AL-AHRAM INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN ON TOP
The top two seeds proved their worth by overcoming their final opponents, one in "desperation" and the other "in bursts". They were very different finals with the women taking the laurels for entertainment and suspense. This was a very different state of affairs from last year when the women's final fizzled out. This year it never stopped sizzling with changes of fortune with every five points.

THE PYRAMIDS NEVER GOT A CHANCE
At least three thousand Barada-idolising Egyptians packed the bleachers around the court with nary a glance at the floodlit Pyramids in the background. They came to see their idol but loved every second of the 87 minute women's final as Leilani Joyce and Carol Owens slogged it out over five games. If there is one essential difference between Joyce and Owens it is that Joyce can hit more outright winners and she can do it almost from the word go. I travelled from the hotel to the court in the bus with Owens and she was nervous which could have accounted for her slow start. (Which was positively rocket like compared to the men who came on later). Owens likes altitude and when she is really in the groove sends the ball down the walls and across court with immense height. They had some lovely cross-court duels and Owens nearly always won. But Joyce hits those winners with absolute assurance and it was this asset that put her at game point in the first game.

CAROLE THE COMEBACK KID
Owens is an Australian who lives in New Zealand and doesn't get a penny grant from anywhere. Her winnings are truly her living and she fights for her place on the ladder. She dug in and clawed her way back to level pegging and then took the next two points to win 10-8. She went from 5-8 to 10-8 in one hand and that was psychologically damaging to Joyce. Or so we thought. She came out for the second, smacked the first service into the nick, went 0-4 down and then fashioned her own run from 3-5 to 9-5 to go to tie the match. She kept up the impetus and took the third as well to go 2/1

LENGTH AND HEIGHT, IT'S THAT SIMPLE
Owens then took charge of the fourth game using an aerial barrage to keep the rapidly fading Joyce moving around the court. Whenever Owens went short she let Joyce in, but in this game Joyce appeared to be finished. Sloppy shots and decreased running suggested that Owens was on the plane home with the winner's cheque. She took it 9-3 by lofting yet another ball and Joyce attempted an overhead volley into the nick and hit tin.

RE-JOYCE
But forget appearances, Joyce was not finished and these two women kept on fighting in the dense evening heat. Point for point to 5-5 and then Owen showed the effects of her efforts and Joyce pulled ahead to take the 14 minute game 9-5, despite the fact that she had made more errors than Owens. She had also hit more winners. When I asked Joyce where she found the strength for the fifth, she said simply "Desperation" and we knew exactly what she meant.

NICOL BEATS BARADA AGAIN.
Despite the ranting, chanting, shouting, clapping, joyous Barada Armada, Nicol went on court confidently knowing he had never lost to the Egyptian idol. But he also knew that the atmosphere on that court was very sapping - all the players had said they found it difficult to keep a constant pressure going. In the semifinal Parke had suddenly stopped dead as his oxygen was cut off.

THINKING MAN'S SQUASH.
Their first game was good stuff, not explosive and fast but thoughtful and inch perfect. The best drops were picked up and sent soaring into the back corner and crosscourts came at unexpected times. Barada was rarely going for winners and Nicol had to work for every point - there were no free rides.. To the Armada's delight, Barada got to game ball, gave up a stroke to allow Nicol to tie at 14-all and then called No set….one point. For a game that had lasted 30 minutes, it was a very ballsy call. Nicol hit a tight ball down the left wall, Barada asked for a let, was denied and Nicol was one up.

NOT TIRED, JUST RESTING.
Barada was now shooting well and Nicol could do nothing. Barada built up a lead and suddenly Nicol's work rate decreased rapily and he was giving away easy points. He was to say later that the only way to survice in that humidity was to play in bursts, which explained much of the match. Barada led 11-4, Nicol made a brief recovery but the game was always going to be Barada's and he took it 15-9.

A LONGER REST THAN YOUR AVERAGE REST
The third game was a disaster, Nicol only needed one 'burst' because Barada simply stopped trying - it was over in ten minutes - I'm surprised it took that long - 15-3 for Nicol. Barada came back for the fourth and for the first time there were sparks. Nicol was hitting some beautiful winners - all appreciated by the Armada - and Barada gave hope for victory by leading 12-10. Nicol has been there many times before and just kept plugging away and when he hit the winning point to the front right, Barada, who has still to recover his fitness levels that he had before his stabbing in March, sank to his knees in the back corner. Not a great final, but still, the Al Ahram is the tournament that stands above all others. I'm always glad to have been there. And I'll be back next year.

RESULTS FINALS (FRIDAY)
MEN
Peter Nicol(SCO) bt Ahmed Barada(EGY) 15-14,9-15, 15-3, 15-12. (88 minutes)

WOMEN
Leilani Joyce (NZ) bt Carol Owens (Aus) 8-10, 9-7, 9-5, 3-9, 9-5. (87 minutes)

RESULTS SEMI FINALS (THURSDAY)
WOMEN
Carol Owens bt Natalie Grainger bt Natalie Grinham 9-2, 9-3, 10-8
Leilani Joyce (NZ) bt Tania Bailey (Eng) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0.

MEN
Ahmed Barada bt Jonathon Power 9-15, 15-10 (retired)
Peter Nicol (Sco) bt Simon Parke (Eng) 12-15, 15-6, 15-5, 15-7.

RESULTS QUARTER FINALS
WOMEN
WEDNESDAY
Carol Owens bt Suzanne Horner 9-3, 9-5, 9-5
Natalie Grainger bt Natalie Grinham 9-3, 9-3, 9-2
TUESDAY
Tania Bailey (Eng)bt Rebecca Mcree (Eng) 0-9, 9-5, 9-4, 5-9, 10-9.
Leilani Joyce (NZ) bt Rachael Grinham (Eng) 9-7, 9-4, 9-1.

MEN
WEDNESDAY
Ahmed Barada def Del Harris 15-9, 15-2, 7-15, 15-11
Jonathon Power bt Paul Johnson 15-7, 15-13, 15-6
TUESDAY
Peter Nicol (Sco) bt Amr Shabana (Egy) 9-15, 15-5, 15-8, 15-7.
Simon Parke (Eng) bt David Palmer (Aus) 15-7, 15-11, 11-15, 15-9.

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
• Kim Tunney: Midwest USA
• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

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