Valid Dutch Open 2002
17-22 Dec 2002, Maastricht, Netherlands, $27k

Grant and Atkinson take Valid titles
Adrian Grant and Vanessa Atkinson claimed the last titles of the 2002 PSA/WISPA season, Grant beating fellow Englishman Nick Matthew 15/10, 15/6, 15/8 and Atkinson beating Scotland's Pamela Nimmo 9/3, 9/5, 9/5 in the finals in Maastricht.

 
Matthew, Grant, Nimmo and Atkinson

• Draw & Results

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• Official site from Maastricht

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John Williams

15/10 15/6 15/8

Adrian Grant

15/10 15/9 15/11

Adrian Grant

Isabelle Stoehr

Vanessa Atkinson

9/3 9/5 9/5

Pamela Nimmo

4/9 10/8 4/9 9/1 9/7

Pamela Nimmo

Men's Final: [2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [1] Nick Matthew (ENG)    15-10, 15-6, 15-8
Women's Final: [1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [2] Pamela Nimmo (SCO)   9-3, 9-5, 9-5

Grant & Atkinson Win Dutch Open Titles
Honours were shared between England and the host nation in the Valid Dutch Open Squash Championships as top seed and Dutch No1 Vanessa Atkinson claimed the women's title and England's Adrian Grant upset the seedings to secure the men's trophy in Maastricht.

Londoner Grant, a former European Junior Champion, survived losing the first game in his opening match of the tournament to romp through to the final without conceding any further games.  After dismissing fourth-seeded local favourite Tommy Berden in the semi-finals, 22-year-old Grant, the No2 seed, despatched top-seeded compatriot Nick Matthew 15-10 15-6 15-8 in the final to secure his third successive PSA Tour title of the year in his third final appearance of the year.

Grant's success in the final event of the year marked the tenth PSA Tour final appearance of his career - and the eighth title. For a disappointed Matthew, the world No32 from Sheffield, it was his fourth successive defeat in a PSA final in 2002.

After taking four games to overcome France's fourth-seeded Isabelle Stoehr in the semi-finals, world No7 Vanessa Atkinson was in commanding form in the final where she beat Scotland's second-seeded Pamela Nimmo 9-3 9-5 9-5 to record her second WISPA World Tour trophy of the year in her fifth final.

Top seeds move into Valid Finals
The finals of the Valid Open will feature the top seeds in both men's and women's events, but only one of the home players survived the semi-finals.

Nick Matthew and Adrian Grant breezed past third and fourth seeds John Williams and Tommy Berden to set up an all-English men's final, while Scotland's Pamela Nimmo maintained British interest in the women's event with a 3/2 victory over Annelize Naude. Top seed Vanessa Atkinson is the host nation's only representative in the finals, following a 3/1 win over Isabelle Stoehr.

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [3] John Williams (Aus)  15/6, 15/8, 15/5
[2] Adrian Grant (Eng) bt [4] Tommy Berden (Ned)  15/10, 15/9, 15/11

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt [4] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)  9/2, 4/9, 9/2, 9/6
[2] Pamela Nimmo (Sco) bt [3] Annelize Naude (Ned)   4/9, 10/8, 4/9, 9/1, 9/7

Seeds Survive In Contrasting Styles

All eight top seeds survived through to the semi-finals of the Valid Dutch Open in Maastricht - but while the women claimed quarter-final victories without a single game being lost, all but one of the men had to fight back from behind.

Top-seeded Englishman Nick Matthew twice pegged back compatriot Bradley Ball, the seventh seed, to win 14-15 15-8 2-15 15-13 15-11. His semi-final opponent John Williams, the third seed, was 2-1 down before he overcame compatriot Mike Corren 15-13 10-15 12-15 15-6 15-8.

Domestic interest seemed likely to be extinguished prematurely when fourth-seeded Tommy Berden went 2-0 down against England's fifth seed Peter Genever. However, the local fans were treated to a brave fightback by the 23-year-old from Almere, who regrouped and ultimately pulled off an 11-15 14-17 15-5 15-7 15-6 victory.

Dutch interest in the women's event is expected to lead through to the final. Vanessa Atkinson, the top seed from The Hague, dropped just four points in trouncing Danish qualifier Line Hansen - and now meets fourth-seeded Isabelle Stoehr, who crushed French compatriot Corinne Castets 9-0 9-0 9-1.

Men's quarter-finals:  
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [7] Bradley Ball (ENG)    14-15, 15-8, 2-15, 15-13, 15-11
[3] John Williams (AUS) bt [8] Mike Corren (AUS)    15-13, 10-15, 12-15, 15-6, 15-8
[4] Tommy Berden (NED) bt [5] Peter Genever (ENG)   11-15, 14-17, 15-5, 15-7, 15-6
[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Cameron Pilley (AUS)  15-9, 15-11, 15-10

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Line Hansen (DEN) 9-3, 9-0, 9-1
[4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Corinne Castets (FRA)  9-0, 9-0, 9-1
[3] Annelize Naude (NED) bt [5] Sharon Wee (MAS)    9-6, 9-2, 9-3
[2] Pamela Nimmo (SCO) bt [7] Carla Khan (PAK)  9-6, 9-5, 9-6

Men's 1st round: 
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Marcus Smith (AUS) 15-5, 15-7, 10-15, 15-11 
[7] Bradley Ball (ENG) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 15-13, 15-8, 15-4 
[3] John Williams (AUS) bt Cameron White (AUS) 15-11, 11-15, 15-5, 15-12 
[8] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [Q] Laurens Anjema (NED) 15-13, 15-12, 15-12 
[5] Peter Genever (ENG) bt Peter Pastijn (BEL) 15-9, 9-15, 15-9, 15-9 
[4] Tommy Berden (NED) bt Lee Drew (ENG) 15-12, 15-1, 13-15, 15-10 
[Q] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [6] Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 6-15, 15-12, 15-12, 15-14 
[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Raj Nanda (AUS) 12-15, 15-9, 15-10, 15-11 

Women's 1st round: 
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Laura Lengthorn (ENG) 9-0, 9-0, 9-4 
[Q] Line Hansen (DEN) bt [6] Shabana Khan (USA) 9-5, 9-6, 9-2 
[4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 9-3, 9-1, 9-7 
Corinne Castets (FRA) bt [8] Helen Easton (ENG) 5-9, 7-9, 9-4, 10-8, 9-6 
[5] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [Q] Olga Sola (ESP) 9-7, 7-9, 9-5, 7-9, 9-0 
[3] Annelize Naude (NED) bt [Q] Alison Waters (ENG) 9-3, 9-1, 9-6 
[7] Carla Khan (PAK) bt Karen Kronemeyer (NED) 9-2, 10-8, 9-3 
[2] Pamela Nimmo (SCO) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-1, 9-2, 9-0

Men's 1st qualifying round:
Laurens Anjema (NED) bt Alexander Bell (FRA) 15-9, 15-8, 15-5
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 15-10, 15-13, 15-10
Marcus Smith (AUS) bt Ronald van der Boogaard (NED) 15-5, 15-10, 11-15, 15-12
Paul Davis (AUS) bt Jago Nardelli (ENG) 15-12, 15-4, 15-6
Tony James (AUS) bt Marc Reus (NED) 17-16, 17-16, 14-15, 15-9
Raj Nanda (AUS) bt Martin Dzur (CZE) 15-6, 15-11, 15-10
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Michael Hopkins (ENG) 15-10, 13-15, 11-15, 15-9, 15-3
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mark Ikin (AUS) 15-6, 15-11, 15-3

Women's 1st qualifying round:
Henrietta Kollathova (SVK) bye
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Orla Noom (NED) 9-7, 9-3, 9-5
Laurence Bois (FRA) bye
Olga Sola (ESP) bt Carlin Wing (USA) 9-2, 9-1, 9-5
Tina Rix (ENG) bt Saskia Kuijer (NED) 9-6, 8-10, 9-4, 9-4
Line Hansen (DEN) bye
Dagmar Vermeulen (NED) bt Daniela Schumann (GER) 1-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-3
Alison Waters (ENG) bye