Euro Jr Squash Racquets Stavanger Norway 2008

CROME WINS VIETNAM DEBUT EVENT [DRAW/RESULTS]

For the rest of the world it may be a surprise that Vietnam is the thirteenth most populous country in the world. For anybody who has been Hanoi the assault on the senses from people everywhere means it wouldn't be. Over 85 million people here at the last count. Chinese influence abounds, the French have been here, America has cast a shadow; but the first squash invasion to this heavily peopled country was now nearing an end.

The inaugural WISPA Vietnam Open had reached the final day. Local enthusiasts had enjoyed seeing a whole new level of play. A few thought that they could match the WISPA women but were seen off in friendlies. For WISPA it had been an opportunity to take the Tour somewhere new and to introduce the sport to another media group. Aims achieved.

‘Squash is so embryonic in the country that it is without a national squash federation. It hasn't been able to co-ordinate with the rest of the international squash family. But this week has been a catalyst of change’ commented WISPA Chief Executive Andrew Shelley.

‘A volunteer has been found and hopefully soon there will be a link to the proactive Asian Squash Federation. With their help WSF will have another country on its’ books too’, he added.

But today would be all about one match. New Zealand versus India for the WISPA Vietnam Open title,…… the latest of the WISPA Premiere Series of ‘initiative’ events.

Word had spread. The gallery behind the court was awash with people as the warm up ended. The finalists had to thread their way back to the court door. Taller Indian Joshna Chinappa, the yang to the more introspective yin of Louise Crome.

No guesses needed as to who was wearing black, for Kiwis like to avoid the agonies of matching colours. Chinappa happily did so, electing a white top and lime skirt.

Battle lines were drawn early on, Crome opting for driving mixed with attacking boasts. Her opponent was trying hard to find angles; to stretch Crome at the front and then punch to the back.

As the business end of the first game was reached it looked likely that only a final winner or error would separate the two. Crome reached game ball first, was pegged back with a crunching straight drive, but a tight drop secured a tight game for the top seed.

Would the second maintain the high standard of the first game? Not a bit of it. Chinappa hadn't cleared her head and was not in it at all. Languid nearly to the point of torpor she succumbed quickly via a raft of errors. Yet it was back to business from the initial thrusts of the third game and the fifth seed from Chennai was keeping pace again.

However a few extravagant errors were included with the quality stroke making so 29 year old Crome was just staying ahead. And while Chinappa rallied in both senses of the word to go I front at 6/5, soon Crome had moved up to match ball at 8/6. It was saved with a traffic stroke but another followed. This in turn was saved; and by such a sensational hustle that it precipitated an eruption of fervent appreciation for the Indian.

But having climbed to 7/8 in the next rally, her attempt to level was halted with a tinned drive at the front – a call that she was convinced was wrong. It became third match ball lucky for the Amsterdam based New Zealander when a deft drop died in the next exchange.

She was now hailed as the first ever Vietnamese Open winner; it being added to the Finnish Open she had taken exactly a year ago.

Several local players insisted that they would work to get the players back next year, The winner praised the club and the friendliness shown to the group. And when she was interviewed about the match itself she summed it up thus: ‘The first game was crucial. Joshna was hitting great length and putting me in trouble at the back. And although I squeezed it I knew I had to find my own length better’.

‘I'm going to KL in a good frame of mind and will be ready to get going in the tournament there after two days off’, she added.

The runner up also goes to Malaysia, but without an explanation for the abbreviated second game. ‘I started well which was important for me but the second game was kind of mad. I honestly cannot explain what happened in it’ she commented.

‘The third was really close but there was a crucial call at the end which changed things. But I am more confident and fitter now so lets see how the next one goes’.

Because of the buildings laws here which limit ground space, narrow dwellings get up to several storeys. Hanoi is on the rise; and perhaps squash will be too after the first ever international event staged here. All the squash players of Hanoi sincerely hope so.

From the Hanoi Club, Hanoi; 20 March 2008

FINAL
Louise Crome (NZL) (1) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) (5) 9/7 9/1 9/7 (47m)

Web	www.squashtalk.com

NEW ... Get the New Jonathon Power Instruction Video at the SquashTalk eStore!