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WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: WISPA World Grand Prix Finals, Hurgurda Egypt
Michelle Martin defeats Carol Owens in four. Sarah Fitz-Gerald's injury in the pool
competition had left the tourney wide open for Martin.
Jackman handles Grainger to take third place.
Final results:
[1] Michelle Martin (AUS) bt [8] Carol Owens (AUS) 9/4 9/7 2/9 9/4
3rd place play-off:
[3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [6] Natalie Grainger (RSA) 9/3 9/2 9/6
MARTIN RETAINS WORLD GRAND PRIX TROPHY
- AND WINS 50th WISPA TITLE
Avenging her earlier loss in the Pool rounds, Australia's world No 1 Michelle
Martin defeated compatriot Carol Owens 9/4 9/7 2/9 9/4 in the 48-minute final
of the $41,000 WISPA World Grand Prix Finals in Hurghada, Egypt.
The Sydney star's successful defence of her title - just ten days away from
her 32nd birthday - marks her 50th professional title on the WISPA World Tour.
Martin was in a determined mood as she took the opening game 9/4. Owens, the
27-year-old world No 9 from Melbourne, was equal to the task, however - and
led 4/0 and 7/4 in the second, before Martin clinched it 9/7 to take a 2-0
lead. An error-strewn Martin game followed as Owens raced 7/1 ahead, then
closed the game at 9/2. Martin then tightened up her game in the fourth,
re-establishing her authority to take the game 9/4 and seal her epic victory.
Owens said afterwards: "It was the best I played against Michelle in
Hurghada." The champion responded: "Carol played very well - I just want to
cry!"
In the play-off for third place, England's 26-year-old world No4 Cassie
Jackman beat South Africa's Natalie Grainger 9/3 9/2 9/6 in 29 minutes.
Semi-finals results:
[8] Carol Owens (AUS) bt [6] Natalie Grainger (RSA) 9/6 6/9 3/9 10/8 9/7
[1] Michelle Martin (AUS) bt [3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) 9/5 9/3 10/9
Australia's Carol Owens came back from 2-1 down, and saved eight match balls
in the fifth game, to beat South Africa's Natalie Grainger 9/6 6/9 3/9 10/8
9/7 in a thrilling 61-minute semi-final of the $41,000 WISPA World Grand Prix
Finals in Hurghada, Egypt.
Neither player was expected to reach the last four, and both were playing in
the final stages of the WISPA World Tour's Grand Prix climax for the first
time. Owens, the 27-year-old world No. 9 from Melbourne, made the semi-finals
after coming through the pool matches unbeaten, while 21-year-old Grainger,
in her World Grand Prix Finals debut, survived after the withdrawal through
injury of world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald. Despite having her first match
ball at 8/2 in the fifth, Johannesburg-based Grainger was unable to pursue
her advantage over the more experienced Owens.
In an all-Australian final, and a repeat of their 3rd qualifying match in
Pool A, Owens meets defending champion Michelle Martin in the Hurghada
climax. The world No 1 from Sydney ended the unbeaten run of England's
26-year-old Cassie Jackman, saving two game balls to overcome the Pool B
winner and world No 4 from Norfolk 9/5 9/3 10/9 in 48 minutes.
Pools results:
Sarah Fitz-Gerald limped off court during warmups for her match against
Natalie Grainger, leaving the field wide open. Carol Owens and Natalie Grainger capitalized,
meeting each other in the weaker semi-final bracket. Cassie Jackman now faces off against
Michelle Martin in the other semifinal.
Semi-final line-up:
[8] Carol Owens (AUS) v [6] Natalie Grainger (RSA)
[3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) v [1] Michelle Martin (AUS)
Report from the third and final round-robin matchups.
Australia's eighth seed Carol Owens upset compatriot and defending champion
Michelle Martin 9/3 8/10 9/4 9/6 in 32 minutes in the final qualifying round
of the $41,000 WISPA World Grand Prix Finals in Hurghada, Egypt, to finish
unbeaten and in top position in Pool A.
Owens, the 27-year-old world No 9 from Melbourne, now faces Pool B runner-up
Natalie Grainger in the semi-finals. The 21-year-old sixth-seeded South
African, in her World Grand Prix Finals debut, beat Germany's 7th seed Sabine
Schoene 10/9 9/5 9/0 in 24 minutes in the only match in Pool B.
In the previous round, Australia's world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald had
limped off the court during the warm-up of her match against Grainger, after
aggravating a knee injury. Fitz-Gerald's disappointing exit from the WISPA
World Tour's Grand Prix climax left Schoene and Grainger to fight for the
runner-up position behind Pool B winner Cassie Jackman.
England's 26-year-old Jackman, the world No4 from Norfolk, meets Sydney-based
world No 1 Michelle Martin in the other semi-final.
Report from the first day of play
Australian players made a powerful start in the opening Pool matches of the
$41,000 WISPA World Grand Prix Finals in Hurghada, Egypt, with Melbourne's
Carol Owens creating the only significant upset of the day when she beat New
Zealand's world No 6 Leilani Joyce 9/1 9/2 9/1 in Pool A.
In the other Pool A match, Australia's defending champion Michelle Martin,
the world No1 from Sydney, was severely tested by England's Suzanne Horner,
and had to fight back from a game down to overcome her 36-year-old adversary
from Wakefield in Yorkshire 6/9 10/8 9/3 9/4.
In Pool B, Australian world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald, a surprise first
round loser in last week's Grand Prix event in Germany, confidently overcame
Germany's world No 8 Sabine Schoene 9/3 9/3 9/4. Meanwhile England's world
No 4 Cassie Jackman, from Norfolk, dropped the opening game against world No 7
Natalie Grainger but fought back to beat the Nottingham-based South African
making her Grand Prix finals debut 5/9 9/4 9/4 9/6.
Results:
1st Qualifying round:
Pool A:
[1] Michelle Martin (AUS) bt [4] Suzanne Horner (ENG) 6/9 10/8 9/3 9/4
[8] Carol Owens (AUS) bt [5] Leilani Joyce (NZL) 9/1 9/2 9/1
Pool B:
[2] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) bt [7] Sabine Schoene (GER) 9/3 9/3 9/4
[3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [6] Natalie Grainger (RSA) 5/9 9/4 9/4 9/6
2nd Qualifying round:
Pool A:
[1] Michelle Martin (AUS) bt [5] Leilani Joyce (NZL) 9/2 9/5 9/3
[8] Carol Owens (AUS) bt [4] Suzanne Horner (ENG) 9/0 10/8 9/1
Pool B:
[6] Natalie Grainger (RSA) bt [2] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) w/o
[3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [7] Sabine Schoene (GER) 9/4 9/5 9/3
Final (3rd) qualifying round:
Pool A:
[8] Carol Owens (AUS) bt [1] Michelle Martin (AUS) 9/3 8/10 9/4 9/6
[5] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt [4] Suzanne Horner (ENG) 9/6 7/9 9/1 9/5
Pool B:
[6] Natalie Grainger (RSA) bt [7] Sabine Schoene (GER) 10/9 9/5 9/0
[3] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [2] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) scr.
