Euro Jr Squash Racquets Stavanger Norway 2008

WISPA IN VIETNAM [DRAW/RESULTS]

From the Hanoi Club, Hanoi; 18 March 2008

The national motto of Vietnam is Independence – Freedom – Happiness; and while all eight quarter finalists in the WISPA Vietnam Open could boast the first two, only the four winners could claim a full house.

As evening approached the mua phun, a local drizzle translated as rain dust, had passed by, and a number of local enthusiasts thronged the two courts of the Hanoi Club to experience their first international squash event in their country. They were disappointed – but only with the outcome of the first match. The enthusiastic applause punctuating play indicated how they revelled in watching players from far afield competing in their country.

Of course they had hoped that Josefa Bertilsson would get through, but the Swede who recently came to Hanoi with her family, taken by her father’s work, had a tough task to counter the top seed Louise Crome. The Dutch based New Zealander went through to the last four in straight games as she picked up on any loose shots and errors made under pressure by Bertilsson. But the Swede did pick up points; each loudly and enthusiastically received by the gallery. She buzzed around the court with pace and purpose but too often was enjoying a close acquaintance with the rear corners of the court.

Left handed Australian 21 year old fourth seed Donna Urquhart was able to brush off improving 18 year old Japanese Misaki Kobayashi, who bases herself in Malaysia as part of her learning process. Kobayashi had progressed past countrywoman Mami Nishio with a walkover due to Nishio’s damaged knee but it is Urquhart who now has an Oceania challenge against Crome for a final berth.

Mohamed El Shorbagy / Alex Gough Canary Wharf Squash

The buzz around the courts was about the retrieving ability of the visitors, their timing and ability to hit winners. Some denizens also had the mist cleared about the difference between lets and strokes and will agree a result rather than spin a racket to decide the outcome of uncertain decisions during their matches!

In the other half of the draw third seed Elise Ng found the first game tough going against Indian number two Dipika Pallikal; though after a 19 minute battle had edged home against the British Junior Open Under 17 champion. But then it got even more difficult as Pallikal found an even more compelling length along with twisting boasts and cross courts. The next two games went to the sixth seed in less time than the first had taken and an upset was on the cards. Ng didn’t seem to be quite at the races; and when she went 7/4 down in the fourth it seemed that the match was over. However, Pallikal does create little streams of errors upon occasion, and did so now. In one hand she was overtaken and the match tied.

It looked like an expensive lapse when the Indian went 5/0 down in the decider, but then she profited from a combination of her strength overhead and Ng laxity. Five all was reached, and then hands and points were exchanged until Ng got to match ball at 8/7 with a drive into a gaping court. But a fortuitous roller saved it and a Pallikal drop brought them level at eight all. By now the audience couldn’t tear their eyes away from the action.

Hands changed eight times at eight all before an attacking boast took Pallikal to match ball and a despairing Ng lunge sent the ball careering into the ceiling. The match was after, the players lauded by the crowd.

After the match Ng revealed that she had felt unwell during stages of the encounter - which went some way to explaining the flow. ‘During the second and third everything was moving 30%. My head was strange. In the fourth I tried to rally but I thought I would lose but I got it back again. Before the fifth I took some sugar but this was the first time this has happened to me so I don’t know what it was’.

She will see how she feels tomorrow, but the winner had no such worries. When asked what happened when she had stood at 2/1 and 7/4 up she said, ‘I had lost 3/3 before and maybe that was on my mind. But I had kept the ball in play in the second and third, and as the strategy worked I wanted to do it in the fifth again. I started it badly but she made some mistakes and let me back in’.

As for the semis, before she headed towards the showers she expressed a wish, ‘I hope that Joshna will win there there will definitely be an Indian finalist!’

And lo, it came to Pass. In a match of great intensity, Joshna Chinappa survived a Line Hansen comeback when the second seed both took and squandered opportunities. Having fought back from 7/4 down in the first only to lose, the Dane did the same again in the second. Chinappa was clenching her fist, Hansen bellowing, and the match went into the third. In this game Hansen was in control before nearly allowing the Indian back in. But her first game ball was taken and it seemed likely that she would benefit for her greater experience in the latter stages. But no. Getting riled by refereeing decisions she disagreed with she slumped to 5/0 down……before being let back in by courtesy of winning some extended rallies. More lengthy exchanges, some being replayed after lets, and from six all Chinappa took them all and a notable Indian double against higher seeds.

The team-mates play each other tomorrow, but first would eat together tonight. Chinappa has an unblemished record against her fellow daughter of the city of Chennai, but it will undoubtedly be a spicy Madras mix.

QUARTER FINALS
Louise Crome (NZL) (1) bt Josefa Bertilsson (SWE) (7) 9/3 9/0 9/1 (23m)
Donna Urquhart (AUS) (4) bt Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) (8) 9/0 9/0 9/2 (19m)
Dipika Pallikal (IND) (6) bt Elise Ng (HKG) (3) 7/9 9/1 9/1 7/9 10/8 (65m)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) (5) bt Line Hansen (DEN) (2) 10/9 9/7 7/9 9/7 (62m)

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