30/06/2011
LE SPORT OPEN 2011
Briggs wins all English final
|
Briggs wins all English final
Lauren Briggs claimed the 10th
WISPA title of her career this week at the Tour 4 Le Sport Open in
Colwyn Bay, Wales.
Briggs won an all English final with
victory over rising star and local girl Emily Whitlock in front of a
packed house.
Both players had shown superb squash
all week and the final between the top two seeds always looked
likely. However, Briggs had to fend off a spirited challenge from
hard hitting Sarah-Jane Perry in the semi final.
Although only one place apart in the
rankings, Whitlock's 57 to Briggs' 58, they are 14 years apart in
age!
The match up was a much anticipated
one, both players having been in great form all year. Whitlock had
already reached two tour semi finals and her first final in March at
the Wimbledon Cup and who could forget her win at the British Junior
Open in January as well. Briggs has been imperious. Since her return
to the tour in November after 6 months out with injury, she had
compiled a 19-2 win-loss record coming into this tournament,
including 4 titles.
The final was a high quality affair
and there was little to separate the two players throughout the
match. Both played at a high pace and displayed great retrieving
skills. However, it was the accuracy and experience from Briggs and
a few too many errors from Whitlock that allowed Briggs to claim the
match in straight games.
The home crowd were left disappointed
but were thoroughly entertained.
Briggs has now won four tournaments
this year, more than anyone else on tour. Also by winning four
tournaments in a row, she follows Nicol David, Kasey Brown and Lisa
Camilleri as only the fourth player currently on tour to ever
achieve this feat.
Briggs will return to the top 50 next
month in the rankings. She has said her intentions are to return to
the top 20 and in this kind of form there is no reason why this
won't happen.
Final:
[2] L Briggs (ENG) bt [1] E Whitlock
(ENG) 11-9 11-5 12-10
Semi Final:
[1] E Whitlock (ENG) bt [5] M
Dorenbos (NED) 11-6 11-3 11-6 (32m)
[2] L Briggs (ENG) bt [6] S-J Perry
(ENG) 11-5 10-12 11-9 11-8 (40m)
Quarter Final:
[1] E Whitlock (ENG) bt [7] V Bell
(ENG) 11-7 11-7 11-5 (35m)
[5] M Dorenbos (NED) bt [4] C Mesic (FRA)
11-6 11-4 11-6 (27m)
[6] S-J Perry (ENG) bt R Willmott
(ENG) 7-11 11-7 6-11 11-5 12-10 (60m)
[2] L Briggs (ENG) bt [8] S Sinclair
(ENG) 11-6 11-1 11-5 (25m)
1st Round:
[1] E Whitlock (ENG) bye
[7] V Bell (ENG) bt B Etchechoury (ARG)
11-2 11-9 11-9 (27m)
[4] C Mesic (FRA) bt L Tamilla (ENG)
11-7 11-6 8-11 11-3
[5] M Dorenbos (NED) bt H Williams
(ENG) 11-5 11-6 11-3 (27m)
[6] S-J Perry (ENG) bt C Pearson
(ENG) 11-8 11-6 11-7 (22m)
R Willmott (ENG) bt [3] L Eriksen
(NOR) 7-11 12-10 8-11 11-3 11-4 (60m)
[8] S Sinclair (ENG) bt E Harlow (WAL)
11-2 12-10 6-11 11-4 (30m)
[2] L Briggs (ENG) bye
|
|
