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TODAY in Chennai: Wed 5th,
Teams Day Three |
End of the Pools ...
The eight quarter-finalists were already decided, so today was about
jostling for position in the quarter-finals.
In the first session it was the North American challenge with 4th
and 5th seeds Canada and USA facing up, while favourites Egypt
took on New Zealand.
Then at 16.00 hosts India, seeded two, looked to see off England
while Asian rivals Malaysia and Hong Kong met on the showcourt
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Draws & Results
Photo Galleries
Meet the Swedes
and the Egyptians |
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2,1,3 |
Ct 1 |
Ct 2 |
Ct 3 |
CC |
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13.00 |
D:
CAN 1-2 USA
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D:
RSA 3-0 ESP
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A:
AUS 3-0 SWE
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A:
EGY 3-0 NZL
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16.00 |
B:
FRA 1-2 GER
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B:
IND 3-0 ENG
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C:
NED 2-1 DEN
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C:
MAS 0-3 HKG
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Quarter-Final & Playoff draws |
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Egypt & USA clinch top spots
It was a comfortable final pool game for Egypt as they
brushed aside New Zealand 3/0, but USA and
Canada found themselves locked into a tight struggle for
supremacy in group D.
Samantha Cornett started off like a train for the Canadians,
going two games up against Amanda Sobhy. But a gritty fightback
from the American gave her team the lead, although it was
getting nervous again as she squandered several match balls from
10-3 in the decider, finally taking it 11-8.
Laura Gemmell levelled it for the Canadians, beating Olivia
Blatchford in straight games.
The decider was a tense affair, three close games all going the
way of USA's Julie Cerrulo, leaving Canada rueing missed
opportunities and USA looking forward to a quarter-final against
a group runner-up.
In the 3rd/4th matches Australia and South Africa
both scored comfortable wins over Sweden and Spain,
respectively.
 "We
thought we had chances in all three matches. Samantha played
really well in the first two games, Amanda did well to come back
and played better in the next three.
"The decider was on a knife-edge, even though it was 3/0 it
could have gone either way.
"I'm very pleased with how Julie performed under the pressure,
she was 2-8 down in the second but managed to get herself back
and nick it.
"I'm really happy with how the whole team played and supported
each other ..."
 USA team
coach |
India ease past England,
Hong Kong upset Malaysia
Some expected it to be a close contest between second seeds
India and five-time winners England, but Surbhi Misra and Dipika
Pallikal both won convincingly in straight game to give the
hosts top spot in group B.
Instead, the upsets came elsewhere, as Hong Kong scored a
surprise 3-0 win over third seeds Malaysia, pitting the
Malaysians into a quarter-final with top seeds Egypt, while Hong
Kong meet New Zealand.
 "We
were hoping for a win, but knew it would be close, like the
first match.
"The players have been playing each other a lot, and it's always
very close, this time it was our turn.
"Liu dropped off a bit toward the end of the individuals, but
she played really well today to beat Wee Nee 3/0.
Hong Kong manager
The Germans were delighted with
a hard-fought win over neighbours France, who have their number
two still ill, and their number three suffering from the normal
stuff over there. putting them at the
bottom of the 9-16 playoff draw. |
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Draws & Results
Photo Galleries
Extras #4 |
Favourites aim for second wins ...
It's the second day of pool action, and by the end of the day
some teams may be guaranteed their quarter-final places, while
others will be battling to salvage the highest position they
can.
In the opening session Malaysia, Canada, Hong Kong and USA are
all favourites to notch up their second wins, and the same is
true of New Zealand, England, Egypt and India in the second
session.
If all that comes to pass we'll be in for four table-topping
deciders tomorrow, but as the individual event showed, anything
can happen ...
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Ct1 |
Ct2 |
Ct3 |
CC |
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13.00 |
C: MAS 3-0 NED
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D: CAN 3-0 RSA
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C: HKG 3-0 DEN
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D: USA 3-0 ESP
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16.00 |
A: NZL 3-0 SWE
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B: ENG 3-0 GER
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A: EGY 3-0 AUS
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D: IND 3-0 FRA
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C & D Deciders duly set up ...
The four higher-seeded teams all duly won in today's first set
of matches, all 3-0.
Hong Kong brushed Denmark aside while USA carried
out a similar job on Spain, both matches taking less than an
hour to complete.
South Africa detained Canada longer, with Elani Landman
claiming the Springbok's sole game in losing a close four-setter
against Danielle Letourneau.
The Netherlands similarly took a sole game off Malaysia,
with Milou Van der Heijden losing another game on extra points -
she's due some luck soon, is Milou!
So tomorrow's deciders in groups C and D are both 'local
derbies', with USA taking on Canada and Malaysia meeting Hong
Kong.
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A & B too ...
Keeping strictly to the script, New Zealand, England, Egypt
and India all duly completed their second successive wins.
None of them dropped a match, but India were pushed hardest, by
France - Dipika Pallikal surviving a game ball in the first
against Amelie Lamilango, Anaka Alankamony having to come from
two games down to Julia Lecoq, and Surbhi Misra dropping the
first to Cyrielle Peltier.
New Zealand breezed past Sweden, England were only slightly
troubled against Germany, dropping just one game, and somewhat
surprisingly Australia kept hot favourites Egypt on court well
after all the other matches had finished, taking only one game
but making the top seeds work hard for their win.
So tomorrow it's India v England, Egypt v New Zealand -
everyone's through to the quarters, but the winners get to play
a runner-up in the quarters .... |
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Mon 3rd,
Teams Day One |
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Hay clinches it for England |
Seeds make safe start
No upsets in the first set of pool ,matches, with Egypt, New
Zealand and India all recording 3-0 wins, but England were made
to work harder before securing victory over France.
Individual champion Nour El Sherbiny was suffering a bit of a
hangover (not literally of course, she's only 13) and struggled
in the first game against Sweden's Jennie Lindstrom,
taking it 14/12 before finding her range. The El Torky sisters
mopped up the rest of the points for top seeds Egypt.
India, led by Dipika Pallikal, cruised to victory over
Germany with three 3-0 wins, and New Zealand won the
trans-Tasman clash, dropping just one game in the process of
beating Australia.
England's Millie Tomlinson had to work hard for her win
over Emilie Lamilango, losing a 2-0 lead - missing out on a
match-ball opportunity in the fourth - before securing the
decider. Julie Lecoq levelled matters for France, leaving
it to Kimberley Hay to secure the win for England, but with
Cyrielle Peltier getting closer each game Hay was mightily
relieved to take the third on extra points.
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Comfy for Canada et al ...
It was same again in the afternoon session, with the seeded
teams all winning fairly comfortably.
Canada, resting number one Laura Gemmell, dropped a
solitary game to Spain, USA whitewashed South
Africa, although Cheyna Tucker and Alexandra Full can count
themselves unlucky not to take at least a game, Malaysia
did the same to Denmark, while Tsz Ling Liu came from 2-1
down to beat Milou Van der Heijden, which was crucial in setting
up Hong Kong's 3-0 win over the Netherlands.
It's the same again tomorrow and Wednesday, as the lineups for
the quarter-finals are decided ...
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