Marsh McLennan
Apawamis Open 2003
10-13 Jan 2002, New York, USA, $20k/$25k
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Finals:
RAZIK AND GRINHAM TAKE
APAWAMIS TITLES
In a sensational climax to the first
international squash circuit event of the New Year, third-seeded
Australian Natalie Grinham claimed the women's title and Canadian
qualifier Shahir Razik took the men's trophy in the Marsh &
McLennan Apawamis Open in Rye, USA.
Grinham, the Netherlands-based 24-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland,
won her maiden WISPA World Tour title in convincing style - first
despatching the USA's top-seeded world No3 Natalie Pohrer in straight
games in the semi-finals (a remarkable victory in just 20 minutes after
overcoming an 8-0 lead by Pohrer in the first game!), then outgunning
England's Rebecca Macree, the No2 seed, 9-0 9-5 5-9 9-1 in the
emotionally-charged 55-minute final.
"Natalie played very solid squash and made few mistakes," said a
spokesman for the Apawamis Club. "She put Rebecca under a lot of
pressure with her volley drops."
Grinham was playing in only her third WISPA final, and the first for
almost two years - while Macree, the world No9 from London, was
celebrating her 21st final appearance.
The all-Canadian men's final produced an even more dramatic upset as
qualifier Razik, the 25-year-old world No40 from Toronto, beat
experienced fifth-seeded compatriot Graham Ryding, the Pan Am
Games champion also from Toronto and ranked 18 places higher, 15-11
12-15 15-12 15-10 in 90 minutes.
Razik had earlier overcome fellow qualifier Davide Bianchetti in the
semi-finals after showing his promise in the first round where he
dismissed top-seeded Welshman Alex Gough. Razik's victory marks the
fourth PSA Tour title of his career, and a memorable win over his
Canadian rival to whom he has lost at least three times in recent
National Championships. |
Natalie Grinham
Shahier Razik
NATS the way to do
it |
Women's Apawamis Open 2003, $20k |
1st Round
Fri 10th |
Quarters Sat 11th |
Semis Sun
12th |
Final Mon
13th |
[1]
Natalie Pohrer (Usa)
9/1, 9/4, 9/3
[Q] Salma Shabana (Egy) |
Natalie Pohrer
9/1, 9/3, 9/6
Vicky Botwright |
Natalie Pohrer
10/8,
9/4,
9/1
Natalie Grinham |
Natalie Grinham
9/0, 9/5, 5/9, 9/1
Rebecca Macree |
[5]
Vicky Botwright (Eng)
9/1, 9/7, 9/4
[LL] Meredith Quick (Usa) |
[3]
Natalie Grinham (Aus)
9/3, 9/3, 9/0
[Q] Rebecca Botwright (Eng) |
Natalie Grinham
w/o
Madeline Perry |
[7]
Madeline Perry (Irl)
9/7, 9/2, 9/3
[Q] Heidi Mather (Aus) |
[6]
Ellen Petersen (Den)
9/1, 9/6, 9/6
Shabana Khan (Usa) |
Ellen Petersen
9/6, 9/5, 9/3
Stephanie Brind |
Stephanie Brind
9/2,
9/4,
9/0
Rebecca Macree |
[4]
Stephanie Brind (Eng)
9/2, 9/2, 9/2
[Q] Lara Petera (Nzl) |
[8]
Latasha Khan (Usa)
9/7, 10/8, 9/2
Jenny Duncalf (Eng) |
Jenny Duncalf
9/6, 9/3, 10/8
Rebecca Macree |
[2]
Rebecca Macree (Eng)
10/8, 2/9, 9/3, 9/0
Wendy Maitland (Sco) |
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Men's Apawamis Open 2003 $25k |
1st Round
Fri 10th |
Quarters Sat 11th |
Semis Sun
12th |
Final Mon
13th |
[1] Alex
Gough (Wal)
9/15, 9/15, 15/2, 15/10, 15/12
[Q] Shahier Razik (Can) |
Shahier Razik
15/12, 15/10, 5/15, 15/14
Stephen Meads |
Shahier Razik
12/15,
15/8,
15/10,
15/7
Davide Bianchetti |
Shahier Razik
15/11, 12/15, 15/12, 15/10
Graham Ryding
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[7]
Stephen Meads (Eng)
15/9, 15/12, 15/7
John Williams (Aus) |
[3] Nick
Taylor (Eng)
15/9, 15/4, 9/15, 15/8
[Q] Lee Drew (Eng) |
Nick Taylor
15/9, 15/7, 15/8
Davide Bianchetti |
[8]
Stefan Casteleyn (Bel)
15/11, 15/12, 15/13
[Q] Davide Bianchetti (Ita) |
Rodney
Durbach (Rsa)
15/9, 15/10, 15/7
[5] Graham Ryding (Can) |
Graham Ryding
15/12, 15/5, 15/12
Renan Lavigne |
Graham Ryding
15/7,
14/15,
15/11,
15/8
Olli Tuominen |
[Q] Mike
Hopkins (Eng)
15/10, 15/11, 15/9
[4] Renan Lavigne (Fra) |
Wael El
Hindi (Egy)
14/15, 15/11, 15/6, 9/15, 15/13
[6] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) |
Gregory Gaultier
11/15, 15/9, 13/15, 15/6, 15/14
Olli Tuominen |
Tommy
Berden (Ned)
10/15, 10/15, 15/9, 15/12, 15/10
[2] Olli Tuominen (Fin) |
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RESULTS & Reports |
Finals |
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Finals:
RAZIK AND GRINHAM TAKE
APAWAMIS TITLES
In a thrilling 90-minute men's final at the
Apawamis Club in Rye, New York, qualifier Shahier Razik claimed the
Marsh McLennan title, defeating fellow Canadian 15/11, 12/15, 15/12,
15/10.
In the women's final Australia's
Natalie Grinham claimed her first WISPA title, playing near-faultless
squash to beat Rebecca Macree 9/0, 9/5, 5/9, 9/1 in 55 minutes.
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Semi-Finals |
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ALL-CANADIAN MEN'S FINAL AS
GRINHAM SHOCKS POHRER
The men's final at the Apawamis club will be an all-Canadian affair,
as Shahier Razik emerged victorious from the battle of the
qualifiers against Davide Bianchetti, and Graham Ryding
overcame second seed Olli Tuominen.
In the women's event Australia's Natalie
Grinham produced an upset victory over top seed Natalie Pohrer,
and will meet Rebecca Macree in the final after Macree won her
all-English semi-final against Stephanie Brind.
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Quarter-Finals |
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QUALIFIERS CARRY ON IN RYE
Qualifiers Shahier Razik and Davide
Bianchetti continued their impressive runs in the Apawamis Open in
Rye, New York, and will meet for a place in the final. Razik followed
up his first round dismissal of top seed Alex Gough with a 3/1 victory
over Stephen Meads, while Bianchetti scored a 3/0 win over third seed
Nick Taylor.
In the other semi-final Olli Tuominen, who
fought back from two games down in the first round, just pipped
Gregory Gaultier 5/14 in the fifth to set up a meeting with fifth seed
Graham Ryding.
In the women's event the top four seeds all
scored comfortable victories - especially third seed Natalie Grinham,
who received a walkover after Madeline Perry hurt her back during
morning practice.
POHRER STAYS ON TRACK
Top seed Natalie Pohrer, going for her third
successive WISPA title, saw off the challenge of Vicky Botwright.
"Natalie's
playing really well at the
minute," said Botwright, "holding the ball and
hitting with pace. I was having trouble
playing my game and was retrieving all the
time. In the third game I got into it slightly
and she also made some unforced errors. But it wasn't good enough on my
part."
More on Vicky's site,
www.vickybotwright.com
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First
Round |
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MEN'S TOP SEEDS IN
TOPSY-TURVY THRILLERS
The top seeds in the men's $25k event at the
Apawamis club were both involved in five-game thrillers in the first
round. Top seed Alex Gough cruised into a 2-0 lead over qualifier
Shahier Razik, but the Canadian staged a comeback to win the next
three and remove Wales' world number 17.
It was a similar story at the
bottom half of the draw, but this time it was the seed coming from two
games down to move into the quarter-finals. Dutchman Tommy Berden took
a 2-0 lead over second seed Olli Tuominen, but couldn't hold on as the
Finn fired back to take it in five.
Italy's Davide Bianchetti was
another qualifier to make the quarters, beating Stefan Casteleyn in
straight games.
In the women's event the only
seed to fall was the USA's Latasha Khan, beaten by England's Jenny
Duncalf.
Results provided by
Tommy Berden
www.tommyberden.com
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Qualifying
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Women's Qualifying Finals:
Rebecca Botwright bt Eman El Amir 9/5, 9/3, 9/2
Heidi Mather bt Runa Reta 9/6, 9/3, 9/4
Salma Shabana bt Meredith Quick 9/7, 9/0, 9/3
Lara Petera bt Laura Lengthorn 7/9, 9/6, 9/7, 9/4
(Quick is 'Lucky Loser', replacing Kate Allison in main draw)
Women's qualifying
first round :
EMAN EL AMIR (EGY) (1) bt
FRANIA GILLEN-BUCHERT (SCO) 9/3, 9/5, 9/0
REBECCA BOTWRIGHT (ENG) bt DANA BETTS (CAN) (7)
9/1, 9/3, 9/1
RUNA RETA (CAN) bt MELISSA MARTIN (AUS) (3)
9/6, 2/9, 4/9, 9/3, 9/5
HEIDI MATHER (AUS) (5) bt JULIA BEAVER (USA)
(local) 9/4, 9/0, 9/5
MEREDETH QUICK (USA) (8) bt LOUISE LEFEBVRE (CAN) bt
9/1, 10/9, 9/0
SALMA SHABANA (EGY) bt AMELIA PITTOCK (AUS) (4)
9/6, 9/0, 9/1
LAURA LENGTHORN (ENG) (6) bt LINE HANSEN (DEN)
9/5, 9/6, 6/9, 10/9
LARA PETERA (NZL)
(2) bt LILY LORENTZEN (USA) (local)
9/1, 9/0, 9/2
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