Savcor Finnish Open 2003
March 15/16, Mikkeli, Finland, $5k

Finnish Foto Gallery - courtesy Jarmo Tuuanen
rest over a photo for details, click for a larger view

SHABANA TAKES SAVCOR
TITLE IN MIKKELI
Egyptian Salma Shabana extended her record of success in Finland when she beat South African Farrah Sterne in the surprise final in Mikkeli. It was the former world number twenty's third Finnish Open title in her fifth final in the country.

The 26-year-old fourth seed made her breakthrough in the semi-finals when she upset top-seeded Pakistani Carla Khan in straight  games. Shabana then defeated sixth-seeded Sterne 9-7, 9-7, 9-2 to pick up her first title since winning the Finnish Open trophy in March 2001.

It was in December 1994 that Salma Shabana won the Finnish Open trophy for the first time to become, at 18 years and two months, the youngest winner of a WISPA title.

This year's Mikkeli victory also marked Shabana's first WISPA title since the birth of her and fellow squash international Omar Elborolossy's son Marwen, who was in Finland to witness his mother's success.

The Savcor Finnish Women's Open is Scandinavia's longest-running professional squash event, and is in its eleventh year.

• 2002 Event

• about Mikkeli

• about Savcor

Salma Shabana

9/7, 9/7, 9/2

Farrah Sterne

Tegwen Malik

Qualifying Finals:
Sara Badr (Egy) bt Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)  9/4, 9/0, 9/3
Amnah el Trabolsy (Egy) bt Hend Osama (Egy)  9/4, 5/9, 9/3, 9/5
Margriet Huisman (Ned) bt Kylie Lindsay (Nzl)  4/9, 9/4, 9/3, 2/9, 9/2
Nehal Yehia (Egy) bt Catherine McLeoud (Nzl)  3/9, 9/4, 7/9, 9/5, 9/2

Qualifying first round:
Sara Badr (Egy) bt Elise Ng (Hkg)  9/6, 9/6, 9/0
Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) bt Jutta Tuunanen (Fin)  9/1, 9/4, 9/2
Amnah el Trabolsy (Egy) bt Hanna Miestamo (Fin)  9/4, 9/0, 9/1
Hend Osama (Egy) bt Elina Kononen (Fin)  9/2, 9/4, 9/5
Kylie Lindsay (Nzl) bt Marianna Vanhanen (Fin)  9/0, 9/0, 9/1
Margriet Huisman (Ned) bt Minna Mäntylä (Fin)  9/0, 9/1, 9/5
Catherine McLeoud (Nzl) bt Riika Piekäinen (Fin)  9/1, 9/2, 9/2
Nehal Yehia (Egy) bt Eevamaria Vuolo (Fin)  9/3, 9/3, 9/1

2002 Event

Savcor Women's Finnish Open, Mikkeli, Finland

Final:
[5] Margo Green (CAN) bt [2] Sharon Wee (MAS)   9-3 9-2 3-9 9-4

Green Grabs Finnish Glory
In Maiden WISPA Final
Canada's Margo Green, the fifth seed, upset Malaysia's second-seeded Sharon Wee 9-3 9-2 3-9 9-4 in the final of the Savcor Women's Finnish Squash Open in Mikkeli, Finland, to claim her maiden WISPA World Tour title in her first final appearance.

Green, who shares Jonathon Power's coach Mike Way, began her unexpected run in the quarter-finals when she ousted Hong Kong's fourth seed Christina Mak 6-9 9-5 9-5 9-3.  The 30-year-old from Toronto then marched into the Finnish final after defeating England's Lauren Briggs 9-4 7-9 9-6 10-9.

Semi-finals:
[5] Margo Green (CAN) bt [6] Lauren Briggs (ENG) 9-4 7-9 9-6 10-9
[2] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [8] Elin Blikra (NOR)   9-4 10-8 10-9

Quarter-finals:
[6] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt [1] Maha Zein (EGY)  9-0 6-9 10-8 9-6
[5] Margo Green (CAN) bt [4] Christina Mak (HKG)    6-9 9-5 9-5 9-3
[8] Elin Blikra (NOR) bt [3] Wendy Maitland (SCO)   4-9 9-7 9-0 9-5
[2] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Louise Crome (NZL)  9-5 4-9 9-6 9-0

1st round:
[1] Maha Zein (EGY) bt Jutta Tuunanen (FIN) 9-5 9-0 9-1
[6] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Sally Hunt (AUS) 9-0 9-3 9-0
[4] Christina Mak (HKG) bt Frania Gillen-Buchert (SCO)  9-7 9-5 9-5
[5] Margo Green (CAN) bt Marianna Vanhanen (FIN)    9-2 9-1 9-0
[8] Elin Blikra (NOR) bt Nana Niskanen (FIN)    9-2 9-1 9-1
[3] Wendy Maitland (SCO) bt Elina Kononen (FIN) 9-0 9-0 9-1
Louise Crome (NZL) bt [7] Karen Kronemeyer (NED)    9-0 9-3 9-4
[2] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Line Hansen (DEN)   9-6 9-1 9-1