“Fantastic display from David to win the Nordic Junior Open U19. He played impeccable almost faultless squash leaving the young Israeli star Daniel Poleshchuk no.1 seed without any idea of how to respond. Daniel is a super squash player with all the crowd pleasing shots. David’s strategy was simple, to give him no opportunity to attack, anytime Daniel had a go David was alert and dealt with it sending the ball back right down the wall. So tight that on a number of occasions even a player of Daniel’s undoubted quality could even not return the ball – scraping the plaster and fresh air off the wall. David played this final perfectly and Daniel needs to reflect and learn that there are at least two ways to play squash. David has stepped up to U19 squash and it looks like he will be the dominant player while he is eligible, we should be 
very proud of his and his dad, Eoin’s achievements ” written by Henry Gillanders
There were 13 other Irish players who travelled to the Nordic Junior open with many achieving impressive top 10 finishes. Ellie McVeigh narrowly missed the U13’s final with a close 3-2 defeat against Ukrainian Europe no 1 finishing 3rd
Dylan and Conor Moran both finished 3rd in their respective boys U11 and U13 events
Michael Craig finished 5th in the U19’s displaying some of his usual mesmeric squash.
Luke Logan finished a very respectful 5th in U15 boys event.
Well Done to all!!
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Quarter-final line-up: [1] Nicol David (MAS) v [8] Madeline Perry (IRL) [4] Alison Waters (ENG) v [5] Joelle King (NZL) [3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [9] Kasey Brown (AUS)
Madeline Perry, the No8 seed,
who recovered from a game down to beat Dane Line Hansen 6-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8 in 41 minutes.
“She started well, her length was better than mine and I just couldn’t get control of any rallies,” said Perry, the 36-year-old world No9. “But I felt much better from the start of the second.
“I’ve been struggling with a knee injury for the last couple of months, so it’s just nice to be playing again. I’m looking forward to the quarter-finals and having another rest day can’t hurt!”
Madeline now meets Nicol David, world No. 1 who is bidding to become the first player to defend the title for over 20 years. A tough ask for Madeline but one she will not shirk from! Good Luck Madeline!
In the 1st round Aisling Blake went out to Alison Walters, England’s No4 seed. Alison was back at her best winning 11-7, 11-6, 11-3. “Aisling was playing 
well and finding her length from the start,” admitted the world No4 from London (pictured right with Blake). “It took me a while to find my range. It’s always a bit of an unknown quantity in your opening match, but I’m glad to get through in three and looking forward to the rest of the tournament now.”
Also in the 1st round Eighth seed Madeline Perry was given a scare by Tesni Evans, a 20-year-old Welsh qualifier making her maiden appearance in the event. Experienced Irish number one Perry led 2/0, but plucky Evans fought back to draw level.
The 36-year-old world No9 dug deep, however, to regain the advantage and close out the match 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-5 after 67 minutes.
Other news from the 2nd round –
England’s Alison Waters admitted that it was a ‘patchy’ performance that saw the fourth seed survive her second round encounter with Australia’s Donna Urquhart in the Women’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open Championship, the Women’s Squash Association World Series Platinum event which – for the first time ever – is providing equal prize money to the men’s event.
Waters, the world No4, went into the match at Drexel University in Philadelphia boasting a 4/1 career head-to-head record over the left-hander from New South Wales, ranked 21 places lower.
But the Londoner squandered an 8-3 lead in the opening game to allow Urquhart to win the next eight points in a row to take an unlikely one game lead. Waters upped her game to take the next two to go 2/1 up – but Urquhart came out firing in the fourth to level the match. in the 5th, the Australian underdog drew level at seven-all. Two careless tins from the Englishwoman put Urquhart within two points of the match – but three crisp winners later gave Waters match-ball at 10-9.
A stroke saw Urquhart draw level at 10-all – but Waters converted her next match-ball to finally secure her 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10 win after 58 minutes.
“Donna played well, but I was pretty patchy throughout,” admitted Waters. “I’m just glad to have got through!”
Waters now faces fifth seed Joelle King, the world No5 from New Zealand who defeated England’s Sarah Kippax 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.
“I had a close match against Nouran (Gohar) in the first round, and that was probably just the kick up the bum I needed,” admitted 25-year-old King afterwards. “I’m glad I was able to come out and play much better today, even if I did make a few errors at the start.”
Favourite Nicol David maintained her ‘clean sheet’ in the event by beating Camille Serme 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 in a repeat of her victory over the fast-improving French number one in last week’s Carol Weymuller Openfinal in New York.
“I was really pumped up for this, ready to give my best,” said the world number one from Malaysia (pictured above in action with Serme) after extending her career head-to-head record over world No10 Serme to 10-0.
“We played last week and she was playing really well, so I knew she would be fired up for it. I managed to settle and get into my game but it wasn’t easy, she played well again.”
RESULTS: Women’s Delaware Investments US Open, Philadelphia, USA
2nd round (top half of draw): [1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [10] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (36m) [8] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [15] Line Hansen (DEN) 6-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8 (41m) [4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [12] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10 (58m) [5] Joelle King (NZL) bt [13] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (31m)
2nd round (lower half of draw): [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [16] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 2-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (40m) [3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [11] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (50m) [9] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 12-10 (41m) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [14] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 6-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-7 (44m)
Event website: www.usopensquash.com
The International German Masters 2013 was held in Berlin on 5th and 6th Oct at the Airport Squash and Fitness Club. Among the entries from fourteen countries were three Irish players, Brian Mahon, Terry Norman, and Myron Evans.
eventually lost 3-1 to Christian Grobler.
Derek Ryan and Brian Byrne
In the Men’s A Final, Derek Ryan showed once again that he is still the one to beat when he put in an impressive performance to beat Brian Byrne 3-1 in the final at Silversprings. Despite Byrne’s fabulous retrieving of seemingly ungettable balls, it was the Dubliner who dictated the rallies for the greater part of the match. In a step-up from their semi-final performances neither player made many errors and in the end it came down to the range and class of Ryans array of squash shots. The trade-mark drops were always ‘clung to the wall’ and almost all ‘lengths’ really were played to length. Added to his lob and unpredictable cross-court shots on this occasion at least he proved too much of a handful for his opponent.
Derek Ryan (Fitzwilliam) beat Brian Byrne (Claremorris)
3-1 (13/11;5/11;11/8;11/9)
Eleanor Lapthorn and Ciara Moloney
In the Ladies A Final Eleanor Lapthorne made a welcome return to this competition and ran out a 3-0 winner against an under-par Ciara Moloney who never got her A game going. Lapthorne was the quicker player to settle into the match and overall managed to do better with lengths, drops and the occasional boast. Although Moloney served well, especially to the back-hand, she rarely pushed home the advantage of a loose return. Overall the Cork player hit the firmed strikes and appeared to adapt better to the warm court conditions. Characteristically Lapthorne was quite happy to go for the winner as soon as it appeared ‘on’. Moloney can add this runner-up spot to her similar finish at the Curragh Open recently so will not be too disappointed with her weekend.
Click on links below to view full draw and results on the tournament software site.
| Competition | Winner | Runner-up | ||
| Ladies A | Eleanor Lapthorne (Highfield) | Ciara Moloney (Carlow L.T.C.) | ||
| Men’s A | Derek Ryan (Fitzwilliam) | Brian Byrne (Claremorris) | ||
| Men’s A Plate | Neal Pollock (Ballyearl) | Anthony Lyons (Dunhill) | ||
| Men’s B | Martin McDonnell (Highfield) | Mark Gilliland (Ballyearl) | ||
| Men’s C | Geoff Wales (Silversprings) | Ian McLean (Sunday’s Well | ||
| Men’s C Plate | Paul O’Mahony (Highfield) | Maciej Truchan (Gleneagle) | ||
| Men’s D | James Doherty | Noel Walsh (Freshford) | ||
| Men’s C Plate | Brendan Lawton (Highfield) | Mark Power (H’field and U.C.C. | ||
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4 October 2013RESULTS: Carol Weymuller Open, New York, USA
1st round: [1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [8] Kasey Brown (AUS) 6-11, 10-12, 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 [3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [Q] Line Hansen (DEN) 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 [5] Joelle King (NZL) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 [7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Victoria Lust (ENG) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 Camille Serme (FRA) bt [4] Alison Waters (ENG) 11-7, 11-13, 11-4, 11-9 [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-3 [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7
Second seed Laura Massaro successfully began her defence of the title with an 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 win over our own Aisling Blake.
“It was tough going on late, it just felt like a really long day,” said Massaro, the world No2 from Preston who won the trophy last year for the first time after her second appearance in the final. “I’m obviously glad to come through in three. I thought Aisling was feeling the effects of her five setter yesterday. I was catching her out with a few boasts and I just have to be careful with that tomorrow.”
Massaro now faces Malaysia’s No6 seed Low Wee Wern who defeated Guyana qualifier Nicolette Fernandes 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-3.
A tough ask for Aisling vs. the world number 2 especially after her tough 5 setter the day before but hopefully it may will earn her enough points to get inside the top 20 world rankings.
Next up, the big one – US Open in Philly from 9th Oct – 17th.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE IRISH PLAYERS!!
In the other matches, Indian squash star Dipika Pallikal played one of the best games of her life in the opening round of the Carol Weymuller Open in New York when she recovered from two games down – and saved a match-ball in the third – to upset Australia’s No8 seed Kasey Brown and reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s Squash Association Gold 50 event celebrating its 40th anniversary at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn.
“It was the longest and most exciting match of the evening and the only five setter,” said Heights Casino Director of Squash Linda Elriani. “Kasey and Dipika were 4-1 in their head to heads in Kasey’s favour.”
Brown, the US-based world No11, started strongly and managed to contain underdog Pallikal’s shot selection – winning the first two games. In the third, Brown led 9-7 before reaching match-ball at 10-9 – but was unable to convert it as Pallikal, ranked six places lower, dug in to take the game 13-11.
Pallikal took the fourth to set up a decider. “The points were pretty much even all the way through the fifth until 9-9 and Kasey got a no let in the front backhand corner to take Dipika to 10-9 match ball,” Elriani continued. “Dipika took her chance on the first attempt and went through to take the match 3/2.”
A thrilled Pallikal said after her 6-11, 10-12, 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 victory: “I’m really, really, pleased to get through. When my mum told me I was in the main draw, I didn’t believe her as I was thinking that I was going to have to qualify.
“So I wanted to take advantage of being in the main draw. I came all the way to the USA for one tournament as I am playing in Macau, China, in a week’s time,” added the 22-year-old from Chennai.
“I had 3 months off tournaments this summer so I trained with Sarah Fitz-Gerald in Australia, trained with Ritwik (Bhattacharya) in Bombay and in Chennai with my fitness trainer Basu – and I think it made the difference. I’m really thankful to Sarah as she has put a lot of effort in for me and she’ll be really pleased that I won today!”
A disappointed Brown added: “I was 2/0 and had match ball in the third! I knew it was going to be tough and I think I went a little defensive in the third and fourth and in the end she was able to pull it out. She played well.”
Pallikal will go on to meet top seed Nicol David, the world number one form Malaysia who won the title in 2005. The 30-year-old from Penang – eager to make up for a shock quarter-final exit last year – despatched Australia’s Donna Urquhart 11-8, 11-5, 11-4.
Urquhart, returning to full strength after a foot injury, commented: “I feel a little bit disappointed with the way I played. I’m just happy to be back playing again. I was enjoying being on court and I wish I could have been on court longer. I feel keen and I feel like I’m starting over and working on getting back to where I was before I was injured.”
David, looking for a second successive WSA title after winning the Malaysian Open last month, was delighted to have survived the first hurdle: “It’s nice to have a good win in the first round. The first game with Donna she was volleying and reading the game well and I made a few errors. I think I just started to tighten up better at the end of the first and kept solid in the second and third.”
There was another significant upset later when France’s unseeded Camille Serme ousted fourth-seeded English opponent Alison Waters 11-7, 11-13, 11-4, 11-9 – a repeat of last month’s shock straight games Malaysian Open win by Serme over the world No4 from London.
“I’m very happy obviously!” said Serme, the world No10 from Creteil. “Twice I’ve beaten her in three weeks! First in KL and now here!
“I think that she played better here than in KL. The rallies were long and we were both a bit up and down in this match, but it was a good battle. Now I need to go on the bike and then stretch.”
A disconsolate Waters said: “It was close in the first and second. Camille played well. She was hitting her areas well and I wasn’t really in front much. I’m pretty disappointed.”
There were also impressive wins by former champions Raneem El Weleily and Jenny Duncalf. Third seed El Weleily, the 2011 champion, leads Egyptian interest in the quarter-finals after an 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 win over Danish qualifier Line Hansen.
Duncalf, the only two-time winner in the field, beat English compatriot Victoria Lust 11-5, 11-5, 11-4.
“Lusty looked good yesterday in her quali match so I wasn’t taking her lightly,” said 2009 and 2010 champion Duncalf. “Canada seems to be agreeing with her. I was happy I managed to control the ball in the hot conditions.
“I’m happy to be back in Brooklyn. It feels like home!”
Quarter-final line-up: [1] Nicol David (MAS) v Dipika Pallikal (IND) [3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v [5] Joelle King (NZL) Camille Serme (FRA) v [7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS)
For live streaming and all the latest Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
Munster Senior Open 2013:
The 2nd Senior National Tour event takes place this weekend with nearly 70 players entered in 6 sections between Women and Men. There are 3 venues – Silversprings where the Men’s A section is being played, Sunday’s Well and Highfield SC.
The Men’s A and B and the Ladies A are Swiss System while the Men’s C and Men’s D are Proper and Plate (knock-out).
| Competition | Venue Friday Night | Venue Saturday Morning | Venue Saturday Afternoon | Venue Sunday Morning |
| Ladies A | – | Sunday’s Well | Sunday’s Well | Silversprings |
| Men’s A | Silversprings | Silversprings | Silversprings | Mixed see draw |
| Men’s B | Highfield | Highfield | Highfield | Highfield |
| Men’s C | Mixed see draw | Mixed see draw | Mixed see draw | Silversprings |
| Men’s D | Sunday’s Well | Sunday’s Well | Sunday’s Well | Silversprings |
See here for the draw and results.
| Venue: | SW / SS / HF | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: |
|
| Name: | Eddie Murphy |
|---|---|
| Phone: | 0851742190 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| Men’s A, Men’s B, Men’s C, Men’s D, Ladies B, Ladies A |
Friday, October 04, 2013 to Sunday, October 06, 2013
3 October 2013
RESULTS: Carol Weymuller Open, New York, USA
Qualifying finals:
Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Amanda Sobhy (USA) 11-8, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8
Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Samantha Cornett (CAN) 11-3, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6
Line Hansen (DEN) bt Lisa Aitken (ENG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-9
The first qualifying slot was taken by Ireland’s Aisling Blake. In the only match which went the full distance, world No22 Blake recovered from a game down to beat England’s Sarah Kippax, ranked a single place higher, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6.
“It was brutally hot,” exclaimed Dublin-born Blake – who now meets England’s title-holder Laura Massaro in the first round.
“It is the first time that I’ve qualified for the Weymuller so I’m very happy with that! I tried to slow it down against Sarah. We had some brutally long rallies and I did what I needed to so to neutralize her pace. I’m looking forward to playing Laura tomorrow and another great day in Brooklyn Heights!”
England’s Victoria Lust earned her maiden appearance in the main draw of the 40th edition of the Carol Weymuller Open in New York after upsetting higher-ranked Canadian Samantha Cornett in the qualifying finals of the Women’s Squash Association Gold 50 event at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn.
The 24-year-old from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire is enjoying an excellent run of form – and arrived in New York after reaching last month’s final of the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas in Mexico, where she was the fifth seed!
“Sam started off very shaky and couldn’t seem to settle and made a lot of unforced errors and before we knew it Vicky had a 9-1 lead,” explained Heights Casino Director of Squash Linda Elriani. “Sam started to find her game a little but Vicky took advantage of her great lead and took the first 11-3.”
Cornett, ranked 32 in the world – three places higher than Lust – took the second to draw level.
“The third game was crucial and both players were steady and focused,” Elriani continued. “The game stayed even most of the way through until Vicky hit a few perfect volley drops at the right moment to take a small lead of 10-8. Sam did some amazing retrieving to save the first game ball but Vicky ended up taking the third game 11-9.
“In the fourth game, Sam started to step back in the court a little and it gave Vicky the chance to take the ball earlier and really put the pressure on. Vicky kept a lead the whole way though the final game and came through to win it 11-6.”
Lust, who won one of her five WSA titles in the USA at the Liberty Bell Open, but has never before made the main draw of the prestigious Carol Weymuller Open, was delighted with her success: “I feel good and relieved! I’m just happy to win. It’s been hard to win here in the past. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s good experience whoever I play. All the qualifying spots are tough!”
Lust was later drawn to meet fellow countrywoman Jenny Duncalf, the No7 seed and champion in 2008 and 2009. Incredibly, it will be the pair’s first tournament meeting.
Guyana’s Nicolette Fernandes and Dane Line Hansen – both of whom celebrated their world top 20 ranking debuts this month – continued their progress through to the main draw.
Fernandes, the new world No19, defeated local hope Amanda Sobhy, the newly-crowned Pan American champion from New York.
“This was definitely the match of the evening and it was the most attritional and exciting too,” commented Elriani. “All the rallies were fought incredibly hard for by both players and it was a wonderful example of great retrieving and lunging, variation of pace and amazing use of the court. It almost seemed unfair to have one of the players not qualify!”
The 11-8, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8 victory over Harvard student Sobhy takes Fernandes through to a first-ever meeting with sixth-seeded Malaysian Low Wee Wern.
“I feel really good,” said Fernandes after her breakthrough win. “I think it’s the first time that I have qualified for a 16 draw gold tournament! At this point I want to play all the girls and I don’t care who I have to play tomorrow!”
A disappointed Sobhy added: “It was tough! I just wanted to qualify and this is my third year to lose closely in the qualifying finals! I’m going back to Harvard tomorrow to study. Good luck to Nicolette and I’ll play her again at the US Open!”
World No18 Hansen despatched England’s Lisa Aitken, ranked 28 places below, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9.
“I’m really happy to win in three,” said the 30-year-old from Odense. “I think Lisa has improved so much in the last six months and she’ll be one to watch for in the future. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow with no pressure!”
Hansen is drawn to meet Raneem El Weleily, the No3 seed from Egypt against whom she boasts a single win in four Tour meetings.
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[8] Kasey Brown (AUS) v Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v [Q] Line Hansen (DEN)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) v Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Victoria Lust (ENG)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v Camille Serme (FRA)
[6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Aisling Blake (IRL)
For live streaming and all the latest Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
RESULTS: Carol Weymuller Open, New York, USA
1st qualifying round: Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Olga Ertlova (CZE) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Lucie Fialova (CZE) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Latasha Khan (USA) 19-17, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6 Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG) 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-2 ret. Lisa Aitken (ENG) bt Samantha Teran (MEX) 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 Line Hansen (DEN) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 7-11, 11-4, 14-12, 13-11
The WSA Gold 50 Carol Weymuller Open is celebrating its 40th year at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn – and has attracted ten of the world’s top 12 players, led by Malaysia’s world number one Nicol David.
Aisling Blake beat Kylie Lindsay, world no. 43 from New Zealand 3-0. Aisling currently ranked no. 22, up from 25 the previous month, won the match convincingly 11-4, 11-6, 11-3. She played a controlled match hitting a good length and never looked in trouble. She now plays Sarah Kippax who is ranked one place higher at No. 21, to gain entry into the main draw. This should be a close game with both players looking for ranking points to get into the world top 20.
Line Hansen, the 30-year-old from Odense who jumped three places to a career-high world No18, battled for four games and saved game-balls in the third game to beat USA’s former Heights Casino junior Olivia Blatchford 7-11, 11-4, 14-12, 13-11.
“I’m really happy I won,” said Hansen afterwards. “I think Olivia played really well. You have to expect that she’ll hit some lovely shots. Maybe I was a bit slow to get going coming straight from LA.”
When asked about her ranking breakthrough, the Dane commented: “Since I moved to Holland just over a year ago my daily training is better and consequently my results have been better.”
Fernandes, also 30, is celebrating a remarkable comeback after a career-threatening knee injury which saw her ranking plummet to 249! Now a best-ever 19 after starting the year outside the top 30, Fernandes despatched Australian Sarah Cardwell 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 – and will now meet US star Amanda Sobhy for a place in the main draw
“I feel good,” said Fernandes after her first round win. “I’m happy, last year I came and lost in the first round of qualifying. It’s always nice to come back to a tournament and do better. I’m really looking forward to playing Amanda tomorrow. These courts are nice and hot!!!!”
Sobhy, a 20-year-old Harvard student and a former world No17, took on Lucie Fialova, the world No44 from the Czech Republic.
“Amanda mostly dominated the games and powered her opponent into the back and controlled the T,” reported Heights Casino Director of Squash Linda Elriani. “Lucie tried her hardest to remove Amanda from the T but couldn’t do it for enough of the time.”
Sobhy said after her match: “It was hot out there! I’m feeling good and I trying to keep up the studying and the training and also trying to play as many pro tournaments as possible. Hopefully it’ll be less hot tomorrow!”
The Scot now representing England, Lisa Aitken pulled off the day’s biggest upset when she beat Mexican star Samantha Teran, the 32-year-old former world No11 currently ranked 29 in the world.
The Dundee-born 23-year-old twice came from behind to beat Teran 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 in the longest match of the day.
“Wow! These are the sort of players that I am looking to beat now,” said an ecstatic Aitken afterwards. “I had a good summer and trained really hard. I just need to believe in myself and have confidence in the work I have put in. I also need to remember not to come out in any game in second gear!”
Aitken, ranked 46 in the world, will face Hansen for a place in the main draw.
Victoria Lust also produced a notable upset in an all-English clash with 19-year-old Emily Whitlock, the world No26 and youngest player in the qualifiers.
Whitlock took the opening game, but was then forced to concede the match midway through the fourth, suffering with a heel injury.
“I felt like I was able to stay in the rallies and managed to counter attack,” said world No35 Lust after her 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-2 (ret.) victory. “I was patient and I stuck to my game plan.
“It’s a shame that Emily got injured in the end and I hope that she recovers before the US Open.”
Qualifying finals line-up: Sarah Kippax (ENG) v Aisling Blake (IRL) Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) Victoria Lust (ENG) v Samantha Cornett (CAN) Line Hansen (DEN) v Lisa Aitken (ENG)
For live streaming and all the latest Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
2 October 2013
RESULTS: PSA International 70 NetSuite Open, San Francisco, USA
Final: [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 (68m)
Egypt’s indestructible squash force Ramy Ashour marched through to his ninth PSA World Tour title in a row – and extended his unbeaten Tour run to 45 matches since May last year – when he dethroned NetSuite Open champion Gregory Gaultier in the final of the PSA International 70 event in San Francisco to win the title for the first time.
It was “all squash fans anywhere could have asked for” said promoter John Nimick when asked about the final of the 2013 NetSuite Open Squash Championship – staged spectacularly on an all-glass court erected on the South Lawn at Justin Herman Plaza on the San Francisco waterfront, backed by views of the renowned Ferry Building and Bay Bridge (see picture below).
It was the dream climax between the world’s top two players – Ashour, the world No1 from Cairo who was celebrating his 12th successive PSA final since December 2011 – and title-holder Gaultier, the world No2 from France who arrived in California with a second successive PSA International 70 Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas title under his belt.
The NetSuite Open enjoyed a sold out crowd, beautiful California night and exquisite competition from Ashour and Gaultier (pictured in NetSuite action below).
“Greg was slower in the first and seemingly more unfocused than Ramy but the second and third contained some of the most ferocious, first pumping, shout out finishing shots ever seen on the pro tour,” explained Nimick.
“Gaultier was a tiger throughout game two and three. Ramy stayed close but hit several tins, looking up at the night sky and speaking to himself constantly.
“Ramy pulled away quickly in game four at which point Greg managed himself physically as the game slipped away.
“Gaultier came out with intensity in the earlier going of game five and the incredible gets and rallies were welcomed by what seemed to be a partisan Gaultier crown,” Nimick continued.
“But the masterful Ashour stormed to a 9-2 lead before closing 11-2 and winning his first NetSuite Open title.”
The 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 triumph in 68 minutes – his fourth in a final against Gaultier in the past 12 months – takes Ashour’s Tour title haul to 32 from 47 final appearances.
