Australia Do It Again
Oct 2, 2004, Martin Bronstein; SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2004;

MARTIN BRONSTEIN REPORTING FROM THE FRANS OTTEN STADION IN THE SUBURBS OF AMSTERDAM      [pools draw]    [pools detailed results]

Saturday's Finals    [Medal rounds draw/results ]

Australia are #1 photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert

Australia appeared in their tenth successive world teams final and once again emerged victorious over long-time rivals England. There was, however, a moment after Cassie Jackman had won the first game of the final, looking quite superior to Rachael Grinham, when the possibility of an England victory loomed on the distant horizon. Jackman had lost the last three meetings with the world number one and reigning world champion and had played far from her best this week. But today she played like the old Cassie, cracking the ball, hitting winners at the right time and, best of all getting to the front on Grinham's attempted drops and soft boasts. Indeed, the short stuff was beginning to look like a bad bet for the Australian as Jackman would arrive at the front in plenty of time and hold her shot forever before driving it for a winner.

Grinham got to 3-2 on a stroke and amazingly that was the last point she would get that game as Jackman took control and worked her way to 8-3 with a confidence that we have not seen this week. She made errors on two game balls to allow Grinham a chance at recovery but each time she regained service with beautifully played winners and finally on the third game ball she reached up and volleyed the ball into the nick to win 9-3 after 13 minutes.

There was a distinct buzz in the audience; if Jackman took this first rubber, the chances are that Fiona Geaves would beat the young Amelica Pittock at three and England would have avenged the upset loss in Denmark two years ago.

Rachael Grinham beat Cassie Jackman again © 2004 Fritz Borchert

Grinham had started visibly nervous, but with the first game out of the way, she settled down to her unique game of lobs and fading boasts. Jackman led 3-0 and the service changed hands eight times before a Grinham high forehand boast caught her opponent napping. The confidence flowed back into her game and the drops and boasts increased. She slowly built a 5-3 lead, lost the next point on a stroke and benefited from two Jackman errors to lead 7-4 and although Jackman got one more point on a fine backhand volley drop, Grinham was slotting in the winners with confidence and took the game 9-5 to even the match.

There was really nothing to choose between the two players at this point and when Jackman came back for the third her confidence was such that from 2-5 down she ran though to win 9-6, the last two points coming from a boast that luckily nicked and then a drive which nicked at the back wall. So the Gods were with England eh?

Well only for that game because Grinham cruised through the fourth game 9-1 in nine minutes and was beginning to catch Grinham with her short game. But nothing was decided and at two games all, nobody was laying bets on the outcome.

The final game was a long, drawn out affair — it lasted for 37 rallies and although Grinham led 5-1, Jackman kept fighting. At points she was rubbing her left calf muscle indicating there was a problem in her movement. Her dogged application paid off and she pulled back to 5-5 with every chance of taking the game but a couple of errors, a couple of winners from Grinham and a stroke put the Australian at match ball. Jackman went for one of her high volley drops and found the tin and it was all over 9-5 for the Australians, 3/2 after 75 gripping minutes.

It was a fitting match for a final and the Australians, the top seeds, must have heaved a huge sigh of relief at winning.

Natalie Grinham sealed the win against Linda Elriani © 2004 Fritz Borchert

By right Linda Elriana should have beaten Natalie Grinham because of her greater experience, but instead of pasting the ball to the back she played the soft game going short at every opportunity. Some of her short stuff was dazzling but too many shots were left sitting for Grinham to punish. Elriani committed the first sin of squash of allowing her opponent to win on her errors — she made four in a row to gift Grinham the first game 9-4.

Elriani led the second game 5-2 but could not stop Grinham's run of five points to go to 5-7 on well placed shots. Elriani continued her game plan of going short to get back to 7-7 but lost the serve when denied a let. Grinham earned the next two points with percentage squash and took the game 9-7 after 15 hard minutes.

Elriani needed to raise her game and the pace in the third and she was unable to do it, her short game continually leaving her vulnerable. Grinham knew exactly what to do and did it to perfection — she is now ranked fourth in the world — and won the game 9-2, to take the match and give Australia their eighth world title.

When Michelle Martin and Sarah Fitz-Gerald disappeared from the scene, it was thought that other countries might have a chance but somehow that country's sporting mentality continues to produce champions. True, without the Grinham family Australia would not have been in the top five, but the Grinham sisters are a reality and will be a dominant force for at least the next five years. England's problem is to find three young players who can take over from the old guard.

NEW ZEALAND RISE TO THREE
Dave Clarke moved New Zealand from England three years ago to become national coach, and the Kiwis can pat themselves on the back fore their foresight. Clarke has taken the junior boys from 19th to seventh in the world and has now brought the women into the top three. Despite Egypt's wonderfully talented young girls, Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey won their matches quite comfortably making the third string redundant and took third spot, three higher than their seeding.

Host nation Netherlands on the other hand dropped down from their seeding of third to end up sixth after losing to Malaysia, who took fifth place. Nicol David and Vanessa Atkinson had one helluva match lasting an hour with the tough David winning 10-8, 9-10, 10-9, 9-5. It was easily the hardest match of the day and one that Atkinson will remember for a long time. Annelize Naude tied the match in beating Sharon Wee in three but Tricia Chuah was just took good for Karen Kronemeyer and won the decider.

USA HAPPY WITH EIGHTH
Demer Holleran saw her number one, Latasha Khan, lose and her number two , Meredith Quick, win to tie the match against Ireland for seventh place. But then she hustled off to the airport in order to be in New York tonight where she is being inducted in the Hall of Fame. When she gets there she will be sad to learn that Louisa Hall could not produce her fighting spirit of earlier matches and went down to the Irish number three. So top eight for the USA, better than they could have hoped for before the seedings came out and something to build on for the next championships which is probably going to be held in Canada in 2006.

CANADA CLOSE BEHIND
Canada were not far behind their southern neighbours, narrowly beating South Africa 2/1 with Alana Miller battling back from two games down to beat Tenille Swartz in the deciding match, to grab ninth place.

CONCLUSION
In every respect this has been a world class tournament with the Dutch doing everything very well and in style. The Frans Otten Stadion is a perfect venue with room to spare for all activities, the food supplied was quite wonderful and the press room well run with broadband connection. The bus service between hotel and stadium was on time every time (this must be a first) and the organizers always helpful.

I write this because it rarely happens. Next year they will be holding the European team championships here — a tournament I never cover. But rest assured, next year, you will be reading about the European Team Championships on SquashTalk and I shall be writing it for you. Well done Netherlands.

RESULTS: Women's World Team Squash Championships, Frans Otten Stadion, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Final:
[1] AUSTRALIA bt [2] ENGLAND 2-0 (Rachael Grinham bt Cassie Jackman 3-9, 9-5, 6-9, 9-1, 9-5 (75m); Natalie Grinham bt Linda Elriani 9-4, 9-7, 9-2 (42m); Amelia Pittock v Fiona Geaves (dead rubber - match not played))
3rd place play-off:
[6] NEW ZEALAND bt [4] EGYPT 2-0 (Shelley Kitchen bt Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-7, 9-7, 9-2; Tamsyn Leevey bt Engy Kheirallah 9-5, 9-3, 8-10, 9-5; Louise Crome v Eman El Amir (dead rubber - match not played))
5th place play-off:
[5] MALAYSIA bt [3] NETHERLANDS 2-1 (Nicol David bt Vanessa Atkinson 10-8, 9-10, 10-9, 9-5 (57m); Sharon Wee lost to Annelize Naude 4-9, 1-9, 2-9 (33m); Tricia Chuah bt Karen Kronemeyer 9-7, 5-9, 9-6, 9-3 (51m))
7th place play-off:
[9] IRELAND bt [10] USA 2-1 (Madeline Perry bt Latasha Khan 9-2, 9-5, 9-0; Aisling Blake lost to Meredeth Quick 7-9, 8-10, 8-10; Anna McGeever bt Louisa Hall 9-2, 10-9, 9-5)
9th place play-off:
[8] CANADA bt [13] SOUTH AFRICA 2-1 (Runa Reta lost to Claire Nitch 4-9, 1-9, 7-9; Melanie Jans Burke bt Farrah Sterne 9-1, 9-6, 3-9, 9-4; Alana Miller bt Tenille Swartz 8-10, 7-9, 9-2, 9-4, 9-1)
11th place play-off:
[15] HONG KONG bt [11] BELGIUM 2-0 (Rebecca Chiu bt Kim Hannes-Teunen 9-3, 9-3, 9-0 (21m); Annie Au bt Katline Cauwels 9-3, 9-10, 9-1, 9-4 (61m); Joey Chan v Annabel Romedenne (dead rubber - match not played))
13th place play-off:
[14] DENMARK bt [7] SCOTLAND 2-0 (Ellen Petersen bt Wendy Maitland 9-5, 9-6, 9-3 (31m); Line Hansen bt Susan Dalrymple 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (21m); Ditte Nielsen v Frania Gillen-Buchert (dead rubber - match not played))
15th place play-off:
[17] SWITZERLAND bt [12] FRANCE 2-0 (Manuela Zehnder bt Maud Duplomb 9-4, 7-9, 9-7, 9-2; Gaby Schmohl bt Celia Allamargot 9-3, 9-0, 9-6; Olivia Hauser v Soraya Renai (dead rubber - match not played))
17th - 19th place play-offs:
[16] GERMANY bt [18] JAPAN 3-0 (Karin Beriere bt Chinatsu Matsui 9-7, 9-6, 9-7; Katharina Witt bt Kozue Onizawa 9-7, 9-4, 4-9, 9-4; Carola Weiss bt Sachiko Shinta 9-1, 9-5, 4-9, 6-9, 9-4)
Final positions: 17 Germany, 18 Austria, 19 Japan

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