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Duncalf Wins Carol Weymuller US Open Crown In New York
Less than 24 hours after beating the reigning world number one to
record the best individual win of her career, England's Jenny Duncalf
claimed the biggest title of her life by winning the Women's Carol Weymuller
US Open - beating her England team-mate Alison Waters in the climax
of the $42,450 WISPA World Tour Silver event at Heights Casino in
New York, USA.
Duncalf, the world No6 from Harrogate in Yorkshire, took the
opening game - but third seed Waters came out strong in the second and took an
early lead. However, a couple of errors and unnecessary cross courts at the end
of the game gave Duncalf back the emphasis and the fourth seed took the game.
Waters, the world No5 from London, again came out with a strong
game and forced her opponent deeper in the court and forced a few errors and
impatient short shots - ultimately taking the game to reduce the deficit.
With both players amazing the packed crowd with their supreme
athleticism, the fourth game started with a number of long rallies. After a few
unforced errors from Waters, Duncalf moved on to match-ball at 10-7.
However, Waters gave it one last fight and managed to get back to
10-9. The next couple of rallies were re-played with a few nervy lets, but
Duncalf finally closed out the match 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 to win the US Open
title for the first time.
"I’m obviously thrilled to have won," Duncalf told the
enthusiastic crowd at the trophy presentations. "I always feel so relaxed here
and made so welcome. It’s just a great neighbourhood."
Duncalf, who reached the final after beating Malaysia's world No1
Nicol David for the first time in her 15th Tour meeting, now boasts six
WISPA Tour titles from 11 final appearances. The reigning British National
champion's latest success comes only seven days after Duncalf won her previous
biggest ever title - at the Women's Soho Square Championship in Egypt.
Duncalf also becomes the first English winner of the US Open
title since 2003, when her illustrious compatriot Cassie Jackman claimed
the prestigious title for the fourth time.
Deadly Duncalf Defeats David In Career-Best Win In New York
England's world number six Jenny Duncalf pulled off the
most impressive win of her career when she beat Malaysia's world number one
Nicol David in the semi-finals of the Women's Carol Weymuller US Open
to set up a surprise all-English final of the $42,450 WISPA World Tour Silver
event at Heights Casino in New York, USA.
Not only was the stunning win Duncalf's first over David in 15
Tour meetings since February 2002, but it was also the dominant Malaysian's
first straight games defeat since April 2007.
Earlier, third seed Alison Waters upset Australia's second
seed Rachael Grinham in the other semi-final - thus setting up the first
all-English US Open final since 1993.
Duncalf quickly began to control the match against top seed
David, moving her out of position and going in short at exactly the right
times.
"Jenny won the first 11-6 and we all wondered what would happen
in the second and if she could keep up this quality of squash," said tournament
director Linda Elriani, the former world No3 from England.
"However, in both the second and third, Jenny not only keep up
the quality - but improved on it! She moved super fast and effortlessly and she
stayed error-free with all her precise short shots."
The 26-year-old from Harrogate went to clinch the match 11-6,
11-4, 11-3 to record her historic - and confidence-boosting - triumph.
"I’m pretty shocked," said Duncalf afterwards. "One for winning
- but certainly for winning 3/0! I felt calm all the way through till the end
when I thought ‘Don’t mess this up now!'
"I always enjoy playing this tournament and if I was going to
beat Nicol, there was a good chance it would be here."
David, who celebrated her 40th successive month at the top of the
world rankings this month, was philosophical about her defeat: "With all the
girls, they are working really hard and going out and giving it everything. She
didn’t let up an inch and I just had to try and do something and she just kept
on going and went right through!"
Rachael Grinham, the world No4 and four-time British Open
champion, was 6-4 up on Alison Waters before their Heights Casino clash -
but the world No5 from London had been successful in their most recent meeting,
in August's Malaysian Open.
The higher-ranked Australian built up an early lead, but once
Waters found her rhythm there was no turning back. The English underdog played
a solid match and made very few errors - ultimately winning 11-9, 11-1, 11-2.
"I was really pleased to win 3/0 as Rachael is a great player,"
said Waters later. "We’ve had really close matches in the past so I knew that
it could be very tough. I’m very pleased to be in the final tomorrow and
looking forward to the match."
Grinham added: "I started off OK and then Ali settled into it.
I wasn’t covering the court the way I needed to. She played really well and is
improving all the time."
The final will mark the English pair's third meeting this year -
the first going to Duncalf in February's British National Championship
final, and the second to Waters in the Singapore Masters in September.
Waters Wins Revenge Match In US Open In New York
Third seed Alison Waters avenged her defeat last month to
Laura Massaro, surviving a tough five-game clash with her English
compatriot in the Women's Carol Weymuller US Open to reach the
semi-finals of the $42,450 WISPA World Tour Silver event at Heights
Casino in New York, USA.
"I played Laura two weeks ago in Hong Kong and lost 3/2, so it’s
really good to win this time," said Londoner Waters after her 11-3, 11-13, 11-9,
7-11, 11-9 win. "I felt relatively in control, but I didn’t seem to finish it
off enough. I’m looking forward to playing Rachael tomorrow."
Second seed Rachael Grinham reached the quarter-finals after
recovering from 1/2 down against England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter. The
Australian's opponent in the quarter-finals was Samantha Teran, the
unseeded Mexican who upset New Zealand's 8th seed Jaclyn Hawkes in the
first round.
Grinham closed out the match in straight games, beating Teran
11-2, 11-6, 11-9.
"I am glad to have won that - I was happy to get a good start,"
said Grinham. "She seemed to be getting more and more into it as the match went
on. After yesterday I was glad to win in three and I don’t think that it hurt me
that she had a match lasting over an hour and half last night!”
Teran added: "It was my first time playing Rachael and it was a
great experience as she plays such a different game than most people and I feel
I really learned about where to put the ball as she really moves the ball around
so well. In the second and third games I felt a bit more comfortable which was
nice. It was a good tournament for me."
The other semi-final will pit favourite Nicol David, the
world number one from Malaysia, against England's fourth seed Jenny Duncalf
- in what will be the pair's third meeting in six weeks.
Top seed David despatched Dutch number one Vanessa Atkinson
11-9, 11-6, 12-10 while Duncalf beat compatriot Tania Bailey 11-8, 11-9,
11-4.
"I’m very happy to win 3/0 against Tan," said Duncalf. "She’s
such a great player and even though she’s had a tough time recently with her
injuries, you can never relax because she can hammer one in at any moment!"
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