I was prepared for a long battle but today's final in Munich lasted only 34 minutes. And at the end I found myself less tired than Carol Owens, with my knee feeling great, holding the trophy...

It was the culmination of a hard week for me. In round one of qualifying I met newcomer Petr Vihar of Slovenia 9/0 9/0 9/2. There's a ton of rising talent coming from the Czech republic, Slovenia and other new squash centers. Next I faced a rapidly improving competitor - Janie Thacker from England. Last time I player her she took a game, but this time it was 9/3, 9/7, and 9/2. For my efforts in the qualifier, I immediately drew the world No. 4 player, Natalie Grainger. Making constant use of my pace and court movement, I built my confidence with a 9/4 9/5 9/1 win in only 34 minutes. World No 8 Suzanne Horner presented the next obstacle the quarter-finals. Suzanne faced me in January, so she had some counter-strategies prepared. Despite offering stiffer competition, she was unable to slow my charge, and I moved into the semis with a 9/1 9/6 9/4 win.

The semi-final featured the first confrontation for over a year with World No 1 Cassie Campion. I had been eagerly awaited this matchup -- after watching her in Seattle, Aberdeen, and Hurghada, I wanted my chance to test her with my power and speed. At least on this saturday, Cassie was unable to match up to my power. I felt a lot of intensity, and was definitely ready and focused. Then again, I had nothing to lose and Cassie signalled to me from the start, with her early tentativeness and errors, that she was approaching this battle defensively. I kept on the attack and though she tightened up her game, she was barely able to extend the match beyond forty minutes, as the score sheet showed 9/7 9/7 9/4 in my favor.

So here I was, in the final of the first major tournament of the season, facing Carol Owens, who only last week won the WISPA Grand Prix Finals. Carol Owens, won the Grand Prix finals last week in Hurghada, Egypt defeating Cassie twice and reached the finals of the Munich Open with out dropping a game.

Carol had some expectations about gaining Australian bragging rights after that win, but I had other ideas. Carol has been playing well, but when I beat Cassie 3-0 in the semi finals on my side of the draw, I gained an important psychological boost. Here in Munich, the match started today with both of us a little tentative, both vying for World ranking points.

We played point for point until Carol made a break to 7-4 , whereupon she made two unforced errors and my patience and self confidence allowed me to pick-up the pace and close out the game in one hand - 9/7. Making a strong 4-0 start in the second, I frustratingly let my lead slip to 5-4 in one hand., but leading 8/5 in the second game broke Carol's spirit with a succession of retrieving and kills to the front of the court that kept Carol on the move and let me win the game 9/5. Owens seemed really tired to me coming into the third game, and I felt fresh and motivated. I kept up the power and running and she could only win two rallies in the decisive 9/0 third game.

I realized later that I had managed to win the Com4Net championship, starting in the qualifier, without losing a single game. Most importantly, I firmly convinced myself that I am fully recovered from my knee injury and operation.

This is perhaps my most satisfying of the three Bavarian - Munich titles. I came to Munich to make a statement - and I have by beating Natalie, Suzanne, Cassie and Carol, who are the hottest players on the World Tour (I didn't get to match up with Leilani Joyce this time), but I still know there is a lot of room for improvement in my own game. I am looking forward to my next tournament in Mexico, 27th to 30th April.