JACKMAN MADE TO GRINHAM BEAR IT

Every seat was full for the women’s final, with an English heroine, in the form of Cassie Jackman, to cheer for. But the diminutive Rachael Grinham, who has emerged as the dark horse of the tournament, was determined to give the home crowd very little to cheer about. She has a new-found confidence and almost never looks worried, angry or puzzled. She used her floaty, boasty game to great effect and in the first game never allowed Jackman to get started. Grinham went short on almost every shot using either high volley drops or boasts from both sides of the court. Jackman, like most players, just would not expect this so early in the game and she was left flatfooted time after time. The first game was a near-whitewash for Grinham after Jackman won the first point: within a few minutes Grinham was at game point which Jackman managed to postpone for three rallies before Grinham hit a tight length to win the ninth point. The game had lasted just over eight minutes and things did not look good for Jackman,

THE BATTLE COMMENCES
That first game was like a brief overture to the match proper and Jackman knew that she would be taken to the front. She was now ready for the trip up front and suddenly Grinham’s main strategy had been nullified. They played cut and thrust through 16 rallies to reach 3-all before Jackman made the breakthrough with a backhand drop on one of Grinham’s boasts (That’ll larn her!) to surge ahead to 7-3. Jackman was in charge and her beautiful backhand was working with high lobs and low slams.

Suddenly the former world champion was beginning to look good and despite another surge from Grinham to save three game balls, Jackman persisted in her strategy to win the second game 9-7 after 16 minutes.

THE MUSE GIVETH AND THE MUSE TAKETH AWAY
They still battle at the start of the fourth; after eleven rallies the score was till 1-0 in Cassie’s favour but then for no apparent reason everything that she was doing in the second game disappeared and suddenly Grinham rushed toa 5-1 lead and suddenly she was at game ball. Jackman was reprieved by a Grinham error and then gave up a stroke to g]put Grinham at game ball again. Jackman finished the game by snatching at an impossible ball on the wall and putting it into the tin.

…AND THE MUSE TAKETH AWAY AGAIN
Jackman had come back once so she could do it again. She started the fourth in fine form hitting three winners and taking advantage of two Grinham errors to get 4-0. We had a battle as Grinham took charge once more using perfect control and using her short stuff at just the right time. She pulled up to 4-all exchange service three times to get to 5-5 and then Grinham pulled out one of her exquisite boasts from the back of the court, the forehand shot shaping like a drive before sending it into the side wall. Jackman was left flatfooted and possibly mentally wounded.
In quick succession, she missed a tight wall shot, was stroked when one of her backhands came out to center court and then could only watch as the serve nicked at the back wall for match point. Once more Cassie Jackman had missed out on the one title she has failed to add to her mantle.

She said she simply did not play well and was not moving as well as she had been. There was nothing wrong with her back and she was bitterly disappointed.
The new British Open Champion said she was a bit numb at winning but felt that she had used up all her excitement in beating world number one Carol Owens in the semis.
“I knew what I had to do to beat Cassie and I went out on the court and did it,” she told Squashtalk, clutching a bottle of champagne as she prepared to do telephone interviews around the world.