RESULTS & Reports |
Final:
[1] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt [3] Vicky Botwright (Eng) 9/1, 2/9, 9/6, 9/1
GRINHAM DOUBLES UP
IN SOUTHPORT
Just six days after claiming her maiden squash title on
the WISPA World Tour, Australian Natalie Grinham has secured her
second! The 24-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland, winner of last
week's Apawamis Open in New York, beat England's Vicky Botwright in four
games in the final in Connecticut, USA.
Top-seeded Grinham, based in Almere in the Netherlands, reached the
final after overcoming a tough test in the semi-finals where she had to
fight back from 2-0 down to shake off Welsh qualifier Tegwen Malik. Perhaps
overawed by her first appearance in a WISPA final, Botwright easily lost
the opening game, but refocused in the second to level the match.
After winning the third, the Australian world No11 raced to a 7-0 lead
in the fourth which, in the end, was too much for Botwright to close in
on. Grinham calmly converted her first match-ball to clinch a notable
9-1 2-9 9-6 9-1 victory and her second title of the year.
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Semis:
[1] Natalie Grinham
(AUS) bt [Q]
Tegwen Malik (WAL) 5-9,
8-10, 9-2, 9-5, 9-3
[3] Vicky Botwright (ENG)
bt [2] Stephanie
Brind (ENG) 9-7, 9-7, 4-9, 9-4
GRINHAM GOES FOR A DOUBLE
Australia's Natalie Grinham moved into
her second WISPA final in a week, ending the qualifying run of Tegwen Malik in the semi-finals of the Forbes Open in Southport.
But it was far from easy for the in-form Australian, as Malik took a
two-game lead, forcing Grinham to fight back to win in five.
Grinham, the world number 11, will
meet Vicky Botwright in the final, after the Lancashire lass
scored an upset win over second seed Stephanie Brind.
Grinham won her first WISPA title
in Rye last week, and will be looking to double her tally, while
Botwright will be seeking her first tour title.
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Quarters:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) beat [Q]
Melanie Jans (CAN) 9/4,
9/3, 9/2
[Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL) beat
[4] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)
9/4, 9/4,
9/1
[3] Vicky Botwright (ENG) beat
[Q] Laura Lengthorn (ENG) 10/8,
9/2, 9/5
[2] Stephanie Brind (ENG) beat
[7] Salma Shabana (EGY) 3/9,
2/9, 9/7, 9/6,
9/6
MALIK MARCHES INTO SEMIS
Wales' qualifier Tegwen Malik
continued her impressive comeback after a three-year injury layoff,
beating fourth seed Shelley Kitchen to claim a place in the
semi-finals in Southport. Malik faces top seed Natalie Grinham
in the semi-finals after last week's Apawamis winner ended the
qualifying run of Melanie Jans.
The other semi-final will be an
all-English affair, with second seed Stephanie Brind facing
third seeded Vicky Botwright. Botwright enjoyed a a 3-0 win
over qualifier Laura Lengthorn, but Brind, who had beaten Vicky's
sister Rebecca in the first round, had to come from two games down
against Egypt's Salma Shabana.
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1st round:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt Eman El Amir (EGY) 9-5, 9-0, 9-5
[Q] Melanie Jans (CAN) bt [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 10-8, 9-10, 9-3,
2-9, 9-6
[4] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Melissa Martin (AUS) 9-5, 9-0, 9-0
[Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt Shabana Khan (USA) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1
[Q] Laura Lengthorn (ENG) bt [8] Wendy Maitland (SCO) 0-9, 9-1, 9-6,
3-9, 9-2
[3] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt Amelia Pittock (AUS) 7-9, 9-7, 9-3, 9-7
[7] Salma Shabana (EGY) bt Lara Petera (NZL) 9-6, 9-1, 10-8
[2] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt [Q] Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 9-3, 9-6, 9-2
Qualifiers Flourish In First Forbes Forays
While in-form Australian Natalie Grinham cruised
through to her anticipated place in the second round of the Forbes
Women's Southport Squash Open in Connecticut, USA, three qualifiers
joined the top seed after upsets on the opening day's play of the
$11,000 WISPA World Tour event.
Grinham, the world No11 from Queensland fresh from her maiden WISPA
title triumph in last week's Apawamis Open in Rye, defeated Egypt's
Eman El Amir 9-5 9-0 9-5 and now takes on Canadian qualifier Melanie
Jans, who bravely battled for five games to overcome England's
fifth-seeded Jenny Duncalf, a former European Junior Champion, 10-8
9-10 9-3 2-9 9-6.
Welsh qualifier Tegwen Malik produced the most crushing victory,
despatching American Shabana Khan for the loss of just a single point
in the third game. The Welsh champion, back on the circuit after a
near three-year layoff with a mystery virus, now faces New Zealand's
fourth seed Shelley Kitchen who beat US-based Australian Melissa
Martin 9-5 9-0 9-0.
England's twice British Junior National Champion Laura Lengthorn
became the third qualifier to reach the last eight when she recovered
from a 9-0 drubbing in the first game to beat eighth-seeded Scot Wendy
Maitland 0-9 9-1 9-6 3-9 9-2. The Lancashire lass next meets English
county team-mate Vicky Botwright, the third seed, who defeated
Australia's Amelia Pittock 7-9 9-7 9-3 9-7.
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Qualifying Finals:
Heidi Mather (Aus) v Rebecca Botwright
(Eng)
Tegwen Malik (Wal) v Marnie Baizley (Can)
Laura Lengthorn (Eng) v Meredeth Quick (Usa)
Christina Mak (Mas) v Mel Jans (Can)
1st Round
Heidi Mather (Aus) (1) bye
Rebecca Botwright (Eng) bt Dana Betts (Usa) (7) 9/3 9/0 9/2
Marnie Baizley (Can) (3) bt Carlin Wing (Usa) 9/0
9/3 9/4
Tegwen Malik (Wal) (5) bt Julia Beaver (Usa) 9/0 9/0 9/0
Laura Lengthorn (Eng) (4) bt Line Hansen (Den) 9/3 10/8 10/8
Meredeth Quick (Usa) (8) bt Frania Gillen-Buchert (Sco) 9/1 9/1 9/3
Mel Jans (Can) bt Samantha Teran (Mex) (6) 8/10 9/6 6/9 9/7 9/0
Christina Mak (Mas) (2) bye
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