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Semis
En Brefs
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[3]
Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [2] Natalie Grinham (Aus)
9/4, 10/8, 9/2 (47m)
RACHAEL SUPERIOR
TODAY...
The match started not only on time, but you couldn't have found a
seat to save your life. Forty five minutes before the start of the
match, the queue of the spectators waiting to come in was round the
block, and Graham Waters, World Referee, had all the pain in the
world to prevent an avid spectator from sitting right in front of
Wendy Danzey, the main referee for the match!
The temperature, although far from being warm, was nowhere
near as cold
as the previous days, and we had longer rallies, and more pick ups,
which is, after all, the squash I do dare to prefer. |
Natalie
made her slow start again, 8 tins in the first game only, although
we had some stunning rallies at 5/1 (yes, a good start from
Rachael!), at the end of which Baby Sis shouted her famous "Come On,
Wake Up". And it worked. She clawed back to 4/6, but Rachael by then
had the game mentally well in hand.
But
it was the Big Sis who had a shaky start in the second, with
four tins in a few points, allowing Natalie to fly off to 5/2, then
6/3. But Rachael, lobbing, half volleying, and dropping at will, was
now well planted at the front, and caught her back at 6/6, to set up
a first game ball 8/7. Natalie would have none of it, equalled the
score at 8/8, but the next game ball was the good one.
It was a high mountain that suddenly stood in front of Natalie, you
know. But still, we stayed forever at 2/1 for Rachael, but when Baby
Sis put the ball in the tin on the sixth change of serve, something
seemed to click in her head, and five tins followed. And although
her pride saved a match ball, we all knew it was all over.
One
thing. Not one let was asked, and only three decisions, obvious
ones, as in strokes. That's it. Not one discussion, and even a ball
given back by Natalie when call down, and that in the crucial second
game.
What a lesson.
Still having her sense of humour, Natalie arrived in the Press Room
to answer our questions, and was told to wait a bit as Rachael was
at what should have been her place, having her photo taken. With a
cheeky smile, she stated,
"She has been taking everything from me today, hasn't she..." |
 
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 "I
always resort to the lobbing when nothing else is working…
I have no idea why I’m winning all of a sudden! It started because I
was in a losing spiral, so, over the summer, I did a bit more
training, then it all started at the Dutch, I did well against
Natalie, then did well against Nicol in Malaysia, and of course,
winning the British Open was a real confidence boost, the same way
this one will, of course….
The second game was pretty crucial, when she was up 6/3 I didn’t
think that I was going to lose the match if I was losing that game,
but I just wanted to get in front of her, and was trying not to
think too much.
I think that’s really our problem when we play together, we just
hesitate and think too much, “she is going to play that shot, and
she expects me to play that one, so I’ll change my mind then, and
play that shot”. And that’s when you make the errors, which Natalie
did a lot of today.
 The
fact I wanted to win this so badly, it didn’t matter too much if it
was my sister I was playing or not…. The difference is that when we
play against each other, we are happy for the other one, and a bit
disappointed for ourselves when we lose.
For some reason I had a different attitude towards the final of the
Commonwealth Games, I don’t know, maybe it was because it was so
exciting just to be there, and as it was a team event, and that it
was Gold and Silver for Australia, it nearly somehow didn’t matter.
This Championship, I really wanted to win.
Do I feel for Natalie? No! She’s got her three gold medals at the
Commonwealth Games!!!!! And this is the title I always wanted, it’s
the one that people that don’t know anything about squash can relate
to, I suppose. World Champion…
 There
is one man I would like to thank in my name, and in the name of my
sister, Noel Ziebell, he was the manager of the squash club Natalie
and I started to play in, in Toowoomba. He used to let us use the
facilities as much as we wanted, always believed in us, always
supported us, and he used to say “one of these days, those girls are
going to be champions”, and people used to reply “Yeah, whatever”.
Without him, we wouldn’t be here today….
What is more important, the British Open title, or the World? Mmmm.
Right this minute, the World I guess, but if I had the choice
between three British, and no world, and two British and one world,
I would take 2 and 1.
But I’ll take them all, thank you very much….
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 I’m
not disappointed, because just before the event, I nearly pulled out
of the tournament, I had wrist problems, and even at the start of
the week, I was thinking of pulling out. So, very happy to arrive
into the final.
She didn’t let me play well, so I’m disappointed I couldn’t play
better.
In the second, I was leading 6/3 I think, and suddenly, she ran away
with the game. It was difficult, she is very fast, and she takes
advantage of any errors in my game. So I have to play perfect shots
every time.
 I’m
really happy to see her play well again, she is the only player who
is able to trick me, she knows my game inside out, and when we play
against each other, we are always guessing what the other one is
going to do, and think “oh no, I have to change my shot because she
knows what I’m going to play”. It’s so difficult, we always discuss
about game plans, so we know each other’s game so well…
I tried to be mentally strong, but that court is not forgiving at
all, and in the 3rd, I couldn’t make up my mind, whether to go for my
shots, or to be more patient. On that court, you’ve got to take your
chances when you have them, but I wasn’t hitting the ball up, so at
7/1, I think, I decided to be more patient and go for longer
rallies, but it was too late. But I can’t complain. She played well.
How does it feel to write History? It feels great! I guess that that
was the dream really, both of us being in the final of the Worlds,
more than actually winning against somebody else…
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26-Oct-07, Preview:
"THIS IS THE HOUR..."
Forget the Williams Sisters. We have our own special Sisters, and
for the first time tonight, they'll play in a Tour Final against
each other. Nope, the Commonwealth Games doesn't count, not sure
why, but it's not considered as part of the Tour.
And with all the titles/trophy those two little mini-champion
possess, none of them is actually a World Champion.
Tonight, around 9ish, one will be.
For you Spanish Fans, you'll be able to follow the Final live on
Teledeporte, if you are not in Madrid that is, because otherwise, we
are waiting for you here.
For the rest of the world, just click on the Wispa live scoreboard
or on the free live streaming. You are spoiled for choice...
This is the day. This is the hour.
This is the match.
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Semis
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