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Thu 14th Sep, Qualifying Day Three:
The qualifying finals started at noon, playing through to early
evening.
Meanwhile the other six courts were in use all day as the Masters
events started. There were some marathon matches, in the men's and
women's events, as the eight winners went through to the main draw
...
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MEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
WOMEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
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Men's Qualifying
Finals:
Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt Davide
Bianchetti (Ita)
11/10(2-0), 11/6, 10/11(0-2), 11/3 (63m)
plays Ricketts
Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt LJ
Anjema (Ned)
11/7, 11/5, 11/9 (39m)
plays Gaultier
Peter Barker (Eng) bt
Adrian Grant (Eng)
11/6, 11/10(3-1), 2/11, 2/11, 11/7 (96m)
plays Darwish
Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt
Alex Gough (Wal)
11/7, 11/5, 10/11(0-2), 4/11, 11/4 (76m) plays
Matthew
Women's Qualifying Finals:
Annelize Naude (Ned) bt Becky Botwright
(Eng)
9/5, 9/1, 9/3
(33m)
plays Bailey
Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) bt
Manuela Manetta (Ita)
6/9, 9/3,
9/1, 9/3 (58m)
plays N. Grinham
Lauren Briggs (Eng) bt Dominique
Lloyd-Walter (Eng)
8/10, 9/6,
9/2, 9/2 (75m)
plays Botwright
Natalie Grainger (Usa) bt Tegwen Malik (Wal)
walkover (achilles
injury)
plays Duncalf
Full Masters Draws
and results
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Fine after False Start
for Annelize
Steve Cubbins reports
The first match of the day got off to a false start when, at 2-1 to
Annelize it transpired that the girls were playing on the lower 17"
tin used by the men.
 Repairs
made, they started again, and it was Becky who reached 2-1 this
time. It was Annelize though, who soon started controlling the
rallies, moving Becky from front to back with the Lancashire
willingly chasing it all down.
Becky has long strides and a good reach, but the chasing was bound
to take its toll sooner or later. Annelize took the first, managed
to keep Becky behind her for most of the second. The final rally of
the second told a story - Becky scrambling four balls deep out of
the back corner before Annelize applied the finishing touch with a
volley-drop.
Becky continued to fight hard, and the middle of the third was
tight, with many hand-in/hand-out exchanges and more than a few
lets. But once Annelize broke away again to 5/2, the final few
points followed quickly as Becky's resistance wound down.
 "It
didn't make any difference, she was too good today, but you'd
think the referees would notice the height of the tin, we told
them we didn't think it was right before we started.
"It's hard having to play three matches just to qualify, we
don't have to do that even in places like Qatar and Hong Kong –
where I'm going next after the European Club Championships in
Malmo."
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 "Becky
always runs and moves well, you have to be patient, try to break
her rhythm and wait for the opportunity.
"It's always harder than the scoreline looks, she never gives
up.
"It's a pity about that great serve I did to start the match on
the lower tin, but I guess it's the same for both players.
"I didn't have to qualify last year, but I feel better for
having had a few games, so I'll be hoping to go past the last
sixteen for the first time.
"I haven't even looked at the draw to see who I might get."
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BACKHAND DROP SHOTS, LOBS AND TIGHT GAMES….
Framboise reports
Oh my lord was that a great match. For most of it, there was nothing
between those two adorable lunatics that kept blustering stunning
backhand drop shots at each other, defending and varying the pace
beautifully with inch perfect lobs and crosscourt lobs, not to
mention straight drives that you had to dig out of the wall or
clever deceptions Malaysian/Italian style...
The first game was crucial, as they both fought like lions to get
it, with never more than one point between them until game point.
What those two threw at each other, saved and retrieved is nobody’s
business…
And the rest of the match was pretty much on the same mode, even if
in the second, Davide got a bit discouraged, as it was obvious he
was mentally struggling to find a solution to the relentless attacks
of the Malaysian.
The fiery Italian never gave up, and saved three match balls in the
third to force a fourth game. But at that point, David cruelly
lacked that energy he had to spare in the third, and got slower and
slower at the front… Now in control, Bengy was able to place volley
cross courts and nice drop shots to finish his opponent off.
But this match between two players with similar games, all in touch,
lobs and deceptions, was a pure gem. Played yet again by two
gentlemen, in front of a numerous and appreciative crowd…
 "It
was a really hard match. I was very lucky to get away with it
today…. When I was up 10/7 in the third, and I started to lose
point after point, if I had been playing against a top 10
player, I would have found myself in a lot of trouble….
"In this case, I just tried to stay as consistent as possible…
This is something I’ve got to work on, keep pushing at the
crucial times, not giving points away…
"Three down, four to go…..I’m ready for the Big Boys, now, all
fresh and all….!!!!!"
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 "In
the end, I got a bit tired, and slower. It’s so hard to play
against Bengy, he is accurate, in all his shots, and after a
while, you just start to wonder how on earth you are going to be
able to win the point….
"And what hurt me a lot today too, was the accuracy of his
counterdrops. I played some nice tight backhand drop shots that
should have been winners.
"But he counterattacked them with another shot as tight that put
me under so much pressure, whereas I thought I won the point.
And that really … annoyed me…
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Safely through for Stoehr
Steve reports
Following her compatriot onto court, Manuela Manetta is of a similar
fiery, determined disposition to Davide Bianchetti. Both let their
emotions show, and both are gritty fighters on court.
 She got
off to a flying start, leading 4/1, and although Isabelle worked her
way back in to lead 6/4, Manuela got the better of the next
exchanges - most of them lengthy affairs - to take the game at the
second attempt after serving out on her first game ball.
It remained competitive throughout, with both players asking for
their fair share of lets amidst some well-worked rallies, but as the
game wore on Isabelle started moving the Italian more and more,
picking off some delightful volleys and generally keeping hold of
the 'T'.
That was the pattern through to the end, well-contested rallies but
the French girl just a little tighter and winning most of them as
she advanced to the first round proper, but not without
 "I
came on court a bit too confident. In my two previous rounds, I
didn’t have too much pressure on me, not too many rallies.
"So I was a bit slow in the first game, whereas she came
blasting off, more weight on the ball, and she made the game…
"Later on, I was able to volley better and take the game to the
front of the court.
"At 4/0 in the third, I had a big drop in energy, but I kept
pushing, I didn’t want to let anything go, I didn’t want to
think she had a chance to come back in the match.
"But I tell you something. If she didn’t have that big match
yesterday, it would have been extremely difficult for me today…"
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 "I'm
happy with the way I played, very happy with the first game but
after that I lost a bit of concentration, lost my length in
patches.
"She's too good on the volley, if you give her anything loose
she can put you in trouble or put it away.
"In the last two games I felt as if I was in the rallies, but
couldn't seem to win many points.
"Physically I feel fine, I could have played a fifth it had come
to it, I don't let go, even if I'm tired."
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"Isa played very well today. There were a few patchy moments,
but I think it was because of the conditions, the ball was very
warm and quite bouncy…
"Overall, Isabelle was able to control the rallies better, and
especially to vary her shots better…"
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LJ
WAS NEVER IN THAT ONE…
Framboise reports
From the moment contender LJ Anjema stepped on court, he looked like
a steam cooker ready to implode… Too much pressure on himself? The
presence of his dad Robert in the arena competing in the over 55
group? Or just something else bothering him.
Whatever the reason, the young Dutchman was all over the place. Mind
you, the fact that Gentleman Mo was placing inch perfect drop shots
from all around the court must not have helped. It was quite
incredible really, as everybody has been commenting on the extremely
warm conditions of the court here, and Abbas was cutting the ball
and the rally short as in the middle of the Artic Sea….
The only downside of this match for the Egyptian is the tendency he
seems to have to let go of the accelerator just a bit too early, as
he did in the Worlds against Amr Shabana whereas he was way in the
lead 1/0 and 8/2 in the second. Again today, he was up 10/7, and
nearly let LJ right back in there.
Still, an impressive performance from Gentleman Mo who is meeting
the Man in Form Greg Gaultier in the next round. Won’t be an easy
one for my compatriot, that’s for sure….
 Mohammed
is a very good player, and a very fair one. He works very
hard, and is honest in everything he does.
He is a good man.
Magdy Saad |
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 It’s
the fourth time I've played against LJ, and I lost two weeks ago
against him in Heliopolis… I didn’t want to lose twice.
What happened is that he beat Karim 3/2 in a match where he was
hitting masses of nicks, so I got on court playing too defensive
and loose. He felt it, and took advantage of it. So today, I
knew that the only way I would beat him would be to attack….
This court is perfect for me, it’s bouncy at the back but dead
at the front so I was able to control the whole game. And I was
lucky to have our national coach with me today, Magdy Saad. He
knows my game and always gives me the right advice.
When I was match ball up, at 10/7, I relaxed too soon, I thought
I'd won the match. I always do that, think that the last points
will come to me… And I’ve got to force myself to go and get
them…
I’ve worked very hard for the past two months, and I lost a few
matches, Heliopolis, the Worlds, for no real reason, as I’m fit
and technically sound.
I came here to try and get as many matches as I can. It’s time
for me to stop thinking and play my squash.
It’s time for me to win.
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Lauren outlasts Lloyd-Walter
Steve Cubbins reports
You had to ask the question, "how much would Dominique have left"
after her marathon match of yesterday (84 minutes against Runa Reta).
The answer was, quite a lot, actually.
The world number 20 from Middlesex started strongly, hitting the
ball powerfully, as she did yesterday, and took a good lead in the
first, 8/3.
Lauren Briggs, the world number 25 from Essex, had had a much easier
run through, and she wasn't about to let the first game go that
easily. A series of brutal rallies followed, as Lauren clawed her
way back to 8-all, forcing Dominique to pull out two deep winners to
finally take the game.
And so it continued, long hard rallies on the hot bouncy court.
Dominique doing a little more work, but both playing well and the
error count was virtually nil. If it was a battle of attrition, it
was one that Lauren was winning - 5-1 to 8-4 to 9-6 in the second,
from 2-2 straight through to 9-2 in the third, but it wasn't until
she reached 4-2 in the fourth that Dominique finally cracked.
A couple of crosscourts that Dominique let go, then three quick tins
and it was all over. So for Lauren, a date with Vicky Botwright ...
for Dominique a good night's rest, she deserves it!
 "She
started well, but we train together and know each other's games
so well, I knew she would do that.
"I was hoping that the effects of her 3/2 yesterday would kick
in after a while, so I knew that if I was under pressure then if
I tried to keep it going long enough it would work in my favour,
and that's what I did in he first.
"I felt fairly comfortable once I got to six in the third, but
it was still hard work after that.
"Whoever I get I'm just going to enjoy it. I've had to qualify
every time in the British Open but never got past the last
sixteen, so I'm aiming to go one better.
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"I've been doing a lot of training with Tania, court sprints and
the like, and it's really brought my fitness on.
"I felt fine this morning, and in practice, but I was feeling
tired towards the end, yesterday's match took its toll in the
end.
"I should have taken the first quicker from 8/3 up, that took a
bit out of me.
"Towards the end I wasn't getting anywhere by rallying, so
started going for a few shots but they mostly hit the tin."
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BARKER FOR THE FIRST TIME…
Framboise reports
Even if he was aware that he didn’t play at his best today, Peter
Barker was not unhappy about the outcome of his last qualifying
match. One, he beat his mate Adrian Grant for the first time. Two,
he got in the British Open draw for the first time.
But smooth and easy, it was not….
After dominating the first game quite comfortably, he just clinched
the second 13/11, helped by three untimely unforced errors from
Adrian at 11/10. And after that, no Peter Barker in sight for the
next two games. Dead. Flat. It was all Adrian, far more precise and
aggressive, and in no time, we were back at 2/2.
Weird….
But Barker seemed to get his second wind just in time, to take a
considerable lead 7/2, only to put his thinking cap again – oh my
God, I’m beating Granty, what, I’m going to play in the British
Open, who am I going to play – you know the style. And before he
knew it, Adrian was back at 7/8.
We stayed there for a while, as 3 lets were awarded to Peter, to end
up with a stroke. 9/7. A shot that shot out straight of the frame of
his racquet, and Barker got his first match ball. And on a backhand
drop shot that the ref saw in the tin contrarily to Adrian who saw
it good, the result was there.
Peter Barker was playing Karim Darwish in the main draw of the
Dunlop 2006 British Open…
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 "In
the first game, I thought I played well, I was patient, was
taking the drop in well, and made him work hard. But in the
second, I had a bit drop of energy at 5/1, played far too many
cross courts, and then he made me work hard. I got that one
just…
"After that, the third and fourth, I was more tired, plus he
stepped up the pace, took the ball early, and my length suffered
badly…
"In the fifth, it’s a combination of playing my squash, and
starting thinking about it. When I start thinking, I just seem
to tense a bit…"
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ALEX ON FIRE…
Well, he may be over 35, he may be playing in both the age group and
trying to qualify for the main event, but one thing is sure, Alex
Gough's stamina would make a few young guns I know quite jealous,
and he is still as much a lunatic as he ever was…
What he retrieved today, what he threw back at a precise and
determined Stewart Boswell could fill the Wembley arena, I’m here to
tell you. The rallies they served us were just astonishing, and when
I talk about lunacy, I mean, they were both fighting for each rally,
for each point as if their life depended on it.
You would have thought that led 2/0, the Welshman would stop and
think, hold on a minute, just remind me why I’m doing all this, but
no, he gave it a last push, surprised Stewart who expected his elder
to stop and die gracefully, and forced a fourth game, 2-0 in the tie
break.
But then, something extraordinary happened. It became obvious that
Stewart was dying out there. That he couldn’t move. He was taking
more and more time between the serve, to the point Alex stated to
the ref “I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy, but could we please
get a move on???”.
The world in reverse.
We were now in the fifth, and it looked as if Alex was going to pull
it off yet again, but at 3/3, the legs eventually gave up on him,
logic was restored, and the younger Bozza finally stepped off court
a winner. But he talked to me from the floor, absolutely
exhausted/knackered/dead.
And Alex was in no better state ... |
 "The
court was very bouncy, and that made it a very hard match… At
the end, I was just totally exhausted…
"I think that I kept up the pace too fast in the first two
games, and it was hard to kept that same pace throughout,
especially with Alex playing like that….
"And in the third, and and fourth, I just felt a big hole….
"For the last one, I thought that if I could just stay with him,
let’s say up to 5/5, and then, hopefully, he would feel as bad
as I felt, and then I could have a chance…
"And ANYWAY, I couldn’t lose against a player who is in the age
groups… !!!!!!!"
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"I’m sorry, can’t
really talk. Sooooo tired…. Gave it my all…"
 (by text) |
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| Wed
13th Sep, Qualifying Day Two: |
MEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
WOMEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
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Eight of Each
Eight men's and eight women's matches today, following on on a court
each as the qualification came down to the finalists ...
Ong Beng Hee bt Simon Parke
11/7, 11/7, 11/8 (46m)
Davide Bianchetti bt
Aamir Atlas Khan
11/6, 11/7, 6/11, 10/11(0-2), 11/4 (77m)
Mohammed Abbas bt Joe Kneipp
11/6, 11/7, 11/5 (26m)
LJ Anjema bt Alister Walker
11/5, 7/11, 11/9, 11/10(2-0) (69m)
Peter Barker bt Mansoor Zaman
11/9, 11/7, 11/4 (35m)
Adrian Grant bt Joey Barrington
11/10(2-0), 11/5, 8/11, 11/8 (57m)
Alex Gough bt Daryl Selby
11/1, 11/1 rtd (16m)
Stewart Boswell bt Lee Drew
11/5, 11/3, 11/7 (30m)
Annelize Naude bt Sarah Kippax
9/1, 9/2, 8/10, 9/7 (54m)
Becky Botwright bt Line
Hansen
9/2, 9/2, 9/5 (34m)
Isabelle Stoehr bt Jenna Gates
9/2, 9/0, 9/3 (27m)
Manuela Manetta bt Triciah Chuah
9/6, 4/9, 9/7, 10/8 (75m)
Lauren Briggs bt Soraya Renai
9/3, 9/1, 9/2 (22m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Runa
Reta
9/3, 9/3, 6/9, 7/9, 9/0 (84m)
Tegwen Malik bt Laura Hill
9/4, 9/6, 9/4 (40m)
Natalie Grainger bt Georgina
Stoker
9/5, 9/3, 9/4 (26m) |
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RESILIENT AAMIR,
RELENTLESS DAVIDE…
Framboise reports
I am more and more impressed by those two players. Davide is more
patient than he ever was, only got one conduct stroke today, which
is for him a fair result, bless him, and has introduced a new weapon
to his game, the lob, probably a gift from his training with Marcus
Berrett, a master in that field … Fitter, more focused, he is more
dangerous than he ever was…
Aamir on the other hand is like a dog with a bone. His counterdrops
are just astonishing of precision and good placement, and as he
retrieves most of the shots that are thrown at him, he puts his
opponents under a lot of pressure, and forces them to win the point
again and again.
Today, he really threatened the Italian, who was comfortably up 2/0
but found a way to come back 2/1, just by sticking in there, and not
giving any easy points away. At 10/10 in the fourth, Davide who had
been teaching his racquet to fly a few times during the third and
fourth game, was eventually rewarded with a conduct stroke, that
gave the game to his opponent, allowing him to force a decider.
But that’s probably where fitness and experience get to play a big
role. A bit tired, a bit out of focus, Aamir got a terrible start in
that last game, playing the wrong shot at the wrong time for the
first time in the match, eventually admitting defeat 11/5.
It has to be stressed that the match was played in a perfect spirit,
very few lets asked for, a very nice match to watch indeed…
 "Yesterday,
I had a very tough match with Wael, and today, I felt tired.
After the second game, I found my second wind, but didn’t have
much left in the fifth.
"Davide is such a good player, he is a fighter, he never gave
up…"
Aamir Atlas Khan |
|
 "I’ve
got problems with keeping pushing, and I can get a bit lazy, I
get too comfortable and do not put enough pressure on my
opponent. And with players that quick, you are not going to win
the point if you don’t put pressure on him…
"But if I was trying to get some pace in the third and fourth, I
didn’t have to in the fifth, as he started to make a few
mistakes, probably tired from yesterday’s long match against
Wael. I found myself up 6/1, and that was the end, really…"
Davide Bianchetti |
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 "It was
three hard games, it was hard work physically.
I've been working a lot with Simon recently, it's a bit weird
playing you're sparring partner/ coach, he knows all my shots.
"I'm glad to get off in three and pleased to see that Davide and
Aamir went to five!"
Ong Beng Hee
 "I
was good in parts, just ok for the rest. He was on the 'T' maybe 70%
of the time, which is a problem.
"I've been working with him quite a lot recently, doing routines and
practicing shots. He seems to be picking up all the tips really
well, I'm pleased with his progress!"
Simon Parke |
 "I
focused on the first few points, as I'd never played her before and
didn't know her game, just putting pressure on with good lengths and
see how it goes.
"My focus wasn't as good in the third, she moves quite well and has
good dropshots so I had to go back to keeping it tight and deep.
"It should be harder tomorrow against the winner of Manuela and
Tricia, I'll watch that one …"
Isabelle Stoehr |
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LJ Anjema bt Alister Walker
11/5, 7/11, 11/9, 12/10 (69m) |
TWO
HEAVYWEIGHTS…
Framboise reports
No, not talking about boxing, but about weight in their shots….
LJ and Alister had decided to see if they could 1: burst the ball,
2: Get through the front wall. They couldn’t do either, but they
gave us pretty close encounter….
LJ is getting higher and higher by the minute in the rankings, and
can give a good run to anybody in the top 10 now. Alister is about
to be a contender, he is where LJ was about 12 months ago. They are
both really hungry. They wanted the victory very much indeed.
LJ made a few too many errors, Alister hit the front corner a bit
too often. On a very warm court, they were both fighting to try and
get their shots out of the middle, and if there was quite a bit of
contact between those two, it never got out of hand… Long rallies,
very disputed. Two determined young lions defending their territory.
LJ prevailed, but it was a close call…
In my view, Alister is on the verge of getting there. LJ IS there.
|
 It
was physically tough. LJ is a strong strong player and he is
taking well his space on court. He played well the important
points, that’s about it really, and I probably played a bit too
safe to start the match with…
There was quite a lot of contacts during the match, but it was
all due to the court conditions….
Alister Walker |
 We
are both at the top of our game, and on such a warm court, the
match was bound to become a physical match…
On that kind of court, under those conditions, it’s very hard to
win 3/0, we had both trouble getting the ball to the back of the
court and it was hard organised squash.
I’m happy that I can still win when I’m not playing that well. I
think that’s my biggest improvement…
LJ Anjema |
|
|
 I played
OK, not great, not bad… But I was not fast enough or fit enough to
beat somebody as good as Mohamed is at the moment. He didn’t give me
a chance…
And actually, even when I thought I played quite well, he was
punishing me off a good shot I just played. There is about half a
dozen of shots that I thought were winners, and that he made winners
out of…
I’m not really disappointed. I’m just remembering when I was playing
and beating him 3/0…
Mohamed is a strong player, and I find him impressive at the moment.
On top of that, he is a great guy…
So today, I was beaten by a great player who is a great guy… Can’t
complain…
Joe Kneipp |
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|
"I've
played Line three times and always won, but it's never easy. I felt
I was laying pretty well, although the court was still a little
slippy.
"It was good to get a runout ready for tomorrow's finals."
Becky Botwright
The old adage 'closer than the scoreline suggests might have
been made for matches like this - in the third game it took 15
rallies before the score advanced past one-all ! |
The
last match of the evening (yes, the women's matches took quite a bit
longer than the men's) saw 2004 Nottingham finalistNatalie Grainger
safely into the qualifying finals.
 "I had
a good start, but she's so talented, she has a great drop, great
drives, and if you don't play it tight she'll just pick it off.
Just too good.
Georgina Stoker |
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More like Manuela
Steve Cubbins
reports
You may remember some time back a headline along the lines of
"Manetta doesn't do short", written because Italy's Manuela Manetta
is almost invariably involved in marathon matches in WISPA
qualifying events.
She's certainly used to long matches, and "Is that all?" was her
comment about yesterday's 34-minute sprint, but today she was back
on familiar gound with a 75-minute win over Malaysia's
Amsterdam-based Tricia Chuah.
It could, and probably should, have been longer, as Tricia was 8-5
up in the fourth ...
 It was a
battle of two willing runners, Manuela with her more powerful
chasing, Tricia smoother around court but covering just as much
ground.
In the end the difference was probably just a few too many errors
from Tricia, particularly on the volley when she had worked good,
probably winning positions.
So Manuela now meets Isabelle Stoehr - who was watching the match -
for a place in the main draw ...
|
 "I
felt ok, not completely comfortable, since even though I've been
training I've only just started playing matches again.
"I knew it was going to be tough, we've had a few games before
but this is the first time we've met in a tournament.
Manuela Manetta |
 "I
just couldn't find the finish, I'd set it up nicely then find
the tin. I'd hate to count how many mistakes I made.
"I've been in Amsterdam since April, went back for the Malaysian
Open, and I'm hoping to stay in Holland until next year.
Tricia Chuah |
|
|
 I’m not
sure how I got it, but I seem to have an allergic reaction to maybe
food or washing powder. It started yesterday, but I only played two
points yesterday against Stacey, as he was injured.
But today, my hand felt really sore. I’ve tried to play, but after
two games, I realised it was useless to go on playing….
It’s very frustrating, as I was looking forward to the opportunity
to get a few good games, and I haven’t been able to play even a
whole one…
Daryl Selby |
 I played
Lee in the first round in Liverpool, and it was a tough one. Every
forehand he played seemed to find the nick. Today, he didn’t play as
well as he did then.
In the third I got a bad start, and got frustrated because I didn’t
play that well, and also because I found the floor really slippery.
Every time I was trying to get forward, I couldn’t accelerate….
The qualifiers are always hard, you never play your best game. It
normally gets better as the tournament unfolds. It’s going to get
better, it’s got to get better…
Stewart Boswell |
Adrian Grant bt Joey
Barrington
11/10(2-0), 11/5, 8/11, 11/8 (57m) |
JOEY, MISSED OPPORTUNITY…
Framboise reports
Young Barrington will kick himself all the way back home to the
hotel, as he had a lovely opportunity to take a crucial lead by
winning the first game, but couldn’t clinch any of the three game
balls he worked very hard to get. Adrian suddenly pressed the pace,
found some tight squash, and before we knew it, the Catford Boy was
walking off court 12/10…
A bit of drop of energy in the second for Joey, too many errors, not
attentive enough, and a few minutes later, he was down 2/0. But we
are all aware that doesn’t give up that easily, luuuuuuves long
matches and clawing back from 2/0 down. So, he clung in firmly in
the third, 3/3, 5/5, 7/7, played a few great backhand drop shots,
and came back right into the match thanks to a nice crosscourt nick
that rolled off the floor, 11/8.
But Adrian took an excellent start in the 4th, shooting quickly to
8/4. Again Joey showed his determination by saving two match balls
to climb back at 10/8, but Adrian was just that much physically
fresher today, and was able to finish it off in four.
He’ll be glad, as his match tomorrow against fit and confident
compatriot Peter Barker will be a long and disputed encounter…
|
 "Joey
played well I thought…. But in the first game, I found that I
was just hacking the ball, without much thought into my shots.
So at the end of that game, I started to control my game much
better, up to 2/0 up 7/7, where I thought “don’t do anything
stupid”. And I became too negative, not the way to finish off
the game really.
"In the last one, I just remembered to play the style of game
that brought me up to 2/0…. I’m glad that I was able to finish
the match, and play the important points well…"
Adrian Grant |
 |
 |
|
PETER AT THE FRONT…
Framboise
reports
I know, I cannot believe that I’m writing those words, but it would
seem that young Peter Barker has now found the way to the front of
the court…. He served (and wrong footed) an astonished Mansoor Zaman,
probably expecting long rallies from the back of the court, with
some stunning backhand drop shots, from both the service line and
the back of the court….
What is going on??? Is Peter going to attack now???? What is the
world coming too….
Also, I want to stress that today, his opponent, who can let his
matches slip away mentally, never ever gave up, and fought every
rally, every point, even from 2/0 and 8/2 down. He said in his
aftermatch interview that he felt lazy today. Well, I do not think
so. I actually never saw Mansoor clinging to a whole match that much
in all the years I’ve seen him play… Maybe the arrival of Aamir
Atlas Khan on the circuit, threatening his elders, is having a
beneficial influence on Pakistani number two.
Whatever it is that made him click, Mansoor, please keep fighting.
And Peter, please keep attacking….
 "I
played Peter last month in Malaysia, but today, in front of his
own crowd, he played really well.
"I’m not satisfied with my game, I thought I was a bit lazy,
nothing in particular that happened, just a bad day, whereas
Peter was at his best. But it’s all part of the game…
"Peter is on a high at the moment, he played so well recently,
in particular at the world open, and I think it gave him
confidence…"
Mansoor Zaman |
|
|
 "I
was really trying too hard in the first, up to 6/2, and suddenly
I seemed to relax. I’ve been playing well at the moment, I’m
enjoying my squash, and when I’m relax, my movement is more
fluid, and I get to play more short shots…
"I’ve been working pretty hard with my coach, Paul Carter, but
there is so much work you can do. After that, you’ve got to
start trusting your game.
"I played very well against Peter Nicol in the English Open, and
I had a good game with James Willstrop at the Gerard Grand Prix.
And that’s when you realise that you are not too far off…
"Today, I felt quite happy on court, I really enjoyed my game…"
Peter Barker |
|
 |
|
A match in three thirds
Steve Cubbins reports
 "What a
game," said Dominique as she came off court after this marathon
match.
It was, too, with the English girl looking in control in the first
two games, having just a little too much firepower for Runa. The
Canadian was always on the back foot as Dominique powered her way to
a two-game lead.
And at 4-0 in the third a quick finish looked likely, but Runa was
starting to read the game better, anticipating the English girl's
shots and starting to make a game of it.
Actually, more than that. Dominique was being made to work hard now,
as the rallies became longer and more intricate.
Runa levelled at 4-all, and despite the occasional error on the
volley edged ahead as she kept the pressure on, making Dominique do
the bulk of the work.
Runa could afford a showboat finish to the third - a deliberate
double swing at the ball to leave Dominique stranded - and closed
out a fiercely-contested fourth with a marvellous volley kill.
But that was to be her last point as Dominique tightened her game,
going back to the tactics that had served her so well at the start,
and although 9-0 didn't really reflect the play, there was only
going to be one winner in the fifth.
The bad news for Dominique is that in tomorrow's finals she meets
fellow Englishwoman Lauren Briggs, who overcame Soraya Renai in
about a quarter of the time of this match ...
|
 "When
I was 2-0, 4-0 up I started to think about winning and who I was
playing next.
"I started just floating the ball, instead of hitting it, and if
you give her anything loose she'll take it ad put it away.
"In the fifth I managed to get back to hitting everything
straight, no crosscourts, and hitting the ball with some
meaning.
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
|
|
Tegwen douses Laura's flames
Steve Cubbins reports
It's been a good month for Laura Hill, as the full-time firefighter,
part-time squash player made the final of the English Open and
recorded an impressive win in yesterday's first round ...
and she made a
real game of it against Tegwen Malik, the Welsh champion.
 Tegwen
looked in easy control at the start, easing to a 6-0 lead before
Laura settled, and although she recovered to 4-6 it was too late as
Tegwen took the lead.
The second was a real battle, with Laura putting as much pace on the
ball as she could as the pair engaged in a series of 'never say die'
rallies which were equally shared.
Tegwen, exhibiting slightly more control, as you'd expect given
their relative rankings, stayed with the pace and from 5-all edged
ahead, taking the 20-minute game with Laura stranded after an
exhausting rally.
Having given her best, the effort told on Laura as the third becamea
carbon-copy of the first - 6-0, 6-4, 9-4 and the Welsh girl was
through to the finals ...
|
"I enjoyed it, she played really well. Beating Susie was a great
win for her, so I knew I was in for a hard match, taking a scalp
like that always gives you a boost. To play well twice like that
says a lot for her mental toughness.
"The first was quite comfortable, but I needed to stay focused,
she kept at it and the second was very hard.
"It's nice to play a good sporting battle against someone who
wants to win as much as you do.
"Now I just need to relax, ready for another hard match
tomorrow."
Tegwen Malik |
|
 |
|
Tue 12th Sep, Qualifying Day One: |
MEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
WOMEN'S DRAW & RESULTS
|
Down to business
at the University
A busy first day at Nottingham University, with 32 qualifying
matches in the men's and women's sections and the glass court
being built in the main sports hall.
The match of the first session was Aamir Atlas Khan's
comeback from two down against Wael El Hindi. The young
Pakistani was close to losing 3/0, but hung in and finished the
stronger.
All the other seeds won - Ong Beng Hee,
Simon Parke, Davide Bianchetti,
Mohammed Abbas, LJ Anjema all
came through in straight games, while Joe Kneipp
and Alister Walker took four.
There were no upsets in the women's event, with Denmark's
Line Hansen taking the longest, at 51 minutes,
and Becky Botwright the shortest, at 11 minutes
for a 27/0 win over late stand-in Harriet Ingham.
 The
second session started at 5pm and, typically, the longest match
of the session was the last one to go on court -
Georgina Stoker came from 5-8 down in the fourth to record a
69-minute win over Laura Mylotte and summed it up with "It was
the thought of having to play another game that made me win that
one!"
Stoker now plays Natalie Grainger. The American, who
reached the final the last time the British Open was in
Nottingham - survived a scare as she squeezed past Aisling Blake
in four games.
In the evening men's matches England's Lee Drew produced
the only upset, beating Pakistan's Shahid Zaman in in four
games.
|
Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) bt Wael El Hindi (Egy)
7/11, 8/11, 11/10(3-1), 11/10(2-0), 11/7 (77m) |
Aamir comeback rocks Wael
Stacey Ross reports
The first was close until Aamir gave away four easy points to
allow Wael to take the game 11-7. With the first game secured
Wael started the second with obvious confidence and when he's in
this mood he is more than a handful for anyone and a pleasure to
watch. His racket skills were in perfect order and was putting
together a devastating package of fine touch along with rallies
constructed to work Aamir to all corners.
Wael refused to be surprised by Aamir's incredible speed and
when the crowd didn't expect the ball to come back Wael did and
carefully built the rally again.11-8 to Wael.
Wael had match ball in the third at 10-9 but was beginning to
show signs of fatigue and an air of desperation to get it over
in three. Aamir is a gutsy player and was equally desperate to
force at least one more and held off Wael taking the third
13-11.
At 10-7 to Amir in the fourth a decider looked a certainty and
Wael's body language implied the same. Wael hit a loose return
of serve down the middle and turned to the door expecting a
winner from Aamir only to see it hit the tin. He was back in.
The fourth got pushed to 12-10 with a no let against Wael
deciding the last rally. Two all.
Wael was showing clear signs of fatigue in the fifth and Aamir
could smell a scalp. Wael looked to be having problems with his
leg and took a three minute injury break at 5-6. But Aamir used
the break to double his concentration and ended the unexpected
winner. |
 "Too
much squash in the last few weeks, I had no legs left in the
end.
"I was two love up and began to have problems with my left
leg in the side of my quad.
"I couldn't push it too much because I didn't want to do any
more damage with lots of other big tournaments coming up."
Wael El Hindi |
 "Wael
is a very good player and I have a lot of respect for him
which makes this a very good victory for me.
"I was quite nervous in the first two games, but when I
settled down my shots worked well and I am pleased with my
fantastic win."
Aamir Atlas Khan |
|
Simon Parke
(Eng) bt Scott Handley (Eng)
11/5, 11/7, 11/5 (40m) |
Parke wins all-English battle
Stacey Ross reports
Simon held his two point lead from 4-2 up to 7-5 where he pulled
away to take the first 11-5. Scott frequently played Simon out
of position but looked content to try and prolong the rally
rather that finish it in an attempt to tire Simon.
The second saw Simon race away to a 7-1 lead through some very
accurate winners. Scott attempted to play himself back in but
the lead was too much to make up. The Second went to Simon 11-7.
Scott's finishing in the second was letting him down as he
struggled to finish the rally often after building himself a
good position. At 7-4 to Simon Scott put together a good long
rally stretching Simon fully and for a moment there looked like
there could be a way back for Scott. This window soon
disappeared as Scott reacquainted himself with the tin and put
in three quick errors in succession. Match to Simon 11-5. |
"I felt I
moved well and played well in the second up to 7-1 where an
altercation forced me to loose my concentration.
"His errors in the third couldn't have come at a better
time. I then got my head together and managed to close it
out."
Simon Parke |
 "I
felt I had him under pressure but tried to work him too hard
when instead I needed to end the rally.
"It was a bad day at the office."
Scott Handley |
|
Italy's finest through to the second round |
Joey
Barrington (Eng) bt Jesse Engelbrecht (Zim)
11/8, 11/9, 11/7 (38m) |
Joey has just enough for Jesse
Stacey Ross reports
Joey took the lead by attacking just slightly more in the first
and playing some tight backhand straight kills which Jesse
looked a little slow to pick up on. If they were not winners in
their own right they opened the court up nicely for Joey.
Jess was reacting more than playing his own game and finding it
tough to make any real impression.
The second by contrast saw Jess relax into his task more and
begin to find some nicely weighted lengths, not easy on a court
so bouncy. This coupled with a variation in the pace gave Joey
something to think about and saw Jess take a deserved 9-6 lead.
Impatience and a little anxiety to close out the second saw some
errors creeping into the later stages of Jesse's game and
allowed Joey to seize the opportunity to take back the second
with basic consistent rallies.
From 5 all in the third Joey pulled away to 10-5 and took the
final game 11-7. |
|
Mansoor Zaman
(Pak) bt Joe Lee (Eng) 11/2, 11/2, 11/4 (24m) |
 "It
was a comfortable win for me.
"I felt my experience made all the difference."
Mansoor Zaman
 "Anything
loose he put away and I wasn't moving very well either.
"I tried to keep him on court for as long as I could but overall
just very tough."
Joe Lee |
The French connection ... Soraya Renai, Philippe Signoret,
Camille Serme |
Peter Barker (Eng) bt Tom Richards (Eng)
11/6, 11/7, 11/6 (37m) |
 "I
was very happy with my performance particularly after my tough
games at the Gerrards.
"Today I thought I was hitting it well and moving better than I
thought I might. Onwards and upwards.
Peter Barker
 "I
Felt I was under a lot of pressure throughout and did a lot of
work. It's always tough against Peter as he's so solid."
Tom Richards |
|
Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) bt Amnah El Trabolsy (Egy) 9/1,
9/2, 9/5 (23m) |
 "I
played her in Alexandria, we had a hard four games, but it was
much easier today.
"Sometimes you want to use your first matches to work yourself
in, but she plays very short and goes for winners all the time
so it's hard to get a rhythm.
"Still, I'm fresh for the next match, there's a lot of them."
Isabelle Stoehr |
Tournament Desk |
Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Aisling Blake (Irl)
9/2, 9/10, 9/6, 9/6 (46m) |
Natalie survives a scare
Steve Cubbins reports
Considering that the last time she played the British Open in
Nottingham she made the final (just two years ago), the general
reaction to Natalie Grainger's appearance in qualifying was one
of amazement.
Ireland's Aisling Blake refused to be overawed though, and gave
it a real go at toppling the former world number one.
In the first game Grainger, after dropping the first point, was
in total control, dominating the hard-hitting rallies with
Aisling always stretching and reaching that bit more.
But by the middle of the second the Irish girl was really
competing, and Grainger was having it far from all her own way.
A slip by Grainger at 9-all - she had already requested the
courts to be swept at the end of the game - effectively cost her
the game as she tinned the serve on her return to court after an
injury timeout.
Down 0/5 in the third, a shock looked on the cards, but Grainger
slowly resumed control, slowing the pace a little, to regain the
lead.
Still, in the fourth, Aisling was pushing, pushing, and reached
6/3 before Grainger asserted one last time to avert the shock. |
 "It
was a bit slippy on there, sometimes you couldn't trust to
put your foot down hard.
"After Aisling came back I took the pace off a little, tried
to get it into the corners more.
"I'm just happy to get through. I've not really played for
six months, so I'll be taking it one game at a time."
Natalie Grainger |
|
Nottingham University Sports Hall of Fame |
Laura Hill
(Eng) bt Suzie Pierrepont (Eng)
9/3, 10/9, 9/4 (40m) |
Practice pays off for Laura
Steve Cubbins reports
She's not a full-time player, but she's a name that not many
want to see against theirs in the draw.
Derbyshire firefighter Laura Hill made the final of the English
Open last month, and has apparently been playing a bit more than
usual since.
It showed tonight as she took on Suzie Pierrepont, and took most
of what the Sussex girl could throw at her and returned it with
interest.
Powerful hitting by Pierrepont, with a few errors thrown in, but
Hill, more nimble around the court, took the first from 0/3
down, edged home in the second, and made her constant pressure
tell in the third.
|
 "I've
been playing quite a bit since the English Open, but I still
thought I would lose before I went on - I always do!
"I'm really pleased with the way I played, I felt strong,
felt I could cope with any pressure she put me under,
working her further and further out of position.
"I know I've played on the glass court in my last two
tournaments, but I'll have to win four games to get there
this time, that's very hard."
Laura Hill |
|
 |
Adrian
Grant (Eng) bt Shaun Le Roux (Eng)
11/4, 11/2, 11/5 (32m) |
 "It's
so hot on there - without air conditioning it feels worse than
Cairo!
"The ball really flies about to start with, then it goes spongy
and it's an effort to get it to the back.
"I'm just trying to get used to the court, to get my movement
right, but I'm pleased to get off in three."
Adrian Grant |
|
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Eng) bt Kirsty McPhee
(Eng) 9/3, 9/2, 9/1 (31m) |
 "The
courts were very hot, you hardly needed to touch it and it was
flying off the front wall.
"I thought I was in most of the rallies, butr just couldn't seem
to win the points.
"Still, it's something to build on ..."
Kirsty McPhee |
More court-building tomorrow ... |
|
• TODAY • SEMIS • QUARTERS • Round ONE • QUALIFYING • En Bref • |
|
|
I
didn’t have much in the legs today, Mohamed has got such a good
control of the ball, he was the one that made me run… I never
felt I could make the rallies today, I just got tired trying to
make them….
