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The Cassie Jackman Column
Exclusive Coverage

Jackman Reports From World Open in Kuala Lumpur
Former World Champion and world no.2 Cassie Jackman has joined the Squash Player to report on the Women’s World Open in Kuala Lumpur. Jackman, who withdrew from the Qatar Classic following a health scare says she is in top form and that four players can win the event.

Good Day for the English
It was a good day for the English in the first round in Kuala Lumpur and I was pleased to get underway and to see how I was playing after having to stop in Qatar. I had a good run around with the English girl Dominique Lloyd-Walter winning 9-1, 9-1, 9-5. The match felt about 35 minutes long. We had good rallies but Dom just didn’t get the points when she was serving.

We played on court 8 an ASB court, with the moveable side wall. Tomorrow I move onto the glass. (The other top three seeds played on the glass court today and go onto the outside courts tomorrow. I’d rather do it the way round I am doing it.)

The English girls played well today. Tania Bailey, my roommate, who is unseeded put out England team player Fiona Geaves in three. I watched Linda Elrani go through, Jenny Duncalf won comfortably while Laura-Jane Lengthorn and Alison Waters both upset the seedings to go through. Laura put out Isabelle Stoehr, the 14th seed and Alison the 9th seed Omneya Abdel Kawy. Vicky Botwright beat Tamsyn Leevey, the New Zealand girl.

Tomorrow there are tough matches to come in the last 16. I face Shelley Kitchen the New Zealander
.

Wide Open World Open
There is a world title up for grabs in Kuala Lumpur with the top four players in the game all in with a chance. It is wide open and whoever plays their best on the day will have the title. Vanessa Atkinson, who played really well in the final in Qatar, is the inform player. She is in the top half seeded to meet Rachael Grinham, the no.1 seed, but everyone has tough matches before that stage. You will have to go straight into playing your best here.

The winner however should come from one of the top four girls –Rachael Grinham, Vanessa Atkinson, Natalie Grinham or myself. Natalie is not to be underestimated as she has beaten all the top three players.

I feel good going into this event. In Shanghai, where I won, I coped with the conditions better than anyone. It was very cold, the ball was dead, and I was able to play to the conditions. In Qatar I had a close game with Vanessa in the semi-final before I retired with breathing difficulties. It was quite worrying. I didn’t know what it was and there was a suggestion that it may be a blood clot. I stayed in hospital overnight there, had a lot of tests and it proved not to be a clot. I had had a pain in my back and it may have been related to a back problem that put pressure on my rib cage. I haven’t experienced anything like that before and it wasn’t a very nice feeling. It has calmed down now and I have had regular treatment from our Physio Pauline.

I have had a good practice here in Kuala Lumpur with Tania Bailey and I felt fine.

Kuala Lumpur is nice and warm. We are back at the Commonwealth Games Stadium, were we played a few years ago. It is now the National Squash Centre. Everything is well organised and we are looking forward to starting the tournament. Before the main event starts we have a welcome dinner with the WSF Emeritus President Susie Simcock, the IOC Sports Consultant to the Olympic Programme Commission and the WSF vice-resident A Sani Karim.

In the first round I have the English qualifier Dominique Lloyd-Walter and if I go through I am seeded to meet the New Zealander Shelley Kitchen in the second round.


Cassie Jackman Joins The Squash Player Team


Cassie Jackman joins the Squash Player commentary team to report for squash fans on the Women's World Open. In an exclusive column she will report on her preparation, her matches, the play and the players.
 

To Women's World Open Page

 


 

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