Almost for Briggs
Nov 4 2005, by Martin Bronstein   
Squashtalk Independent News; © 2005 SquashTalk LLC

[Men's Draw]      [Women's Draw]

MARTIN ENDS LATASHA'S WEEKEND

Nicolette Fernandes is quite the fighter, but couldn't defeat Sharon Wee. Photo ©2005 Debra Tessier

Sharon Wee, who has moved a hundred kilometers or so south, to train in Antwerp, is playing more positively these days.

In her first round match, Wee faced the effervescent Nicolette Fernandes. Fernandes, whose game has improved by leaps and bounds, came in confident and bounced to all corners of the court. Wee's game had too much positional strength, however, for the game Fernandes.

Wee says, “I was very confident in the first two games, but was a little to relaxed in the third and that Nicolette is quite a fighter.” Then, in the fourth game, Wee took a quick 7-1 lead, but the never-say-die Fernandes squeaked out a tough four points to make the game interesting before surrendering the match.

Omneya Abdel Kawy played just well enough to win today. Looking very comfortable on the sparkling new Harvard University permanent glass court, Kawy was able to move Briggs around at will, while Omneya seemed to be mostly gliding about.

Briggs, in fact, played an inspired and determined game, but her lack of a closing strategy kept rally after rally going until Kawy would find the opening to ram home a winner.

Briggs did take a strong lead in the third game, at 4-1, but she then seemed to lose her concentration and then her confidence, as she faded away to a third round match.

At the site of her last USA national championship, Latasha Khan was unable to duplicate her winning ways, as she fell to the 28th ranked Melissa Martin. Martin gave up the first quickly, but found her groove and played solid to take the next three and the match.

England’s Vicky Botwright kept control of the pace and direction of play against Australia's Amelia Pittock. Though the score was 3-0, Pittock played an excellent and determined game.

FIRST ROUND (DAY 1):
Sharon Wee (Malaysia, 22nd) defeated Nicolette Fernandes (Guyana, 53rd)
40 mins: 9-2; 9-2; 2-9; 9-4
Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egypt, 10th) defeated Lauren Briggs (England, 34th)
48 mins: 9-8; 9-7; 9-6
Melissa Martin (Australia, 28th) defeated Latasha Kahn (USA, 20th)
47 mins: 3-9; 9-5; 9-4; 9-6
Vicky Botwright (England, 7th) v. Amelia Pittock (Australia, 29th)
38 mins: 9-3; 9-3; 9-3

Abdel Kawy kept Lauren Briggs at a stretch. Photo ©2005 Debra Tessier

Latasha Khan and Melissa Martin. Photo ©2005 Debra Tessier

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

\

Squashtalk.com All materials © 1999-2005. Communicate with us at info@squashtalk.com.
Published by Squashtalk LLC, 409 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 102, Acton, MA 01720 USA, Editor and Publisher Ron Beck,
Graphics editor Debra Tessier Send comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster.
Copyright © 1999-2005 SquashTalk, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any form except for one-time personal use.