Delaware State
Open,
Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Deon Delivers
In Delaware
After
dismissing the top seed in the semi-finals, fifth seed Deon Saffery of
Wales went on to lift the Women's Delaware State Open title in the USA
after beating Canadian Samantha Cornett in the final of the WISPA
World Tour 4 squash event at Vicmead Hunt Club in
Wilmington, Delaware.
Saffery made
her breakthrough in the quarter-finals where she beat France's fourth seed
Laura Pomportes before going on to oust German favourite Sina Wall in
five games.
Cornett, the
20-year-old sixth seed from Ottawa also upset two higher seeded players
Leonie Holt and Thaisa Serafini - the second and third seeds,
respectively - before lining up against Saffery in the final.
But Barry-born
Saffery defied her world ranking of 114 to beat Cornett - rankled more than 30
places higher - 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 to secure the second WISPA Tour title of her
career.
The win will
be a significant confidence-booster for 23-year-old Saffery who now turns her
attention to domestic duties at the British National Championships this
week in Manchester, England.
1st round:
[1] Sina Wall (GER) bt Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
[8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) bt Jennifer Davis (USA) 11-2, 11-4,
11-6
[4] Laura Pomportes (FRA) bt Carrie Hastings (ENG) 11-6, 11-4,
11-9
[5] Deon Saffery (WAL) bt Julianne Chu (USA) 11-2, 11-7, 11-5
Larissa Stephenson (NZL) bt [7] Tamika Saxby (AUS) 11-5, 11-4,
11-8
[3] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) bt Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 11-4, 11-8, 11-5
[6] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Alex Clark (SCO) 11-5, 11-6, 1-0
ret.
[2] Leonie Holt (ENG) bt Katja Amir (GER) 11-3, 11-6, 11-3
Quarter-finals:
[1] Sina Wall (GER) bt [8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) 12-10, 11-5,
11-7
[5] Deon Saffery (WAL) bt [4] Laura Pomportes (FRA) 11-5, 11-7,
11-7
[3] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) bt Larissa Stephenson (NZL) 11-9, 11-7,
7-11, 11-8
[6] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [2] Leonie Holt (ENG) 11-7, 11-7,
11-3
Semi-finals:
[5] Deon Saffery (WAL) bt [1] Sina Wall (GER) 6-11, 11-6, 11-8,
6-11, 11-7
[6] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [3] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 16-14,
12-10, 11-8
Final:
[5] Deon Saffery (WAL) bt [6] Samantha Cornett (CAN) 11-5, 11-4,
12-10
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