SquashTalk >News > Hurghada Finals

Natalie Pohrer wins Hurghada
by Howard Harding © 2002

April 3, 2002 © 2002         [Hurghada draw]
      

CAMPION QUITS


RESULTS: Hurghada Women's International Squash Championship, Hurghada, Egypt Final:
Natalie Pohrer (ENG) bt [2] Cassie Campion (ENG) 9-2, 9-5 ret. (18m)

England's Natalie Pohrer crowned a sensational two weeks in Egypt by beating second-seeded compatriot Cassie Campion in the final of the Hurghada Women's International Squash Championship to claim the biggest title of her career and become the first unseeded player to win a WISPA World Tour event for more than two years.

A week after reaching the final of the Heliopolis Open in Cairo - also unseeded - Pohrer carved through the field of the Grand Prix event in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada to reach the final after adding top seed Carol Owens, the world No2 from New Zealand, to her list of world top ten scalps.

Sadly, the swirling breeze which carried fine sand onto the open-air court on the small island off the Hurghada shore put paid to a quality Hurghada International final. After losing a tentative first game, Campion became increasingly concerned about the conditions - but gave it a further try in the second.

After falling three times when lunging for the ball, the former world champion conceded the match to give Pohrer the title after 18 minutes of play with the score at 9-2 9-5. Campion underwent back surgery last year and was understandably reluctant to risk further injury in the difficult conditions.

"I'm naturally disappointed," said the world No4 from Norfolk. "I was looking forward to playing the final, but having given it a go, I couldn't continue after falling over so often." Pohrer, fighting back to top form after a six-month layoff last year, was not experiencing the same problems.

"It was really unfortunate for Cassie, as she seemed to struggle - but I went out to win and wasn't slipping. I don't lunge in the way that she does," said the 24-year-old former South African, now based in St Louis, USA.

WISPA Director Andrew Shelley, the on-site championship organiser, was called into action to deal with the problems as they unfolded. "The court was clearly difficult, but with only one player having severe problems it would have been inappropriate to abandon the match," he said. "It was very hard on Cassie, but the combination of the court and her stretching placed her in danger. A professional cannot risk her career recklessly, and she made every effort to complete the match."

Despite the disappointing climax, the championship was deemed a great success by the Al Ahram Foundation, promoters of the event, and discussions on dates for next year are already taking place.

Natalie Pohrer earns Hurghada Prize last night on the Red Sea (photo courtesy Andrew Shelley, WISPA)

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