(updated 31-jan-10 10:53 )  

DEON SAFFERY INSPIRED BY WILLSTROP IN NYC   [Draw and Results]

Deon Saffery made sure it was a second successful night for Ponte fans, as she recorded the only upset of the first round of qualifiers at the Cleveland Racquet Club. Fired up by her club mate, James Willstrop’s, victory at the Tournament of Champions the night before, she worked herself into a 2 game lead against Miranda Ranieri. That lead was not to last though, as the battling Canadian tied the match at 2 each after a nervy couple of points at 10-10. Saffery then found herself trailing at 10-8 in the fifth game, but a tight forehand drop shot from Saffery followed by a lose forehand volley from Ranieri resulting in a stroke, gave the crowd their first full distance match of the event. It took five match balls for the Yorkshire based player to secure a place in round two, with everyone in the crowd on the edge of their seats.

This had followed the second best match of the night with Emma Beddoes having to come from a game down against teenager Samantha Cornett. Cornett showed much promise taking the first with control, displaying some nice attacking play to the front. Beddoes stepped up the pace and quality of her length to gain control of the match from there on out, but she didn’t have everything her own way.

The other matches of the evening were all fairly straight forward victories for the seeded players, partly due to a number of last minute withdrawals through injuries weakening the draw. American Lily Lorentzen started well taking a 5-2 lead against Fiona Moverley in the first game, but from then on she was always second best.

There was something for the local crowd to cheer for though, when Amanda Sobhy progressed in straight games. The 16 year old looked full of confidence after her recent tour victory in Philadelphia.
The matches tomorrow look a lot closer on paper, so the upsets may start rolling in at the Burning River Classic?

QUALIFICATION DRAW :                       
SARAH KIPPAX (ENG) (1)   BYE
DEON SAFFERY (WAL) (8) bt MIRANDA RANIERI (CAN) 11/9 11/9 8/11 10/12 16/14
EMMA BEDDOES (ENG) (4)  bt SAMANTHA CORNETT (CAN) 3/11 11/8 11/6 11/7
AMANDA SOBHY (USA) (7) bt KATJA AMIR (GER) 11/5 11/1 11/1
LISA CAMILLERI (AUS) (5) bt FERNANDA ROCHA (ARG)   11/8 11/0 11/1
JOELLE KING (NZL) (3) bt YUKO IKEDA (JPN)  11/2 11/1 11/1
FIONA MOVERLEY (ENG) (6) bt LILY LORENTZEN (USA) 11/7 11/7 11/2
AISLING BLAKE (IRL) (2) BYE