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Natalie Pohrer, Seasoned
Star, still Challenging for the Top
Profiled by Rob Dinerman, Feb 2002
copyright © 2002, Squashtalk. Reproduction prohibited.
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Natalie Pohrer.
Born: Johanessburg, South Africa
Resides: St. Louis, Missouri USA
Age:
24.
WISPA ranking: 9.
Highest ranking: 4
 |
| Pohrer at the World Open, Seattle, photo Kim Tunney |
In her first major tournament and only her third event overall since missing more than six months, this superbly proportioned 24-year-old performer knocked off seventh seed Natalie Grinham and third seed Linda Charman-Smith to reach the semis of the Tournament of Champions before bowing at that stage to Sarah Fitz-Gerald. She followed that up with a win over Cassie Campion to reach the Heliopolis Finals in March 2002
Her lengthy hiatus began last June, when she returned to her family home to Johannesburg to tend to her dying younger brother Keith, whose courageous but painful four-year battle with osteosarcoma (i.e. bone cancer) ended when he succumbed in mid-September at the grievously premature age of just 22.
It understandably took Pohrer months to shed the shock and grief of losing such a cherished sibling in this fashion, and when she subsequently strained the ligaments in her right knee, she was forced to take the entire autumn off the squash courts, spending this valuable down time healing in both body and spirit.
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| Pohrer on the run |
She also married an American, Eddie Pohrer, whom she had met a few years ago during an exhibition event in St. Louis, where the couple now reside and where Pohrer trains with Missouri Athletic Club head pro Michael Puertas. Though born in England, Pohrer (nee Grainger) grew up in South Africa and played under the banner of that country's Association in both junior and senior individual and team competition until she moved to Nottingham, England in 1996, when she turned pro just before her 19th birthday.
She was ranked as high as No. 4 in 1999, when she reached the semis of both the World and British Opens, defeating Carol Owens in the latter event and moving to the brink of what would have been a career win against Michelle Martin, whom Pohrer led 2-1, 7-4 before Martin rallied successfully.
Shortly thereafter, Martin announced her retirement, which made the disappointment of that lost opportunity all the more searing for Pohrer, who had yearned for the chance to play Martin again and this time complete the job.
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| Pohrer in Motion |
Pohrer's expressive demeanor and adventurous playing style make her a crowd favorite, and she has many friends from her years in Nottingham, where a number of WISPA players, including Pamela Nimmo and Wendy Maitland, are based, and she and South African contemporary Annalise Naude have been close friends since childhood.
Her game is solid in virtually every respect, and she is at her best when, as in her Tournament of Champions quarter with the favored Charman-Smith, she is forcing the pace and dictating the play. She won a small event in Philadelphia and qualified in Hartford, then losing a close five-game contest to Rachel Grinham, prior to New York in her first tournaments since her long absence began. A superb athlete, she even recently started playing doubles, progressing so quickly that, remarkably, she and Fitz-Gerald were able to defeat fellow St. Louisians Charlie and Sam Khan in an exhibition match last year!
Watching her in action at Grand Central Station, one gets the sense that playing has become a welcome catharsis for Pohrer after the tragedy and injury that engulfed her during the last the last half of 2001.
The joy has clearly returned, as has her health, complemented by the supportive presence of her husband and her coach. There will always be regret that Keith was taken from her when both siblings were so young, but she has turned this tragedy into inspiration, asserting that she feels her deceased brother is always watching over her and protecting her from his perch in heaven.
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| Natalie Pohrer versus Linda Charman-Smith in New York |
You can reach Rob Dinerman by email at Email: rob@squashtalk.com
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