England's Emma Beddoes celebrated the tenth - and biggest -
WSA World Tour squash title of her career when she beat
Egypt's Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy in tonight's final of the
Women's Emerson RC Pro Series in St Louis, USA.
The top seed arrived in Missouri in fine form, having defeated
compatriot Laura Massaro, the world No.3, for the first time
at last week's Windy City Open in Chicago en-route to her
first WSA World Series quarter-final for more than three
years.
Beddoes blasted through the WSA Challenger 15 field at The
St Louis Racquet Club to reach the final without dropping a
game, downing Dane Line Hansen, the third seed, 11-5, 11-3,
11-6 in the semi-finals.
Eighth seed El-Defrawy caused a couple of mighty upsets to reach the
final against expectation. The 20-year-old from Cairo beat Japan's
No.4 seed Misaki Kobayashi in the quarter-finals, then
survived a mammoth five-game semi-final battle with second-seeded
Indian Joshana Chinappa to make the seventh Tour final of her
career.
The young Egyptian, ranked 50 in the world, took an early 9-3 lead
in the final - but the experienced world No.16 Beddoes (pictured
above, right, with El-Defrawy) fought back to draw level. But after
20 minutes, it was El-Defrawy who drew first blood, taking a 13-11
lead after converting her second game-ball.
The opening game clearly took its toll on underdog El-Defrawy as the
favourite extended the rallies to good effect to take the second
game.
The Egyptian mounted a comeback in the third, keeping the game level
until seven-all, at which point it was clear that fatigue was a
factor as Beddoes moved ahead to take the game - before running away
in a one-sided fourth to win the title 11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 11-2.
"I'm really happy to get my biggest tournament win to date - it was
a tough final,"
conceded the 29-year-old from Leeds after her 58-minute triumph.
"Kanzy
was obviously feeling the effects of yesterday's semi final but she
is a tough competitor and fought with all the energy she had."