WOMEN's FINAL
Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Aus) beat Leilani Joyce (NZ) 9-0, 9-2, 9-1Joyce blown away by Fitz-Gerald powerplay
By Yogesh Godbole, the Gulf Times
Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerald stamped her authority as the World No 1 after she demolished Leilani Joyce in a clinical 27-minute display of power to claim the Qatar Classic women's title at the Khalifa courts yesterday.
And all that Joyce could say after being thrashed 3-0 by Fitz-Gerald was "awesome".
"I was at the receiving end of that awesomeness," said Joyce after the New Zealand top seed failed to win even one game in what was expected to be a tough battle for the title.
"She was on a totally different level," said Joyce, who was the top seed here and also the World No 1 before being displaced by the Australian in the rankings released earlier this month.
"She raised the level of her game and that will motivate me to raise my game too," said Joyce, who was simply overwhelmed by Fitz-Gerald's game. "I just feel empty right now."
The win gave Fitz-Gerald her first major women's squash title in the Gulf with a 9-0, 9-2, 9-1 scoreline, her 13th title of the year and an enviable 4-1 record against Joyce this year, the New Zealander winning only the Hong Kong match last month.
"Leilani seemed under pressure to win here and things simply did not go her way," said Fitz-Gerald, who walked away with the US$9300 top prize.
"If you win couple of points early on, it becomes easier," said Fitz-Gerald. "I relaxed earlier and Leilani was simply not able to shrug off the pressure."
The first game was the longest of the three games, lasting 11 minutes with Joyce serving just five times as Fitz-Gerald smashed her way ahead.
The nerves showed at the start of the second game as Joyce found the tin, lost her serve and Fitz-Gerald gleefully went 6-0 up.
Thereafter, all Joyce could do was watch her trans-Tasman rival claim the game in just six minutes.
Joyce managed to level scores at 1-1 in the third game, but that was all that Fitz-Gerald allowed her rival, clinching the game in nine minutes.
"This is a big boost for me ahead of the World Championship in Melbourne," said Fitz-Gerald, adding that "I now have the psychological edge and I will be playing at home."
Off the court, both Fitz-Gerald and Joyce heaped praise on the organisers, the Qatar Squash Federation.
"All the girls have enjoyed themselves tremendously. We are planning on making this a permanent fixture on the annual calendar," said Fitz-Gerald who is also the president of the Womens International Professional Squash Association.
"I have been spoiled ... I felt like a princess," said Joyce. "It has been a great tournament ... both on court and off court."
"It was almost embarrassing ... to have so much of attention," said Joyce who wants to return the next time there is a tournament here in Qatar.
