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Fitz-Gerald prevails, Lincou fails
by Elspeth Burnside Oct 18, 2001 © 2001 Elspeth Burnside and Squashtalk
[last update was 19-oct-01 ]

Women's Semis Men's Challenger third round.
 [Women's Draw]     [Men's Draw]

MELBOURNE FOES PROVIDE SHOW AS SARAH FITZ-GERALD SWEEPS TO FINAL

Melbourne, Oct 17 2001.

WOMEN'S OPEN
Sarah Fitz-Gerald ended defending champion Carol Owens' reign in style in the semi-final's of the World Open to stay on course to complete a glorious comeback from injury by winning the title for a fourth time in her home city of Melbourne. The 32-year-old world no 1 had lost to New Zealander Owens in the semi-finals in Scotland last November, so it was a case of sweet revenge as she swept to a 9-1, 9-1, 9-5 victory and set up a final clash against the no 1 seed, Leilani Joyce. New Zealand's Joyce, a two-time British Open Champion, maintained her bid for a first world title with a 9-3, 9-5, 10-8 triumph over England's Linda Charman-Smith.

Owens, born in Melbourne but now living in Auckland, switched nationality last month, partly because she felt she had always been overshadowed by Fitz-Gerald. And she certainly was in the 35 minute semi-final. Fitz-Gerald, who has undergone two knee operations since winning her third World Open in 1998, was too quick and too powerful, and her real problem was that she broke the strings in two rackets.

"Carol was beginning to come back in the third game when the second racket went and I was a little worried that it was a bad omen," said the 32-year-old Australian. "But I'm delighted to be in the final; I really wanted to be there tomorrow night." Charman-Smith, the no 4 seed, had her chances against Joyce. She led in the early stages of the first two games and had three game balls at 8-6 and 8-7 in the third before losing out in a battling 53 minute encounter.

"It's good to be in the final again," said Joyce, who lost to Owens at the last stage in Scotland a year ago. "Now I just hope I can go one better, although it is going to be very tough facing Sarah in her home town." Results (seedings in brackets) Semi-finals: (1) L Joyce (NZL) bt (4) L Charman-Smith (Eng) 9-3, 9-5, 10-8; (3) S Fitz-Gerald (Aus) bt (2) C Owens (NZL) 9-1, 9-1, 9-5

WSF MEN'S WORLD CHALLENGE: Ricketts, S Zaman Soar
Australian Anthony Ricketts scored a huge upset when he knocked out French top seed, Thierry Lincou, to reach the quarter-finals of the WSF World Challenge in Melbourne. The no nine seed battled back from two games down to win 4-9, 9-4, 2-9, 9-1, 9-2 and earn a last eight meeting with Finland's Olli Tuominen.

Pakistan's Shahid Zaman also continued his giant-killing run. The unseeded world no 42 upset England's former world no 2 Peter Marshall in the second round, and claimed another impressive scalp in Dutchmen Tommy Berden to reach the last eight. Zaman was always in control of the match, and scored a comfortable 9-7, 9-1, 9-7 win to set up a last eight meeting with the no 2 seed from Australia, Paul Price.

But England's Nick Matthew had a sorry exit. The 1999 British junior Open Champion, suffered a back injury and had to retire before the third game against Australia's no six seed, John Williams. The 20-year-old incurred the injury in the opening game but bravely continued. However, having lost the first two games 9-7, 9-3 he then decided her could not go on for the third. Matthew is England reserve for next week's world team championships at the same venue, and he still hopes to take his place behind Mark Chaloner, Paul Johnson, Chris Walker and Lea Beachill.

Results (seedings in brackets) Third round:
(9) Anthony Ricketts bt (1) Thierry Lincou (Fra) 4-9, 9-4, 2-9, 9-1, 9-2;
(5) Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt Gregory Gaultlier (Fra) 10-8, 6-9, 9-5, 9-7;
(3) Omar Elborolossy (Egy) bt Billy Haddrell (Aus) 9-2, 9-4, 9-1;
(7) Rodney Durbach (RSA) bt (16) Shahid Razik (Can) 9-0, 3-9, 9-4, 7-9, 9-2;
(6) John Williams (Aus) bt (15) Nick Matthew (Eng) 9-7,9-3,9-0;
(4) Karim Darwish (Egy) bt (11) Renan Lavigne (Fra) 9-3, 9-6, 9-3;
Shahid Zaman (Pak) bt (8) Tommy Berden (Neth) 9-7, 9-1, 9-7;
(2) Paul Price (Aus) bt (12) Mohammad Abbas (Egy) 9-3, 8-10, 9-6, 9-1