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Sun 24th,
The FINAL:
[1] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt
[6] Natalie Grainger (Usa)
2/9, 10/8, 9/2, 9/2 (51m)
FLOATED AWAY…
Framboise
reports
on the final
How clever that mini champion Rachael Grinham is, let me tell you.
She is able to adapt so well to circumstances…
 As
usual, Natalie Grainger made a stunning start, and blew the
Australian to pieces, 9/2 in 7 minutes, and was soooo going to win the
second game, up 5/2 then 8/4, hitting deep and heavy cross courts, sending
Rachael on some pretty tiring round trips…
But suddenly, as she did in her semi against Nicol David, Rachael changed
her game totally, and just crosscourt lobbed and straight lobbed every
other shot, mixing it with some lethal cut off volleys. And she clawed
back, saving two game balls in passing, before closing the game 10/8 in 18
minutes.
Rachael, planted in front of the American for most of the last two games,
took the ball so early that Natalie was always slightly late onto the
shot, and could not adjust her attacks as she normally does. And the
American got impatient, started attacking too soon, tinning shot after
shot, boasts, volley drops, returns of serve… She was kind to her
opponent, who just had to keep the rallies going, and wait for the error…
 The
rallies got shorter and shorter, most of the time ending with an error
from Natalie, and Rachael quite rightly ended up winning the last two
games 9/2, 9/2, in 11 and 10 minutes respectively.
A pleasant match, balanced to start with, but with the Australian
finishing extremely strong, clearly dominating her American opponent, and
getting at last her first victory since the British Open 2004...
And she was a happy bunny, believe me…
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 "It’s
more and more difficult to win a tournament… Everyone else is
pretty hungry, and it gets harder and harder. And very often,
winning or losing a tournament depends on the draw you get. And it
comes down to who is feeling the stronger on the day of the final…
"I wasn't that surprised by Natalie's excellent start, as it’s
quite typical of her to come out firing and win the first game.
Even in the second, she seemed like she was going to win it, but
then I changed my tactics totally.
 "I
suddenly remembered that, every time I won against her, it was
when I was playing defensively. She loves the pace, she feeds on
it! But today, I was so busy trying to win that I was not thinking
of what I was doing really. I know the way to play her, I don’t
know why I started to hit… I can’t beat her that way…
"So I just stopped to try to beat her, I just slowed down the
pace, and played as many floaters as I could…. I played slow and
high… "
Rachael Grinham |
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"I blew it!
 "After
winning the first game rather easily, I just stepped off the gas,
and let her in. It’s so difficult to deal with the floating shots
she throws at you.
"I was up 8/2 in the second, and I blew it. I should have nailed
the coffin, because it would have been a huge psychological
advantage to be up 2/0, it would have been a mental mountain to
climb back.
"But once she equalised, she got her confidence back, played an
extremely clever strategic game with high floaters, not to mention
she was playing a much better length than I was. I was trying to
get some pace into the game, but I didn’t succeed, and then, I got
impatient with it all…
"But overall this year, I’m happy with my season, and especially
happy with my health, after the trouble I had last year, I’m
getting better and better, and stronger and stronger…"
Natalie Grainger |
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Rachael's Acceptance speech
"I’m a bit rusty at this, because I haven’t won anything for such a long
time…!
"I want to thank Qatar Airways for organising this tournament once
again, and making it one of the biggest prize money events on the
calendar, and for their support of Women's Squash in general, and also
QSF for their fantastic running of the event, and perfect organisation.
"We all look forward to coming here to Doha…" |
Fri 22nd Apr,
SEMIS:
Volley, run and 21 minutes of
ecstasy
Framboise reports on the semi-finals ...
[1] Rachael Grinham bt [4]
Nicol David (Mas)
9/3, 8/10, 2/9, 9/1, 10/8 (71m)
[6] Natalie Grainger (Usa)
bt [14] Tania Bailey (Eng) 9/2, 1/9, 9/2,
9/6 (50m)
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