10/11/2008
WOMEN'S CAROL WEYMULLER OPEN
Grainger Retains Carol Weymuller Crown
Carol
Weymuller Open 2008
Heights Casino, New
York,
04-09 Nov, $42k |
Round One
06-Nov |
Quarters
07-Nov |
Semis
08-Nov |
Final
09-Nov |
[1] Rachael Grinham
(Aus)
12/10, 11/5, 11/13, 11/6
Raneem El Weleily (Egy) |
Rachael Grinham
11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
Annelize Naude |
Rachael Grinham
11-9, 11-9, 11-8
Shelley Kitchen |
Shelley Kitchen
9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-1
Natalie Grainger |
[8] Annelize Naude
(Ned)
11/8, 11/4, 11/7
Louise Crome (Nzl) |
[4] Shelley Kitchen
(Nzl)
11/5, 11/3, 11/9
[Q] Suzie Pierrepont (Eng) |
Shelley Kitchen
11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (28m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
[5] Kasey Brown (Aus)
5/11, 11/9, 14/12 rtd
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Eng) |
Latasha Khan (Usa)
11/7, 11/9, 6/11, 4/11, 11/7
[6] Samantha Teran (Mex) |
Latasha Khan
8-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (36m)
Vanessa Atkinson |
Vanessa Atkinson
11-13, 11-8, 11-3, 12-10
Natalie Grainger |
[Q] Lauren Siddall
(Eng)
6/11, 11/9, 11/7, 12/10
[3] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) |
[Q] Manuela Manetta (Ita)
11/7, 11/7, 9/11, 11/3
[7] Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) |
Jaclyn Hawkes
13-11, 11-7, 11-3 (24m)
Natalie Grainger |
[Q] Aisling Blake
(Irl)
11/4, 11/5, 11/9
[2] Natalie Grainger (Usa) |
Grainger Retains Carol Weymuller Crown
US squash star Natalie Grainger celebrated her third successive
appearance in the final of the Women's Carol Weymuller Open by retaining
the established WISPA World Tour Silver 30 title at Heights Casino
in New York.
But Shelley Kitchen, the fourth-seeded New Zealander who scored one of
the best wins of her career when she beat Australian favourite Rachael
Grinham in the semi-finals, took the opening game in her maiden appearance
in the final.
But second seed Grainger began to take the upper hand, controlling the 'T' and
taking Kitchen in short whenever she could.
"Shelley fought hard to try and contain Natalie, but by the fourth Natalie was
now on a rampage - her body language looked awesome, she was now in her stride
and her infamous back hand drop and volley drops were now in full flow,"
explained tournament organiser Fiona Geaves, winner of the title 15 years
ago.
"There was not one error in the whole game - which she took with the loss of
only one point to defend her title and become The Weymuller Champion for 2008,"
added Geaves.
The 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-1 victory not only takes Grainger's WISPA World Tour
tally to 19 titles - but it also brings to eight the number of Tour trophies
Grainger has won on 'home soil' since becoming a US citizen in February last
year.
Kitchen Overwhelms Grinham
For Place In New York Final
New Zealander Shelley Kitchen scored one
of the best wins of her career when she beat favourite Rachael Grinham in
the semi-finals of the Women's Carol Weymuller Open to reach the final of
the established WISPA World Tour Silver 30 squash event at Heights
Casino in New York.
Kitchen, the fourth seed from Auckland, held her
nerve throughout the encounter to beat the world number four from Queensland
11-9, 11-9, 11-8.
The Kiwi, now in her 19th Tour final, will now
face US star Natalie Grainger for the title.
The second-seeded title-holder from Washington
battled for four games to overcome former world champion Vanessa Atkinson,
the third seed from the Netherlands, 11-13, 11-8, 11-3, 12-10.
The success marks Grainger's 37th WISPA Tour
final - and her third in succession at the Heights Casino in New York.
Grainger Eyes Third Weymuller Final
US star Natalie Grainger is one match away from her third
successive appearance in the final of the Women's Carol Weymuller Open
after beating New Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes in the semi-finals of the
established WISPA World Tour Silver 30 squash event at Heights
Casino in New York.
The second-seeded title-holder from Washington beat seventh seed Hawkes
13-11, 11-7, 11-3 in 24 minutes - sweet revenge for the former world
number one who suffered a shock defeat to the Kiwi in last month's
World Open in England.
"It was great to win tonight after a tough loss against Jacs in the World
Open a few weeks ago," said Grainger. "I worked to make openings and keep
the ball tight, and managed to wear her down in the end."
Grainger will now face third seed Vanessa Atkinson for a place in
the final. Atkinson, the former world number one from the Netherlands,
battled back from two games down to overcome unseeded Latasha Khan,
from the USA, 8-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5.
The other semi-final will also feature two of the top four seeds when
Australian favourite Rachael Grinham takes on New Zealander
Shelley Kitchen. Grinham, the 2006 champion beat No8 seed Annelize
Naude 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 in just 18 minutes while fourth seed Kitchen
defeated England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.
"It's great to be back here in Brooklyn," said Grinham after her speedy
victory. "I felt I played really well tonight, I moved well and felt
totally comfortable on the court."
Khan Takes Teran In New York
Unseeded
Latasha Khan doubled domestic US interest in the quarter-finals of
the Women's Carol Weymuller Open when she upset Mexico's sixth seed
Samantha Teran in the opening round of the established WISPA
World Tour Silver 30 squash event at Heights Casino in New
York.
The 35-year-old from Seattle stemmed a fight back by Teran to win 11-7,
11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 11-7 and record her first ever victory over the
Mexican. Khan will now face third seed Vanessa Atkinson for a
place in the semi-finals.
Atkinson, the former world number one from the Netherlands, recovered from
a game down to beat her English Pontefract club-mate Lauren Siddall
6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter also secured an unexpected place
in the last eight after breathing difficulties forced Australia's Kasey
Brown, the fifth seed, to concede the match with the score standing at
5-11, 11-9, 14-12.
Natalie
Grainger
leads US hopes in the event as she attempts to reach the final for the
third year in a row. The second seed from Washington defeated Irish
qualifier Aisling Blake 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 and will now face New
Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes.
"I felt I played well, got a good length and this resulted in many
opportunities to take the ball into the front of the court - which I love
to do," explained Grainger after her first round win.
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