SquashSite365 all about squash, every day …
India gatecrash the top eight in Nimes as HK hang on …
After two days of Pool matches it was down to the knockout/monrad stage of the Women’s World Team Championship in Nimes, with the first round of the last 16 draw.
There were just two upset results in the pool matches with France and India, seeded #9 and #10, beating #7 and #8 seeds Ireland and Netherlands. Because of the way the draw works those two wins effectively cancelled each other out as those teams met today.
First up was India versus the Dutch. India took the lead but Natalie Grinham levelled for the Dutch, and in the decider Joshna Chinappa came from 2-1 down against Orla Noom to put India into the quarter-finals for the first time.
“It’s awesome to be part of the team which has got into the world’s top eight for the first time – but I’m looking forward to taking it one step forward,” said Joshna.
Then hosts France took on Ireland, but they were unable to emulate the Indians to produce a second upset as Laura Mylotte and Madeline Perry – with tough a 3-2 win over Camille Serme – took the Irish 2-0 up and into the last eight.
Meanwhile defending champions Australia won 3-0 against the USA while New Zealand versus Canada went to a decider with Jaclyn Hawkes clinching it for the fifth-seeded Kiwis to make it a down-under double.
Second and third seeds Egypt and Malaysia made quick work of their matches against Mexico and the Czech Republic, but Hong Kong were made to fight hard against South Africa with their top pairing of Annie Au and Joey Chan both winning 3-2 to secure a comeback 2-1 win.
Not only did Annie have to come from 0-2 down to keep HK in the match, but Joey was then two points away from defeat before reeling off six points in a row to clinch her match!
“It was bad enough when we dropped the first match, but when Annie then went 2/0 down, I thought ‘we’re finished’,” admitted Hong Kong coach Faheem Khan. “South Africa played really well – and I must say that I think we were lucky to get through,” he added.
The quarter-final lineup was completed when top seeds England cruised to a 3-0 win over Wales.
Last Sixteen Round One:
[1] England 3-0 Wales
Sarah Kippax 3-0 Fiona Murphy 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
Laura Massaro 3-0 Tesni Evans 11-7, 11-6, 11-6
Alison Waters 2-0Deon Saffery 11-2, 11-7
[7] Ireland 3-0 France
Laura Mylotte 3-2 Maud Duplomb 7-11, 11-8, 13-15, 11-8, 11-4 (53m)
Madeline Perry 3-2 Camille Serme 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5 (68m)
Aisling Blake 2-0 Coline Aumard 11-4, 11-9 (17m)
[3] Malaysia 2-0 Czech Rep
Delia Arnold 3-0 Kristyna Alexova 11-1, 11-3, 11-5
Nicol David 3-0 Lucie Fialova 11-3, 11-5, 11-4
Low Wee Wern v Olga Ertlova
New-Zealand 2-1 Canada
Kylie Lindsay 2-3 Susannah King 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 12-14 (54m)
Joelle King 3-1 Samantha Cornett 8-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 (35m)
Jaclyn Hawkes 3-0 Alexandra Norman 11-5, 13-11, 11-9 (33m)
[4] Hong Kong 2-1 South Africa
Liu Tsz-Ling 0-3 Milnay Loouw 10-12, 10-12, 5-11
Annie Au 3-2 Siyoli Waters 10-12, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3
Joey Chan 3-2 Diana Haynes 11-6, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9
Australia 3-0 Usa
Melody Francis 3-2 Maria Ubina 11-4, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2 (35m)
Rachael Grinham 3-0 Sabrina Sobhy 11-2, 13-11, 11-3 (27m)
Donna Urquhart 2-1 Olivia Fiechter 11-6, 10-12, 11-8 (25m)
India 2-1 Netherlands
Anaka Alankamony 3-0 Milou vd Heijden 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (30m)
Dipika Pallikal 0-3 Natalie Grinham 8-11, 4-11, 3-11 (20m)
Joshana Chinappa 3-2 Orla Noom 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3 (51m)
[2] Egypt 3-0 Mexico
Nour El Tayeb 3-0 Monserrat Castella 11-8, 11-3, 11-3
Raneem El Weleily 3-0 Karla Urrutia 11-5, 11-6, 11-8
Omneya Abdel Kawy 2-0 Nayelly Hernandez 11-6, 11-2
Main tournament page: squashsite.co.uk/2009/wwt2012nimes
