Paul Coll and Hania El Hammamy are the 2019 Edinburgh Sports Club
Open champions after comprehensive victories in today's finals.
Hammamy, the second seed, completed a full set of three-nil wins as
she beat top seeded American Olivia Blatchford Clyne, taking the
early initiative as she took both opening games 11-5.
The third was closer as the the 18-year-old Egyptian edged ahead
from 3-all, but although she maintained the lead she wasn't able to
break away as Olivia worked hard to stay in touch. Hania reached
match ball at 10-8 and needed just one chance as she put it a
precision drop to claim her third, and biggest, PSA title.
"I think I controlled the first two games well," said Hania, "but
the third was really close and I had to work hard to stay ahead, I
really didn't ant it to go to a fourth.
"I think I've played well this week, it will give me confidence
going into some important tournaments coming up. And it's my biggest
PSA win, so I'm really happy!"
Coll took on England's James Willstrop, and the match followed a
similar patter to yesterday's semi-final against Daryl Selby, the
Kiwi getting the better of the opening games but making his opponent
work so hard in those that the third was more comfortable.
"I didn't play badly at all," said Selby after the semi-final, "but
I just couldn't make much impression on him, even when he was out of
position he would still get there."
It was a similar story today and Willstrop, feeling the effect of
some brutal rallies at the end of the second, went 0-6 down in the
third. As the end approached Willstrop asked for a let ... "it's got
to be, I'm two-nil down and getting hammered," he pleaded, and the
ref (from Yorkshire) agreed. It was only a stay of execution though
a Coll wrapped up the title soon enough.
"It's been a really good weekend," said the new champion, "the
atmosphere has been great from the start and I've loved playing on
this court with a big crowd, even if not many of them were
supporting me!
"The timing was good too, getting some tough matches in the buildup
to the worlds to thanks to the club and the organisers, if the
schedule allows I'll definitely be back next year."
Full coverage with match replays, photos galleries and more :
http://edinburghopensquash.com/
Top seeds Paul Coll and James Willstrop - both making their first
appearance at the event - beat former champions Daryl Selby and Alan
Clyne in contrasting semi-finals to guarantee a new Edinburgh Sports
Club Open men's champion.
Willstrop took over an hour to deny Clyne, the 2016 and 2017
champion, and a brutal first game accounted for half of that time.
Having taken it 16-14 Willstrop 'hit a bit of a wall' in the second
as Clyne levelled 11-2. The third was again close, and when
Willstrop took it 11-9 it felt decisive and so it proved as the
Englishman established a winning lead in the fourth, before holding
off a Clyne comeback to end a run of three Scottish champions.
"That first game was so tough," admitted James, "there wasn't a lot
I could do in the second, but coming back to take the third was
crucial in the end. Winning that gave me a boost of impetus and
confidence, but it's always tough on club courts like this. I need
to recover now, whoever I play in the final it's going to be a tough
one."
Selby has won the event five times and is well accustomed to ESC's
court five, but tonight Kiwi Coll, the new world #6, took an early
lead in the opening game and held Selby's courtcraft in check as he
won in straight game, accelerating through the third.
"It's great fun playing here, the crowd really gets involved even if
they're not on my side," said Paul. "It's always a tough match with
Daryl but I was pleased with how I played. I'm looking forward to
playing James in the final, it's always a good clean and enjoyable
but tricky match against him."
Women's Semis :Top seeds storm through to women's final
The PSA Challenger 20 women's final will be contested by the top
seeds after impressive semi-final wins by Olivia Blatchford Clyne
and Hania El Hammamy at Edinburgh Sports Club on Saturday evening.
Blatchford Clyne was up against England's unseeded Rachael Chadwick,
who had produced the only two seeding upsets in the draw to reach
this stage. Her run was ended though as the American #2 raced to a
three-nil win in just over half an hour.
From 3-all in the first Olivia didn't concede another point, and
established good leads in each of the next two. In both Rachael
closed the gap but couldn't quite get on terms as Olivia closed out
the match.
"Rachael appeared out of nowhere for the world juniors in Chennai 09
and you could see she was a bit different, and very effective," said
Olivia. "She's had some good results so I knew I had to be onto it
from the start, I'm just pleased to win and especially pleased to
make my first final since Colombia two years ago.
"Recently I've only played the bigger tournaments and I've had a run
of only getting one game, so it's also good to know that I'll be
having four matches in a row here!"
Second seeded Hammamy, the newly re-crowned British Junior Open U19
Champion, was in devastating form against Alexandra Fuller, the
South African falling behind early in each of the three games and
never able to catch up as Hania piled on the pressure and kept the
flow of winners rolling.
"I played Alex three years ago and it was tough, so I knew I had to
be sharp from the beginning," said Hania. "I'm pleased with how i
played, I had a game plan and I'm glad I was able to stick to it and
not lose focus.
"Olivia and I have played three times and it's 2-1 to me, so it
should be a good final tomorrow."
Full coverage with streaming and galleries : http://edinburghopensquash.com/
The opening men’s quarter-final was a much anticipated all-Scottish
clash between Greg Lobban and Alan Clyne, who between them have won the
last three titles with Lobban coming in as the defending champion.
Clyne managed to control the play for the most part, taking both opening
games 11-8 then dominating the fourth after a threatened Lobban
comeback.
“Greg’s been playing well and getting some great results,” said Clyne,
“so it’s really pleasing to be able to get a win over him. Hopefully I
can go on to regain the title and keep it in Scottish hands.
Englishman James Willstrop and five-time champion Daryl Selby beat
compatriots Patrick Rooney and George Parker in straight games, with
second seed Willstrop set to meet Clyn for a place in the final while
Selby meets new World #6 Paul Coll after the top-seeded Kiwi ended the
run of unseeded home favourite Rory Stewart 11-7, 11-7, 11-7.
Women: Chadwick gatecrashes the semis
Rachael Chadwick recorded her “best ever win” to oust 2015 champion and
third seed Fiona Moverley in a nailbiting five-setter to open the
quarter-finals at Edinburgh Sports Club.
Each game was desperately close, with Chadwick fighting back from
deficits in the fourth to earn a couple of match balls, and in the fifth
on her way to a first victory over a top 30 player.
“I can’t believe I did that after the fourth,” she said, “I thought I’d
blown it but managed to come back again in the fifth. Biggest win of my
career, I’m really really pleased!”
She’ll meet top seed Olivia Blatchford Clyne who won a close four game
tussle against fellow American Olivia Fiechter - their first matchup!
In the bottom half of the draw Egyptian second seed Hania El Hammamy
beat Satomi Watanabe in straight games while South African fourth seed
Alexandra Fuller came through in five games to deny Enora Villard.
Women's Quarterfinalists decides as five Scotsmen advance to face
seeds
Thursday evening at Edinburgh Sports Club saw yesterday’s women’s
winners take on the seeded players as they bid to reach the
quarters, plus eight men’s matches to decide who was pitted against
the men’s seeds.
Seven of the women’s matches went to seeding, the exception being
Rachael Chadwick’s straight games win over 7th seed Menna Hamed, and
she faces a quarter-final against the only other Englishwoman left,
2015 champion and third seed Fiona Moverley, who almost let two big
leads slip as she beat Salma Youssef in straight games.
South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller also won in three, but the fourth
seed had to come from 3-10 down in the first and 7-10 in the third
to see off Farah Momen. She meets sixth seeded Frenchwoman Enora
Villard, who survived a really tough five-setter against Jasmine
Hutton.
An American semi-finalist is guaranteed after top seed Olivia
Blatchford Clyne and Olivia Fiechter both won impressively -
Feichter ending the run of local heroine Georgia Adderley in
straight games.
The sole Egyptian success came as second seed Hania El Hammamy
accelerated away from Anna Serme after a close first game, setting
up a quarter-final against Japan’s fifth seed Satomi Watanabe who
ended hopes of home success with a four game win over AllyThomson.
There were five home victories in the men’s matches as Kevin Moran,
Dougie Kempsell, Jamie Henderson, Rory Stewart and Fergus Richards
all booked matches against the seeds tomorrow, Richards having the
hardest run as he overcame former British O35 champion Darren Lewis
in a 72-minute five game marathon.
Day three comprises men's round two from noon, then the women's and
men's quarter-finals starting at 15.30, all on court five.
The 2019 edition of the Edinburgh Sports Club Open got under way in the
Scottish capital with eight first round matches in the Women’s PSA
Challenger 20 event.
There were two home wins as home club wildcard Georgia Adderley came
through a tough five-setter against Clhoe Mesic and Alison Thomson beat
Nadia Pfister in straight games. It wasn’t to be a home hat-trick though
as Anna Serme beat Elspeth Young in three, to claim her first ever
Edinburgh win after many attempts!
Recently crowned British U23 Open champion Jasmine Hutton came from a
game down to upset Milnay Louw, further English success came as Rachael
Chadwick got the better of Tessa ter Sluis in five games and Kace
Bartley beat Wales’ Ali Loke in three.
There were two Egyptian winners, Salma Youssef and Farah Momen booking
their places in tomorrow’s round two which sees the top eight seeds
enter the fray.