Shaun Le Roux 12:10, 11:6, 11:6
(40mins) Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan
[LL] Johan Bouquet (Fra)
11/9, 11/4, 11/13, 11/7 (48m) [2] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (Mas)
Qualfying
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) - 5:11, 11:6, 11:7,
9:11, 11:6 (70mins)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Joel Hinds (ENG) - 8:11, 8:11, 11:9, 11:6, 11:3
(72min)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt Alex Phillips (ENG) - 11:5, 10:12, 13:11, 3:11,
12:10 (60mins)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) - 11:6, 11:3, 11:7
(29mins)
Lucky Loser Johan Bouquet (FRA), plays Mohd Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan
Presentation with Winners and Losing
Finalists
Click on Images For Larger View
Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda
Creighton lent her support to back Squash's bid for inclusion into the
2020 Olympics. She is pictured here with Alex Gough, Chief Executive,
PSA
Madeline Perry and
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan
Celebrate their Wins
Milestone Tenth Title For Perry After Fifth Irish Open Win
Madeline Perry
claimed her milestone tenth WSA World Tour title yesterday after
winning her fifth Tour15 Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open.
The
36-year-old from Bambridge, Ireland set about reclaiming the title she
last won in 2010 in a clinical fashion, dispatching Egyptian qualifier
Mariam Ibrahim Metwally in straight games after a narrow opener.
Last
year’s event runner-up then made similarly short work of Japan’s
Misaki Kobayashi in 30-minutes to ensure her tenth consecutive Irish
Open semi-final appearance.
There,
she faced surprise semi-finalist Deon Saffery had who scalped
third seed and local hope Aisling Blake in straight games. The
Welshwoman caused Perry some trouble in the early stages of the game,
just losing out in a first game tie-break before claiming the second by
a similar score-line. Perry’s experience at the top levels of women’s
squash enabled the former world No.3 to move past her opponent in four
games and in to the seventh Irish Open final of her career.
Her
final opponent, No.6 seed Nicolette Fernandes made her way past
qualifier Sarah Cardwell of Australia in the opening round,
before surprising Mexican second seed Samantha Teran in a
dominant three game victory.
The
Guyana international continued her strong form into the semi’s as she
shut out English teenager, fourth seed Emily Whitlock, also in
straight games.
Reaching the seventh WSA final of her career, Fernandes was unable to
continue her form against the quality of Madeline Perry, and the
Irishwoman took a strong first game lead before doubling her advantage
with a narrow second game. Fernandes’ slow start had hindered her
initial progress, but she slowly worked to establish herself in the
contest. Despite letting a good lead slip in the second, her resilience
was rewarded in the third game, as she won to throw Perry’s dominance
into question.
The
experienced Perry responded well however, and her opponent had no
response as she steamrollered the fourth game to end the competition
with her milestone tenth WSA World Tour title, and fifth on home soil.
Irish
Open Climaxes With Wan Win
Malaysia's Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan celebrated his first PSA World
Tour title win for more than a year when he lifted the Cannon
Kirk Homes Irish Open trophy after beating Egypt's Omar Abdel
Meguid in the final of the PSA Challenger 15 squash event at
Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin.
Second
seed 'Wan' Adnan, the world No40 from Terengganu, claimed his final
berth after defeating unseeded American Christopher Gordon in the
semis, while third seed Meguid battled for 63 minutes to unseat top seed
Chris Simpson.
"The
first two games of the final were fiercely-contested - but Mohamed was
just that much fresher in the last two games and ran out a 3/1 victor,"
said event spokesman Dan Zilic.
"Adnan
was over the moon with his win and he is eager to return next year,"
added Zilic after the Malaysian's 13-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-2 victory in 57
minutes.
A
despondent Meguid said: "It's been a long week for me and I think it
could have gone to five if I had been a bit fresher. But Mohamed was the
better player on the day and deservedly won."
Adnan,
who now boasts seven PSA Tour titles, added: "I will relax now after a
long week. Ireland has been good to me, it's a great tournament for me,
and let's hope that Cannon Kirk Homes, the sponsors, can support the
event again next year."
Perry
To Meet Fernandes In Irish Final
Top Irish Squash player Madeline Perry faced her sternest test yet when
she took on young Welsh qualifier Deon Saffery. Despite a forty position
difference in ranking - Perry is the current world number 11 and Saffery
is the world number 51 - Saffery matched the experienced periods for
long periods of the match.
The first two games were close affairs, Perry took the first game 12:10
while Saffery took game two by the same scoreline. The crowd was
certainly surprised by Saffery’s resilience, but Perry took the next two
games 11:5 and 11: to make her tenth Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open final.
She’ll face Nicolette Fernandes of Guyana in tomorrow’s final, which
will take place in Dublin’s prestigious Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
Perry
Makes Semis, While Gaskin's Run Ends
Watchers throughout the world were treated to some high-energy Squash
live on aertv.ie - with <Chris Collins, Damian O'Reilly and Dan Zilic
reporting live on the action.
The day kicked off with Emily Whitlock beating Emma Beddoes in a tough
four game encounter, and Chris Simpson fulfilled his number one seeding
when overcoming qualifier Jens Schoor in four. Nicolette Fernandes
caused the first significant upset beating Samantha Teran of Mexico in
straight games, but Omar Abdel Meguid got himself out of trouble in the
second against Lucas Serme to win in four.
The the Irish heroes took to the court - and Madeline Perry justified
her number one ranking with a comprehensive victory over Misaki
Kobayashi of Japan. The crowd were therewith perfectly warmed up for the
next Irish encounter, featuring yesterday's hero Arthur Gaskin. Gaskin
showed terrific spirit in his match against Chris Gordon, and remarkably
scored ten points in a row when he came back form 1:4 down in the second
to take it 11:4. But the efforts took their toll, and despite having
Irish Squash legend Derek Ryan in his corner, Arthur lost in four tough
games
Perry Advances to Quarter-Finals,
While Blake Suffers Shock Defeat
Madeline Perry kept Irish interest alive
in the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open 2013. Facing a tricky and talented
Egyptian Mariam Metwally, Perry steadied herself after winning a shaky
first game in the tie-break, and ran out a comfortable 3:0 win in the
end. “The first game was a bit bouncy and I hadn't quite found my
range,” said Perry, “but once I did I think I was able to break her down
quite nicely. Everyone has been telling me all day that she is really
good, so I was definitely on my toes.”
Aisling Blake, who was in Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club yesterday to
support Squash’s bid for the Olympics in 2020 together with Senator and
former Olympian Eamonn Coghlan, was off the pace today and was duly
beaten by Welsh number two Deon Saffrey in 30 minutes. The Dublin-born
Irish Champion was seeded three in this tournament, and there was talk
of a re-match of the Irish Championships finals between Perry and Blake
in the semis. Alas, it was not to be. But Perry sees her win as an ideal
preparation for the tournament: "Today, mid-way through the third I
began thinking that this is a really good opening match for me. I don't
like if it's too easy, I think a good tough first round match helps me
for the rest of the tournament." Reason enough to remain optimistic that
Irish interests remain until the final day!
Eamonn Coghlan and Aisling Blake “Back
the Bid”, While Metwally
Upsets Huber
Eamonn Coghlan
and Aisling Blake “Back the Bid”
Eamonn Coghlan, the three time Irish Olympian and former World
Champion over 5000 metres, took time out of his busy schedule as
Irish Senator, to back Squash’s bid for inclusion into the 2020
Olympics. Coghlan was supported by no-one other than Aisling Blake,
the current world number 23, reigning Irish champion and President
of the Women’s Squash Association.
And while there were no Irish players in action today, the outcome
of two matches was to determine who both Madeline Perry and Aisling
Blake were to face tomorrow when the main draw begins. Perry will be
facing Mariam Metwally, the young Egyptian who caused the upset of
the day by beating top qualifying seed Gaby Huber 3:0 in 38 minutes.
While Madeline Perry is 65 positions ahead of Metwally in the
current world ranking, the impressive result gives Madeline reason
to be cautious. Aisling Blake on the other hand will face Deon
Saffrey, after the Welsh number two beat Austrian number one Birgit
Coufal.
There were no upsets in the men’s qualifying today, but plenty of
close calls. Malaysian Ivan Yuen took five sets to overcome
Alejandro Garbi Caro of Spain, while Lucas Serme took two minutes
longer to beat Joel Hinds by three games to two. Serme found himself
two games down, and after winning the third 11:9, took control of
the match. At 9:10 down in the fifth Jens Schoor of Germany endured
some nervous moments when his talented opponent Alex Phillips was
hitting winner after winner, but Schoor strung together three points
to take the match 3:2. The evening ended with style when young Zahed
Mohamed took to the court against Johan Bouquet, giving the crowd
and his opponent a lesson in Egyptian Squash. Bouquet will not have
minded losing as he drew the lucky loser spot, after Mark Krajcsak
pulled out of the main draw.
The main draw begins Wednesday at 2pm at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis
Club. Entry to all matches is free.
