05-Oct, Final:

[6] Kylie Lindsay (Nzl) bt  [4] Fiona Moverley (Eng)  9/11, 11/7, 15/17, 14/12, 11/4  (55m)
 

Kylie claims Moscow title
Heba El Torky reports

Kylie Lindsay claimed her first ever WISPA title, after a final that was a point for point match for the first four games.

The first two games were very similar, the only difference was that they were won by different players. The third and the longest game in the whole tournament lasted 17minutes, it was one that no one should miss and need pages to be writted on how great they both played. Fiona had her match ball in the fourth and could have finished the match, but her volley drop just caught the top of the tin, and this turned out to be the changing point of the match which gave Kylie her chance.

Kylie fought back to win this game, and won the match after Fiona started the final game with too many unforced errors.
 

New Zealander Kylie Lindsay scored an impressive upset over third seed Deon Saffery in the semi-finals of the Women's Tekamed Moscow Open to secure her maiden appearance in a WISPA final.

It was the 24-year-old's second shock win of the day in the inaugural Tour event to be held in Russia. Sixth Lindsay, from Matamata, despatched second-seeded Canadian Carolyn Russell in the quarter-finals, then fought from a game down to topple Welsh opponent Saffery in the semis.

Lindsay's opponent in the final at Multisport Moscow will be England's fourth seed Fiona Moverley who came back from 2/1 down to beat Egyptian opponent Heba El Torky to reach her second Tour final.

It was a disappointing outcome for fifth seed El Torky, the 17-year-old from Alexandria who had celebrated her best ever WISPA success by reaching the semi-finals.

''I thought this tournament was mine. I saw her playing in Alexandria, but this time it was totally different. My strategy didn't work at all at the beginning, so I changed it.

"At the beginning of the fourth game, I made a very silly mistake - I never did it in my life before! It drove me mad! I need to play more WISPA tournaments - it's totally different from the juniors.

"I have to focus now on next week's tournament in China - I hope I will do well there!"

Heba's view of the second semi:

Kylie was very focused today ... her eyes were widely opened ... standing on her toes, running and not giving up for anything and I felt it as she was touching her (legs from the bottom back) that her legs were burning from running.

"As for Deon she seemed too anxious to go short and kept it mostly backwards and Kylie took this as advantage and did what she likes the most.

Now kylie is looking forward to her first final tomorrow in MOSCOW!

"The weather here is either too cold outside or sauna in side the court!!!!

"Irina is the only Russian player in the tournament. At the beginning as if it was an exhibition match!!! Then I found myself 7/4 down, but I am not coming here to play exhibition matches and I am not coming here to lose !!!... So I focused and finished ...

"I played Leonie a month ago, it was 3/0 but not PAR Scoring. We will see tomorrow what am I going to do ..."

''I'm happy with that, it was pretty up and down but I managed to pull through in the end. The fifth could have gone either way and I am very glad it went mine.''

"I felt confident going into the match but didn't under estimate my opponent because I know how well she can play. It is a hot court to play on so I tried to keep the rallies short and luckily my drops and volley drops were coming off well today. Hopefully this will continue throughout the tournament."

“To bring the WISPA Tour to Russia was always our hope after the success of the WISPA Promotional Tour there, and that has been realised with the Tekamed Moscow Open this week,” said Andrew Shelley, Chief Executive of the Women’s International Squash Players’ Association.

“This event is the latest of our Premiere Series, which sees the WISPA World Tour debuting in new countries and regions. We were in Hangzhou, China, earlier this year and shortly go to Prague - both past Promo Tour destinations. Add to these Vietnam and Taiwan this year for the first time, along with other 'younger' squash countries amongst the thirty nations currently hosting events, and women's international squash is exactly that .... truly worldwide.

“Needless to say, this is a major plank in our push to become part of the Olympic Games.”


WISPA Chief Executive

Promo Tour 2003

“Everybody is excited – the first professional women’s squash tournament in Russia! It has already created a lot of interest.

“In last 10 years, squash has attained a good level here and we have players participating in professional tournaments – including Irina Assal, who is competing in the Moscow Open, and Alexei Severinov who plays on the PSA Tour.

“A lot of children are learning to play - and a lot of parents think that squash can be a good career for their children. So I hope that this tournament will be a big step in the development of Russian squash - and we hope that it will go well so we can organise some bigger tournament next year!”


Tournament Director