Grinham Survives a Barn-Burner
May 15, 2005, by WISPA
SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2005 all Rights Reserved;

[Complete Draw]

Omneya Abdel Kawy, to the delight of the fans, gave Rachael Grinham all she could handle (photo © 2005 WISPA)

They may both live in Cairo, but it is a very big city. When you live on opposite sides there is an inordinate amount of traffic to fight through so Rachael Grinham and Omneya Abdel Kawy are not regular practice partners. In fact they are not even irregular ones.

Grinham is based at the Heliopolis Club while Abdel Kawy is at the Gezira Club - when the nineteen year old is not studying accountancy at Misr International University in the city.

There is also a fair distance between them in the WISPA rankings too. The gap between one and ten to be precise.

She had come to the last day after a straight games semi final win over fourth seed Laura Lengthorn; but Alison Waters, the other half of the English double act, had extended Abdel Kawy to five games over 73 minutes before the home star edged home to the voluble relief of her supporters. This win had ensured that the seating would be packed for the final, but would her efforts the night before tip the balance heavily against her?

The pairing was the same as the Hurghada International last year. Grinham had cruised home then, and had done so 3/0 again when the pair met last September in the quarters of the Bahrain WISPA Classic. But this was nothing like these meetings.

The Red Sea thermostat was again still set on high as dusk fell. Unlike the previous evening a breeze coming in over the backwall seats was keeping the flags flapping and added another factor for the players to deal with. Grinham’s floated balls would undoubtedly hold up on the backhand.

An hour before the start the chanting had begun, and people occupying every seat, standing, hanging from every vantage point or peeking round the edge of the stands.

Maha Zein Exhorts on her friend Rachael Grinham (photo © 2005 WISPA)

Early rallies were extended as both players became comfortable with the conditions, but it became clear early on that Grinham had no intention of taking on her opponent at the front. She was being totally defensive, forsaking the initiative ……and it was costing her. Lobs occasionally drifted out, Abdel Kawy was able to hone in when the length was not spot on. The Egyptian reached 7/1, then 8/1 when she flowed forward to pick off a Grinham volley boast. A tight drop and it was game.

Omneya, Omneya chanted, rhythmic clapping and Maha Zein fervently giving Grinham instructions in the din.

The pattern persisted, the wait for the Australian to go in short continued. Abdel Kawy was winning a few rallies with audacious but perfectly executed overheads, others with more straightforward shots and benefiting from the few occasions when the fleet Grinham was unable to reach a ball.

Too often when taken forward Grinham would play long only to find her opponent in place to drive it past her. If this was her strategy, it could only be to possibly draw the sting of the world junior champion, but was showing no sign of doing so yet.

On the third game ball for Abdel Kawy go two up Grinham flailed and missed. The crowd erupted. Omneya, Omneya.

The Egyptian may have had a 73 minute match the night before but her confidence couldn’t have been higher. Surely Grinham would alter her pattern now? If anything rallies were getting longer, but now the local heroine was making errors. Perhaps the Egyptian was tiring; she certainly was not moving as freely. Grinham reached 5/0 but just as she went for a couple of drops – finally – she missed them! The lead was reduced to 5/2. Then 5/3. Now 5/4. Omneya, Omneya. Just as it seemed that she could overtake the Australian, Abdel Kawy seemed to go off the boil again and Grinham moved to game ball. While the first was saved, the second was won without Abdel Kawy even trying to intercept. She had ground to a halt.

It was clear from the frenetic activity in her corner that Abdel Kawy probably had a large burst blister on the ball of her right foot. Her shoe and sock were off, her father Ali applying a dressing, and she was patched up enough to return for the fourth.

End of a wonderful contest and event (photo © 2005 WISPA)

The first few rallies were tentative but soon she was covering the court again. However the deficit grew as Grinham flitted, picking up morsels when they arrived. Though Abdel Kawy picked up a run of three points to uplift the crowd, the Australian levelled the match to disappointed, polite applause.

The Egyptian right shoe stayed on in the break and battle in the decider started – much to the surprise of the great majority of informed observers who had given short shrift to the challenger. Grinham was continuing to spurn almost certain counter drop winners to allow her opponent to stay in so many rallies. Abdel Kawy won a few – Omneya, Omneya, but also offered up errors that enabled Grinham to move ahead. The outcome still remained poised, with the tactical battle that the Australian was assiduously maintaining, somehow mesmerisingly compelling.

Again, superb overhead kills help keep the home player in touch. A dying drive brought her level, another to take her ahead. Omneya, Omneya.

Her stamina was not exhausted and she went ahead 6/5 when a Grinham lob went long. A drive which squeezed out of the front wall nick back at Grinham gave her a stroke to go 7/5 but a weak drop and Grinham was back in. Hand in to the Egyptian again and to match ball with one of her backhand cross court drops. Omneya, Omneya…..Omneya, Omneya.

The shrieks when she tinned the drop chance to close out leapt from all the stands. Another rally ending with Abdel Kawy unable to return and it was 7/8. Breaths were being held all round but a boast that returned towards her meant stroke and eight all. Grinham pulled her forward then lobbed perfectly into the forehand corner to move to match ball. Still nobody was breathing. Again Abdel Kawy was tempted forward and unable to scrape the ball back and the match was lost. Silence for seconds until the outburst of genuine appreciation of a winner as well as a great loser. And for a titanic final.

Both players returned and slumped in their seats as a raft of presentations took place to precede the trophy distribution. By now the winner’s head had cleared enough for her to tell the public and TV audience that she had lived in Cairo for four years and exclaim “I love you Egypt”. Since she was sporting the name of her Cairo base, the Heliopolis Club, on the back of her track top it was clearly said with feeling.

Once she had time to reflect the loser told a reporter the story of the match. “She was only defending and I was moving her round and hitting nicks. But she was moving me around too and my plaster was shifting on my blister. It was hurting and I couldn’t move so well in the third. For the fifth I told myself that I must play like the first two games. I have to win as today is my day. At match ball, the dropshot, aarrgghhh! But I am satisfied”, Abdel Kawy said before going on to praise the crowd.

The winner meanwhile was shaking her head about the whole affair. “ I was trying but it wasn’t happening so I went deep. I just pushed to keep her at the back because she was playing well”. Continuing, when asked about being mach ball down, Grinham said “I wasn’t going to give it away. I told myself no mistakes, if she wants it she is going to have to win it”

With that she left to prepare for her drive back to Cairo in her Peugeot car that featured a make-do wiring system run from the window to the bonnet to get it started. Whether she makes it back without breakdown remains to be seen!

Grinham had been clear favourite, there to be shot down, but it hadn’t happened. She had come away intact, just. Abdel Kawy also ahead, having had a morale boosting win over Waters, her nemesis. All was well in the Al Ahram inspired event at the jewel of the Red Sea.

Hurghada International, Hurghada, Egypt
Results Sunday 15 May 2005, [Complete draw]

Final
Rachael Grinham (Aus) (1) beat Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) (2) 1/9 2/9 9/4 9/3 10/8 (81m)

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