.
Lengthorn used the angles well and kept Kippax twisting and
turning and it eventually paid dividends.
Kippax just found it difficult to really pressure her
opponent. Kippax, however, took the first game and felt the
match was the best that she had played against her familiar
opponent.
 Omneya
Abdel Kawy (EGYPT) bt Samantha Teran (MEX)
9-6, 10-8, 9-10, 9-5
Omneya Abdel Kawy and Samantha Teran provided an extremely
interesting game to onlookers. As was expected, the match
was contentious; shoelaces were tied and rackets were
thrown! Both women have a fiery disposition and this was
further accentuated by their red outfits.
Abdel Kawy, who arrived at twelve midnight on Sunday, and
was rightfully tired from jet lag, failed to utilize her
speed at the beginning of each game, but gradually she found
her pace.
Teran proved to be a tough opponent as she ran extremely
well, got nearly every ball, and was a fighter on every
point. In the end, despite Kawy's slow starts, she came back
strongly and finished the winner. It just shows that mind
can rule over matter.
 Shelley
Kitchen (NZ) bt Sharon Wee (MALAYSIA)
9-5, 9-1, 9-4
Shelley Kitchen's plan against Sharon Wee proved to be a
winning strategy. Knowing that Wee was a good retriever with
a lethal front court game, Kitchen proceeded to rally deep
and wait for Wee to make mistakes. Kitchen faces Briggs in
the quarterfinals at 3:00 pm on Tuesday.
 Lauren
Briggs (ENG) bt Natalie Grainger (USA)
9-2, 9-4, 5-9, 9-7
The upset of the tournament thus far was qualifier Lauren
Briggs defeating number one seed and 7th ranked in the world
Natalie Grainger. Briggs, who spoiled the defending
champion's chances of retaining the title, is still riding
high after recently winning the Swiss and Finnish Open
titles. It may have been a case of each player being headed
in different directions.
Number one seeded Grainger returned to the east coast last
night from a disappointing Texas Open where she struggled
with a chest infection through the entire event. She is not
in the best of shape or form. Meanwhile the consistent play
of Briggs and high confidence level generated by the two
recent titles showed just how tight is it at the top of this
sport. Kudos to Briggs for a well earned win.
Play continues on Tuesday with the Quarterfinal matches ...
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Day Two at Vassar - Qualifying Finals
Tony Brown reports
Day two at Vassar in the WISPA Tournament, and this is
when the rubber hits the road. The winners are assured prize
money and the losers go home! So it was no surprise that the
intensity level was up considerably as the second qualifying
round took place. It may have been sunshine outside for all
but in Kenyon Hall only four players were smiling come 6.00
p.m.
 Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt Tricia Chuah (Mas)
9-6, 9-4,
9-1
The first upset of the tournament occurred today when #5
seed Sarah Kippax from England defeated #4 Tricia Chuah from
Malaysia. It looked like being a close encounter in the
opening game when Chuah clawed back to 6-7 from a 7-3
deficit. However, Kippax played with more consistency to
take the match 3-0. Kippax now faces fellow countrywoman
Laura Lengthorn in the main round at 3:30pm on Monday.
 Lauren Briggs (Eng)
bt Christina Mak (Hkg)
9-0, 9-5, 9-7
The other matches went to plan with top seed Lauren Briggs
from England dispatching Hong Kong's Christina Mak 3-0,
although Mak made a spirited come back in the third game
before going down 9-7. Briggs faces returning champion,
Natalie Grainger (USA) at 5:45pm on Monday in the main draw.
 Runa Reta (Can)
bt
Katie Patrick (Can)
9-3,
9-3, 9-4
The Canadians left in the qualifier faced off against each
other, and being long time rivals it was never going to be
pretty. Runa Reta had to work hard for every point and she
maintained control of the match by virtue of less unforced
errors.
Suzie
Pierrepont (Eng) bt Manuela Manetta (Ita)
9-4, 9-1, 9-5
 On paper the Pierrepont versus Manetta match was too close
to call. Both had had good starts and were in confident
mood. In a physical match, that would have had the WWF
crowds whooping and hollering, it was England’s Suzie
Pierrepont that took the first game 9-4.
 In the second game it appeared that Manetta was still
rattled and she fell further behind after going down 9-1.
But Pierrepont hasn't been one to close out matches like
this, and there have been quite a few two-love leads that have
slipped from her grasp.
In game three the rallies were tense and volatile with neither
player really comfortable. It was fun to watch, if not too
pretty at times. In the end Suzie Pierrepont prevailed and
reached the last 16.
Play continues on Monday as the last 16 vie for quarterfinal
berths.
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Apr-08: Qualifying Round One:
Tony Brown reports
Top qualifying seed Lauren Briggs
had to play some good strokes to earn her win. She was up
against a feisty Ruchika Kumar, the former Canadian junior
champion, appearing in her first ever WISPA tournament,
the 21 year old from Toronto gave a good account of
herself but was unable to really pressure Briggs. Briggs
commanded the centre of the court and cut shots off
forcing the play and emerged with a good win.
Christina Mak got off to a quick start and was not
troubled in the first two games. Siebert staged a comeback
and led 6-1 in the third but that just seemed to jolt Mak
back into top gear. She ran off 8 consecutive points to
take this game and end Siebert’s efforts.
Nadia Jihad was a last minute
replacement and essentially gave Suzie Pierrepont a
workout. The Englishwoman was not stretched and won
convincingly without dropping a point.
The Italian Manuela Manetta
was always in control and able to keep the ball deep. Her
opponent, Ashley Clackson, did work hard but was always
having to stretch to stay in the rallies.
The match of the day was between Tricia
Chuah and Tara Mullins. Had the second game gone to
Mullins it might well have been a dogfight. But in the end
Tricia Chuah combined some good strokes and a killer
instinct to take the match.
As expected the Canadian Katie
Patrick mixed her game up to good effect and never
lost the initiative against the less experienced Novelo.
The week will get harder but it was a good start for
Patrick.
Wilma
Kirsten has only been on the tour three years and the 36 years
old mother of two played a very spirited match. The scoreline did not reflect the competitiveness of the match
with Runa Reta even if the result was not likely to
be much different. |
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