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Last
day in Hyderabad
Steve Cubbins reports from Falaknuma Palace
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FINAL:
[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [2] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
4/9, 9/5, 9/0, 9/0 (54m) |
Nicol
is the Champion
Top seed Nicol David dethroned
Rachael Grinham as the Qatar Airways Challenge champion in an enthralling
final in front of Hyderabad's Falaknuma Palace.
 It
was anybody's for two games as they traded their full repertoire of shots.
Rachael was playing beautifully, keeping Nicol on the back foot by mixing
lobs, drives, volleys and boasts in equal measure.
Rachael kept the upper hand at the start of the second, taking a 5-3 lead,
but two errors let Nicol level and signalled a change in the match.
In fact Rachael was not to score another point as Nicol upped the pace,
volleyed everything she could and took control of the match as Rachael
visibly tired.
The 9-0, 9-0 scoreline in the last two games didn't reflect the match, but
while Rachael was still contesting the rallies she couldn't find the
answer to Nicol's pace and consistency.
The inevitable was accepted for the last few points and a new champion was
crowned.
 "I
learned from the first game as the match progressed.
"I started to make her run around the court, and she started to
feel it, I could sense her gasping for breath.
"The scoreline makes it look as if the last two games were
one-sided, but it was much harder than that.
"Now I've got the Malaysian Open coming up in my hometown, and
I'll have to change my approach. Making comebacks all the time
isn't a good plan ...
"I'm delighted to win this event for the first time, it's been a
great week and the organisers and sponsors have done us all
proud."
Nicol David |
The final, as it
happened (as well as the live scoreboard
we had a 'blow-by-blow' account of the match):
Game one:
Rachael takes the first game after some early errors by Nicol put her
behind. Rachael using the lob well, and staying on top as the rallies
became longer as the game went on ... 18m
Game two:
At 2-all a court light blows, slightly dark in back left corner but
both players agree to carry on. Rachael goes 5-3 up but with both players
using every shot in the book in long, crafted rallies Nicol comes back
into it to level ... 19m
Game three:
Nicol takes early charge with winners from a variety of shots, races
to 5-0. Rachael steadies, extends the rallies and wins a few serves, but
can't stop Nicol taking the next four points, finishing on a service
return into the tin ... 6m
Game four:
Long rallies to start, then two quick points for Nicol, then two tins
from Rachael. A stroke takes it to 5-0, another three quick tins to 8-0
match ball as Rachael seemingly accepts the inevitable. A final
long rally sees Rachael's lob go out ...
Nicol is the champion ... 7m
|
 "I
still feel good, happy with my game, I just died in the end. Even
in the third and fourth I felt in it at the start of the games but
then I just stopped.
"I've had some hard matches this week, my body needs to get used
to playing three or four hard matches in a row, it's something I
haven't done for a while.
"I'm really happy with my form and it's been a good week. I'm
hoping to have another crack at her in the Malaysian or Penang."
Rachael Grinham |
Fireworks
after the final!
En Bref, Issue 6
Life in Hyderabad
and
other galleries |
