Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002
19-24 Nov 2002, Zurich, Switzerland, $25k

WISPA Nov 2002:  Weymuller US Open | Grasshopper Cup | Monte Carlo


Final:
POHRER TAKES FIRST GRASSHOPPER TITLE

Natalie Pohrer bt Vanessa Atkinson 6/9, 9/0, 9/1, 9/3 (34m)

Top-seed Natalie Pohrer beat defending Champion Vanessa Atkinson in the final of 24th Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002 in Zurich in four games. Pohrer dominated the early rallies but nevertheless lost the first 6/9 game despite holding a 6/4 lead, with an almost inexplicable series of unforced errors. But the 25 year old, originally from Johannesburg, came back in the second and kept the pressure up high, Atkinson could not handle Pohrer’s aggressive style and lost the next three games clearly 0/9 1/9 3/9.

Draw & Results


Semis:
ZURICH GETS ITS 'DREAM FINAL'
The final of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich will be between top seed Natalie Pohrer and defending champion Vanessa Atkinson, after they defeated Rebecca Macree and Rachael Grinham in the semi-finals.

Quarters:
MACREE ENDS PERRY'S RUN
The top three seeds progressed into the semi-finals of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich, and are joined by Rebecca Macree, who ended the run of qualifier Madeline Perry.

First Round:
SEEDS TUMBLE IN ZURICH OPENER
The 18th Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002 has already lost three of its top seeds in the 1st round. England's fourth seed Stephanie Brind lost to qualifier Madeline Perry despite taking a 2-0 advantage. In another English crash Fiona Geaves fell to  Pamela Nimmo (SCO), but Jenny Tranfield managed to upset the seedings for England, beating Australia's Natalie Grinham in straight games.

Qualifying:
SWISS HOPES ENDED IN ZURICH
Peter Frey reports from Zurich

Swiss interests did not last long at the 18th Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002 in Zurich, both home contenders losing out in the first round of qualifying.
Qualifying Results


Grinhams in Zurich

Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002
19-24 Nov 2002, Zurich, Switzerland, $25k
1st Round
Thu 21st  (18.00)
Quarters
Fri 22nd (17.00)
Semis
Sat 23rd (14.00)
Final
Sun 24th (14.00)
[1] Natalie Pohrer (Usa)
9/2, 9/3, 9/3
[Q] Kim Hannes (Bel)
Natalie Pohrer
9/0, 9/5, 9/3
Pamela Nimmo
Natalie Pohrer

 9/3, 9/3, 7/9, 10/8

Rebecca Macree

Natalie Pohrer
 

6/9, 9/0, 9/1, 9/3
 

Vanessa Atkinson

[5] Fiona Geaves (Eng)
4/9, 9/7, 9/3, 9/3
Pamela Nimmo (Sco)
[4] Stephanie Brind (Eng)
8/10, 0/9, 9/0, 9/6, 9/3
[Q] Madeline Perry (Irl)
Madeline Perry
9/3, 8/10, 9/0, 10/8
Rebecca Macree
[6] Rebecca Macree (Eng)
9/6, 9/2, 9/7
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl)
[7] Suzanne Horner (Eng)
9/5, 9/1, 9/4
[Q] Annelize Naude
Suzanne Horner
9/2, 9/1, 9/6
Rachael Grinham
Rachael Grinham

9/5, 9/2  rtd

Vanessa Atkinson

[3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
9/1, 9/6, 9/2
[Q] Rebecca Chiu
[8] Natalie Grinham (Aus)
9/5, 9/7, 9/4
Jenny Tranfield (Eng)
Jenny Tranfield
4/9, 9/5, 9/6, 6/9, 9/4
Vanessa Atkinson
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned)
9/1, 9/2, 8/10, 10/8
Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)
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RESULTS & Reports
Final  

[1] Natalie Pohrer (Usa) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned)  6/9, 9/0, 9/1, 9/3  (34m)

Top-seed Natalie Pohrer beat defending Champion Vanessa Atkinson in the final of 24th Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002 in Zurich in four games. Pohrer dominated the early rallies but nevertheless lost the first 6/9 game despite holding a 6/4 lead, with an almost inexplicable series of unforced errors. But the 25 year old, originally from Johannesburg, came back in the second and kept the pressure up high, Atkinson could not handle Pohrer’s aggressive style and lost the next three games clearly 0/9 1/9 3/9.

Semi-Finals  


[1] Natalie Pohrer (Usa) bt [6] Rebecca Macree (Eng)  9/3, 9/3, 7/9, 10/8
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (Aus)  9/5, 9/2  rtd

ZURICH GETS ITS 'DREAM FINAL'
The final of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich will be between top seed Natalie Pohrer and defending champion Vanessa Atkinson, after they defeated Rebecca Macree and Rachael Grinham in the semi-finals.

Pohrer, runner-up at this year's world open, almost overran Rebecca Macree in the first two games of the first semi-final, quickly establishing a 9/3 9/3 lead. But Macree, the last English girl in the tournament, slowed down the pace to take the third 9/7 and come back into the match. Macree had game balls at 8/6 in the fourth to level the match, but Pohrer recovered to secure her place in the final.

The second semi-final was a re-run of last year's final, but ended quickly when Rachael Grinham was forced to retire at two games down, 9/5 9/2, due to a back injury.

Tomorrow's final promises to be a very interesting affair, with Pohrer favourite, but Atkinson had an easier semi-final match and also has a title to defend ...

Quarter-Finals  


MACREE ENDS PERRY'S RUN
The top three seeds progressed into the semi-finals of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich, and are joined by Rebecca Macree, who ended the run of qualifier Madeline Perry.

Vanessa Atkinson, winner of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich last year, faces a tough time as she bids to hold on to her trophy. The No.2 seed and reigning champion met England's Jenny Tranfield, the 2000 champion, in the quarter-finals and soon found out the English girl's improved fitness levels. Tranfield mounted a brave attack, but Atkinson finally triumphed in five games,4-9, 9-5, 9-6, 6-9, 9-4. In today's semi-finals, Atkinson meets the No.3 seed, Rachael Grinham of Australia, who beat England's Suzanne Horner 9-2, 9-1, 9-6.

Top seed Natalie Pohrer (USA) faces England's sixth seed Rebecca Macree in the other semi-final. Pohrer powered past Scotland's Pam Nimmo 9-0, 9-5, 9-3, while Macree removed the fast-improving Irish qualifier Madeleine Perry 9-3, 8-10, 9-0, 10-8 after a fierce battle.

Quarter-Finals:
Natalie Pohrer bt Pamela Nimmo  9/0, 9/5, 9/3
Rebecca Macree bt Madeline Perry   9/3, 8/10, 9/0, 10/8
Rachael Grinham bt Suzanne Horner   9/2, 9/1, 9/6
Vanessa Atkinson bt Jenny Tranfield  4/9, 9/5, 9/6, 6/9, 9/4

Rachael Grinham reports on her match ...
I was just concentrating on moving Suzanne, playing short to move her from the back, but not too much short either... and also doing my best to keep the ball low because she can hit a lot of good shots from the volley. I won the first 2 games quite quickly, the 3rd was much closer, and she was playing much better, I think keeping me in the back with nice drives that I couldn't do much with, and I think I mostly ended up winning that game from her mistakes in the end after longer rallies. Either way, I got thru and that's the important thing !!

Tomorrow I will come up against Vanessa Atkinson (again !!) who had quite a long match today (which I'm not sad about at all!). She took over an hour to beat Jenny Tranfield 3/2. I only caught the last game but they both looked to be doing a lot of work there tonight... good for me !!! So it's Vanessa I'm up against again. She beat me in the final of this tournament last year so I'll be looking for my revenge tomorrow !!....

Full reports on www.grinhamsisters.com

First Round  

1st round:
[1] Natalie Pohrer (USA) bt [Q] Kim Hannes (BEL)    9-2, 9-3, 9-3
Pamela Nimmo (SCO) bt [5] Fiona Geaves (ENG)    4-9, 9-7, 9-3, 9-3
[Q] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [4] Stephanie Brind (ENG)   8-10, 0-9, 9-0, 9-6, 9-3
[6] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt Shelley Kitchen (NZL)   9-6, 9-2, 9-7
[7] Suzanne Horner (ENG) bt [Q] Annelize Naude (NED)    9-5, 9-1, 9-4
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-1, 9-6, 9-2
Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt [8] Natalie Grinham (AUS)  9-5, 9-7, 9-4
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)   9-1, 9-2, 8-10, 10-8

Seeds Zapped In Zurich
Seeds were scattered liberally on the opening day of the Women's Aqua Nova Grasshopper Squash Cup in Switzerland as England's Fiona Geaves and Stephanie Brind and Australian Natalie Grinham succumbed to lower-ranked opposition in the $25,000 event in Zurich.

The toil of the fourth event within the last month - including the world team and individual championships and last week's US Open - clearly proved too much for fourth-seeded Geaves and fifth-seeded Brind, who both took early leads in their matches.  Unseeded Scot Pamela Nimmo, who also fitted in a further tournament over the period, reaching the final of the Ottawa International eleven days ago, beat Geaves 4-9 9-7 9-3 9-3 to advance to the Grasshopper Cup quarter-finals.

Brind made a more unusual exit, forfeiting a 10-8 9-0 lead against Irish qualifier Madeline Perry to lose the match after going down 9-0 9-6 9-3 in the next three games.

Natalie Grinham, the eighth seed and one of the stars of Australia's world team championships-winning squad, was no match for England's unseeded Jenny Tranfield, who romped to a 9-5, 9-7, 9-4 victory and a quarter-final meeting with second seed Vanessa Atkinson, who needed four games to overcome 17-year-old Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-1, 9-2, 8-10, 10-8.

Qualifying  


Finals, 20th Nov:
Annelize Naude (Ned) bt Wendy Maitland (Sco)  9/2, 5/9, 9/5, 9/3
Kim Hannes (Bel) bt Milja Dorenbos (Ned)  9/2, 9/1, 9/2
Rebecca Chiu (Hkg) bt Jenny Duncalf (Eng) 
7/9, 9/3, 9/7,10/9
Madeline Perry (Irl) bt Latasha Khan (Usa) 
9/5, 9/4, 9/3

First Round, 19th Nov:
Annelize Naude (Ned) bt Manuella Manetta (Ita)  9/3, 9/2, 9/3
Wendy Maitland (Sco) bt  Sonia Pasteris (Ita)  9/0, 9/1, 9/1
Milja Dorenbos (Ned) bt Senga Macfie (Sco)  w/d
Kim Hannes (Bel) bye
Jenny Duncalf (Eng) bt Manuela Zehnder (Sui)  8/10, 9/7, 9/4, 9/0,
Rebecca Chiu (Hkg) bt Alison Waters (Eng)  9/3, 9/3, 9/3
Latasha Khan (Usa) bt Caroline Heal (Eng)  9/2, 9/5, 9/2
Madeline Perry (Irl) bt Olivier Hauser (Sui)  9/1, 9/1, 9/2

SWISS HOPES ENDED IN ZURICH
Peter Frey reports from Zurich

Swiss interests did not last long at the 18th Aqua Nova Grasshopper Cup 2002 in Zurich. Swiss Champion and European U19 Junior Champion Manuela Zehnder lost to Jenny Duncalf after winning the 1st game 10/8.

Swiss no. 2 Olivia Hauser did not have a chance against Madeline Perry and quickly lost  1/9 1/9 2/9.

With GC Cup 2000-finalist Isabelle Stoehr and short-time withdrawal Senga Macfie the tournament suffered two "easy" w.o. for the 2nd round of the qualification - not giving other players the opportunity to compete.

2001 Event - Deloitte & Touche Cup  

Final:
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 9-6 9-1 9-7
Semi-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Marnie Baizley (CAN)   9-1 9-5 9-0
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [5] Senga Macfie (SCO)    8-10 9-0 9-1 9-2
Quarter-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Sharon Wee (MAS)   9-4 9-1 9-4
[Q] Marnie Baizley (CAN) bt [Q] Karen Morrissey (AUS)   9-3 10-8 9-4
[5] Senga Macfie (SCO) bt [3] Annelize Naude (RSA)  9-7 9-7 7-9 10-8
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Louise Crome (NZL)    9-0 9-0 9-5
1st round:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Helen Easton (ENG) 9-3 9-5 9-0
[6] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Vicky Lankester (ENG)   9-7 9-5 9-5
[Q] Marnie Baizley (CAN) bt [4] Latasha Khan (USA)  9-3 9-5 0-9 9-6
[Q] Karen Morrissey (AUS) bt [8] Tricia Chuah (MAS) 9-6 9-2 9-7
[5] Senga Macfie (SCO) bt [Q] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)   9-3 0-9 9-0 9-6
[3] Annelize Naude (RSA) bt Laura Lengthorn (ENG)   9-4 9-3 9-2
Louise Crome (NZL) bt [7] Elin Blikra (NOR) 9-3 9-5 9-4
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Katline Cauwels (BEL) 10-8 9-0 9-1

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