Tue 09 Dec, Round One:

Chiu Cannot Capitalise,
as Bailey & Duncalf crash out
Colin McQuillan reports from Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s diminutive Rebecca Chiu started brilliantly against Rebecca Macree of England in the longest match of today’s opening round of the Credit Suisse Privilege Women’s World Open Championship, advancing on her home showcourt at the Hong Kong Squash Centre to a 7-1 lead in the first game, but she sacrificed the early advantage to lose 9-7 9-5 7-9 9-4 in 69 minutes.

The 25-year-old World No17 was knocked off her stride by a racket clip to the left ear as the ninth seed fought determinedly back to 7-7, collecting a warning for aggressive pushing along the way. Chiu was granted three minutes rest time to recover from the discomfort, but spent most of the time obsessing about the lost lead.

“I was angry and crying a bit,” she admitted. “My mind was all over the place when I went back on. I just could not hit a proper length, which meant Macree was always able to force the pace against me.”

She was 0-6 down in the second when Macree attracted a conduct stroke for pushing that brought the home player back into the match with two points gained from the incident. A similar double-point refereeing decision at 7-7 in the third game actually ended the game in Chiu’s favour, but she could not maintain the break-back as Macree settled into more disciplined style for the fourth game.

Up on the back courts Australia’s Toowoomba born Grinham sisters were in more impatient mood, polishing off a brace of English qualifiers in a manner that seemed to have more to do with outplaying each other than their opponents.

Cairo based Rachael Grinham, the third seeded British Open Champion, defeated Alison Waters 9-3 9-1 9-2 in precisely 26 minutes. Amsterdam based Natalie Grinham, the seventh seeded Dutch Open Champion, defeated Vicky Lankester 9-0 9-0 9-3 in 25 minutes and 55 seconds.

“I am today’s Toowoomba Champion,” declared Natalie to her mother, who has travelled from the Queensland town for a rare chance to see both her daughters playing in a world championship.

Rather less enthusiasm was obvious in the English camp later when first their 16th seed, Jenny Duncalf, went down tamely 9-7 9-5 9-2 in 32 minutes to Ireland’s unseeded Madeline Perry, then their eighth seed, Tania Bailey, was forced to stop when leading Isabelle Stoehr of France 9-0 and 4-0 when a severe accidental racket blow to the bridge of her nose left her bleeding and disoriented.

After an extended break Bailey said: “I feel sick and my legs won’t stop shaking. All I want to do is go to bed.” In fact she was whisked away to hospital with breathing problems and was thought likely to need stitches.

Stoehr progresses to a second round match against England’s Fiona Geaves, who today defeated Belgium qualifier Kim Hannes-Teunen 9-5 9-1 9-1 in 22 minutes. In the adjacent slot at the bottom of the draw Natalie Grainger, the second seed from The USA who today removed England’s Laura Lengthorn 9-5 9-7 9-1 in 27 minutes, will face Malaysia’s unseeded Nicol David, who defeated Omneya Abdel Kawy, the 14th seed from Egypt, 9-0 9-2 9-3 in 20 minutes.

In the next quarter Perry goes to Linda Charman, the fifth seed from England who today defeated Annelize Naude of Holland 9-1 9-2 9-4 in 22 minutes, while the fourth seeded Englishwoman Cassie Jackman defeated Sharon Wee of Malaysia 9-7 4-9 9-7 9-5 to meet Shelley Kitchen, the 9-1 9-2 9-4 victor in an all-New Zealand clash with Tamsyn Leevey.

Rachael Grinham will play England’s Jenny Tranfield, the 10th seed who brushed aside Scotland’s Pamela Nimmo 9-0 9-2 9-1 in 24 minutes, in the quarter where Macree meets Vanessa Atkinson of The Netherlands, who dealt with another Scot, Wendy Maitland, 9-2 9-2 9-4 in 23 minutes.

Natalie Grinham will play England’s 12th seeded Stephanie Brind, who defeated Latasha Khan of The USA 9-7 9-4 9-4 in 26 minutes, in the same quarter where the top seeded Carol Owens of New Zealand plays England’s Vicky Botwright, a 46 minute 9-5 9-6 5-9 9-1 winner over Engy Kheirallah of Egypt, with Owens defeating Pakistan’s Carla Khan 9-7 9-6 9-3 in 24 minutes.
 

 

 

 


Macree knocks Chiu
off her stride ...

 

 


Rebecca Chiu

Round One:
[1] Carol Owens (NZL) bt  [Q] Carla Khan (PAK)  9-2 9-6 9-3 (24min)
[11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 9-5 9-6 5-9 9-1 (46min)
[7] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt  [Q] Vicky Lankester (ENG) 9-0 9-0 9-3 (26min)
[12] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt Latasha Khan (USA) 9-7 9-4 9-4 (20min)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Alison Waters (ENG) 9-3 9-1 9-2 (26min)
[10] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt  Pamela Nimmo (SCO)  9-0 9-2 9-1 (24min)
[6] Vanessa Atkinson (NED)  bt  [Q] Wendy Maitland (SCO)  9-2 9-2 9-4 (23min)
[9] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt  Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-7 9-5 7-9 9-4 (69min)
Madeline Perry (IRL)  bt  [16] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)  9-7 9-5 9-2 (32min)
[5] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Annelize Naude (NED)  9-1 9-2 9-4 (23min)
[15] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [Q] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL)  9-1 9-2 9-4  (20min)
[4] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt Sharon Wee (MAS)  9-7 4-9 9-7 9-5 (31min)
[13] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt [Q] Kim Hannes-Teunen (BEL) 9-5 9-1 9-1 (22min)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [8] Tania Bailey (ENG)  4-9 0-4 ret. inj
Nicol David (MAS)  bt [14] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-0 9-2 9-3 (20min)
[2] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt  [Q] Laura Lengthorn (ENG)  9-5 9-7 9-1 (27min)