Exclusive to Squashtalk: Dec 11th 1999, 8 PM, Aberdeen THE KIWI CROWNED Martin Bronstein reporting from THE EYE GROUP BRITISH OPEN LEILANI JOYCE THE SLIM NEW ZEALANDER, upset the form book and a million British squash fans when she played near-perfect squash to beat Cassie Campion in the final of the British Open on this wet Saturday afternoon in Northern Scotland. [more about Leilani Joyce] Before the match you would find only the odd New Zealander who thought Joyce could take the title, but fortunately for her, Campion returned to her old ways of making errors at critical points. For the last three months she had finally found the ability to play to the best of her talents and cut out the errors. Indeed, in yesterday's semi-final she said she felt that was the first time in her career that she had played an error-free match. The start was ominous: two quick errors and a fine volley drop from Joyce and Campion was 0-3 down, but she dug in and from 3-5 down she went in one hand to a 9-5 in just eleven minutes, showing true supremacy and at times moving Joyce all around the court. The second game saw images of Cassie Jackman (her maiden name) return and suddenly her shots were peppering the tin like buckshot. Worse still she couldn't stop herself while Joyce settled in to hitting superb length making Campion take everything off the back wall. The patience that Campion said she had acquired had disappeared. She trailed 5-3 and was on the comeback trail at 6-7 when she attempted a no percentage high overhead volley boast which hit the tin. Joyce got the serve back and took the next two points to even the match. The third game was just a disaster from beginning to end. It must have been torture for Campion as she committed eight errors and went from a 2-1 lead to lose 9-3 - the final point, symbolically was a forehand drop into the tin. The fourth begand as though she had amended her ways. Eveything was working, drops on both sides, overhead volleys and boasts to give her a 5-0 lead. But Joyce was on form and, she said later, relaxed, knowing the pressure was on the home-town girl. She carved her way back to 5-5 and constantly took advantage of Campion's desire to go short, leaving loose balls that Joyce smashed away into the back corners. Campion got back to 7-all but a forehand cross court winner gave Joyce the service and a forehand drop gave her match ball. She ended the rally with a silly attempt at an overhead drop which failed. Instead of getting angry she gave a little jump in the air and a giggle. She hit Cassie's serve into the tin and it was 8-8, giving Cassie a lifeline. Joyce got the service back with an overhead backhand volley to serve for the match again and, as if to underline her defects, Campion hit the final backhand into the tin. Her opportunity to finish the year with both world title and British Open had disappeared in a welter of bad shots. Joyce is a worthy champion; her court coverage is superb and she can keep a damaging length going under the most perverse circumstances. I can see some wonderfully interesting battles between her and Campion in the next few years. ...British Open latest updates: ..draws, photos, reports updated hourly. Power and Nicol dominate their opponents in semis. [12-11 evening report] [12-10 afternoon report] [12-9 evening report] [12-9 Noon report] [12-8 evening report] [12-8 Noon's report] [read Martin's 12-7 Evening Report] [read Martin's 12-7 Noon Report] WOMEN'S FINAL DRAW MEN'S LATEST DRAW [SquashTalk Web Page for the British Open here] advertisement advertisement