Teenager Sobhy
Celebrates Historic Tour Success
American
teenager Amanda Sobhy secured her place in Squash history when she won
the Women's Racquet Club International in the USA to become the first
player to claim three Tour titles as a 16-year-old.
Second seed
Sobhy scored her surprise 11-3, 11-6, 12-10 victory over Alana Miller,
the 29-year-old top seed from Canada, in the final of the $12,150 WISPA World
Tour championship at The Racquet Club in St Louis.
The previous
record was held by reigning world number one Nicol David, the Malaysian
who won her second WISPA Tour title at the KL Open in July 2000 just a
month before her 17th birthday.
When asked how
she felt about her historic achievement, Sobhy exclaimed: "It feels amazing, I
didn't really think about it before the match but now that it is over it just
amazing.
"I just called
my mom and all I could hear was screaming!!!"
The New York
youngster began her record-breaking WISPA World Tour run at the
Liberty Bell Open in Philadelphia in January. A month later, the left-hander
clinched her second Tour title on home soil at the Delaware State Open -
again beating the event's top seed in the final.
And Sobhy,
already ranked 46 in the world, has every chance of extending her remarkable
record - as her 17th birthday is not until 29 June!
Top Seeds To
Contest St Louis Final
Top seeds
Alana Miller and Amanda Sobhy will contest the final of the
Women's Racquet Club International after prevailing in four-game semi-finals
of the $12,150 WISPA World Tour squash event at The Racquet Club
in St Louis, USA.
In an
all-Canadian semi, favourite Alana Miller recovered from a game down to
beat third seed Miranda Ranieri 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6.
The
29-year-old world No38 from Winnipeg is celebrating the tenth WISPA Tour final
of her career - but her first this year.
New York
teenager Amanda Sobhy continued her campaign to keep the title in US
hands by defeating Guyana's Nicolette Fernandes 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 11-2.
The
16-year-old second seed, hoping to emulate compatriot Latasha Khan's
title triumph last year, is celebrating her third Tour final appearance after
becoming one of the youngest ever winners of a WISPA title in Philadelphia in
January.
Sobhy Saunters Into St Louis Semis
New York teenager
Amanda Sobhy is on course to keep the Women's Racquet Club International
title in US hands after reaching the semi-finals of the $12,150 WISPA World
Tour squash event at The Racquet Club in St Louis, USA.
The 16-year-old
second seed, hoping to emulate compatriot Latasha Khan's title triumph
last year, defeated Canada's Alexandra Norman, the No5 seed, 11-6, 11-5,
11-6 and will now face Guyana's Nicolette Fernandes for a place in the
final.
Fourth seed
Fernandes, the reigning Caribbean champion, also ousted a Canadian - beating
sixth seed Carolyn Russell 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-0.
The other semi will
be an all-Canadian affair between top seed Alana Miller and third seed
Miranda Ranieri. Miller, the world No38 from Winnipeg, ended the run of
qualifier Graciela Lopez Perez by beating the 18-year-old Mexican 11-0,
11-5, 11-7.
Toronto-born Ranieri
despatched South African Adel Weir-Nunan 11-5, 11-4, 11-7.
Perez Powers Into St Louis
Quarters
Mexican teenager Graciela Lopez Perez claimed an unexpected place in
the quarter-finals of the Women's Racquet Club International after upsetting
eighth seed Genevieve Lessard in the first round at The Racquet Club
in St Louis, USA.
The 18-year-old qualifier despatched Canadian Lessard 11-1, 12-10,
11-7 and will now face another Canadian, top seed Alana Miller, for
a place in the last four.
But it is the event's youngest player who leads US interest in St
Louis. Second seed Amanda Sobhy, the 16-year-old world No46 from New
York, advanced to the quarter-finals after beating last year's
runner-up Georgina Stoker, a qualifier from England, 13-11, 11-7,
11-4. |