SquashTalk >News > Hurghada Semis

Natalie Pohrer Subdues Carol Owens
by Martin Bronstein © 2002

April 2, 2002 © 2002         [Hurghada draw]
      

VANESSA ATKINSON SPLUTTERS AGAINST CAMPION

POHRER TAKES THE INITIATIVE, OWENS CAN'T RESPOND
England's unseeded Natalie Pohrer, now at 9 in the world rankings, continued her relentless assault on higher-ranked players in the Hurghada Women's International Squash Championship in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada when she added the prize scalp of New Zealand's world No3 Carol Owens to her tally since returning to the WISPA World Tour at the beginning of the year after a six-month lay-off.

POHRER DOES IT RIGHT
As I was saying yesterday, if Natalie Pohrer starts fast against Carol Owens and puts the Kiwi under pressure she could beat her. According to my unimpeachable source in Hurghada: . “She burst out of the blocks and stormed to an 8/0 lead in the first game before Owens managed any sort of response.” In 49 minutes it was all over and Pohrer once again underlined her claim as a genuine contender for the top spot if and when Sarah Fitz-Gerald retires.

OUNDS LOST, POINTS WON She’s a smart lady, learning from past losses and mistakes. After the shock victory she said of her loss to Owens in the final of Heliopolis tournament: “I didn’t adjust my tactics and general game plan fast enough. This time I was taking the ball early, inducing weak responses and dropping regularly.” More importantly she is finally getting to a level of fitness that would underpin her brilliant shotmaking. Recent hard work on her conditioning has paid off with excess weight lost and fitness raised.

Carol Owens reportedly complained of her footing at times and indeed later changed her shoes. Pohrer had clearly learned from her defeat by the former Australian in last week's Heliopolis Open final - which she also reached unseeded. This time she was taking the ball early, inducing weak responses and dropping regularly.

After Pohrer took the opener, Owens got back into a comfortable pattern in game two and was able to control the pace. In the third game, however, the Auckland-based 2000 world champion was off the pace again, her renowned court coverage sporadic. Pohrer, 24 and now based in St Louis, USA, piled on the pressure and after 49 minutes secured a well-earned 9-5, 8-10, 9-3, 9-3 victory - and a place in her second successive Egyptian final in one weeks. A rueful Owens conceded afterwards:

"I kept going short and didn't want to work to win. I didn't get up for the match."

ATKINSON CAN"T CAPITALIZE ON FAST START
Second seed Cassie Campion was favourite to take the other final place, but but Vanessa Atkinson is also upwardly mobile and ran to an 8-2 lead in the first set.. But the 29-year-old world No4 from England has specialised in winning games from these positions in each round. This time she pulled back to 9-8 in one hand before wrapping it up after one error.

From here the Dutch number one fell away, ultimately losing 10-8, 9-0, 9-3 to Campion in 38 minutes in front of the fourth packed gallery in a row on the Red sea island. Both matches were shown live on Egyptian television, as had earlier rounds. They will also form part of the first international WISPA Tour programming.

Natalie Pohrer and Carol Owens are all smiles before heading on court for the semis. (photo courtesy Andrew Shelley, WISPA)

Semi-final Results:
RESULTS: Hurghada Women's International Squash Championship, Hurghada, Egypt

Semi-finals:
[2] Cassie Campion (ENG) bt [8] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 10-8, 9-0, 9-3 (38m) Natalie Pohrer (ENG) bt [1] Carol Owens (NZL) 9-5, 8-10, 9-3, 9-3 (49m)

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