WINNIPEG'S BAIZLEY WINS WORLD UNIVERSITY CROWN PILZEN

August 15, 2000 , Czech Republic--Canada won its opening match in team play Tuesday at the world university squash championships but all the talk concerned Winnipeg's Marnie Baizley capturing the women's singles title in dramatic fashion Monday night.

Baizley defeated Wing-yin Chiu of Hong Kong 3-2 (1-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-2, 10-9) in a wild two-hour final. The 25-year-old Canadian, currently ranked 37th in the world, was the top-seed and had breezed through to the championship match. Chiu was seeded third and had upset number-two Isabelle Stoehr of France in the semifinal 3-2. "This is one of the biggest wins of my career," said Baizley, who overcame a 4-8 deficit in the fifth game and saw Chiu squander several match balls. "Especially that I was able to do it in comeback style. I knew I was in for a tough one and she was killing me at the start. But I was able to keep my focus."

This is not Baizley's first international title. She won the Pacific Rim crown last year and was also a member of Canada's gold medal winning team at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg.

In the men's final, second-seed Kelly Patrick of Edmonton lost 3-0 (9-6, 9-3, 9-0) to number-one Thierry Lincou of France. Lincou is one of the world's top professional players and currently ranked eighth in the pro standings. Ben Garner of Britain won the bronze.

The 12-country team round robin competition gets underway Tuesday. Canada opened with a 2-1 win over Switzerland. Baizley and Doug Parent of Calgary won the first two matches while Jonathan Dale of lost the third match. Canada is seeded third and in pool B with the Swiss and South Africa. The round robin matches the quarterfinals and semis are on Wednesday and the final is Thursday.

Monday's results at the world university squash championships in Pilzen, Czech Republic:

MEN

Final:
Thierry Lincou (1), France def Kelly Patrick, Edmonton (2) 9-6, 9-3, 9-0

Semifinal
Thierry Lincou (1), France def. Ben Garner, Britain (5/8), 3-0.
Kelly Patrick, Edmonton (2), def. Gerhard Schedlbauer (4), Austria 3-0
(9-4, 9-3, 9-2).

WOMEN

Final:
Marnie Baizley (1), Winnipeg Canada def Wing-yin Chiu (3), Hong Kong 1-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-2, 10-9

Semifinal
Marnie Baizley (1), Winnipeg def. Laura Hamilton (4), Britain, 3-0 (9-5,
9-2, 9-1).
Wing-yin Chiu (3), Hong Kong def. Isabelle Stoehr (2), France, 3-2.

Canadian sports can be followed at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/csnweb

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