Women's World Teams

Women's World Team Championships 2008
30-Nov to 06-Dec, Cairo

TODAY in Cairo - Sat 6th, Finals

FINAL: England 1-2 Egypt            Full playoff results

   Jenny Duncalf 0-3 Omneya Abdel Kawy                    1/11, 6/11, 9/11
   Laura Lengthorn-Massaro 3-2 Raneem El Weleily    11/8, 5/11, 15/13, 6/11, 11/4
   Alison Waters 2-3 Engy Kheirallah                            11/4, 9/11, 11/9, 0/11, 10/12

Engy edges it for Egypt ...

In a repeat of the 2006 final, hosts Egypt got off to a perfect start when Omneya Abdel Kawy beat Jenny Duncalf in straight games, romping through the first two before holding off a spirited challenge from the English number one in the third.

Laura Lengthorn-Massaro put England's first game on the scoreboard against Raneem El Weleily, but the world junior champion levelled and threatened to take the lead before the Englishwoman took a tense third on extra points. The Egyptian raced ahead in the fourth though, levelling with some comfort to put Egypt one game away from the title. It was Laura's turn to get a good start in the decide though, 4/0, and despite Raneem's best efforts that proved enough as the match was levelled.

In the decider Alison Waters was quickest out of the blocks, converting leads of 3/0, 6/1 and 9/2 to take the lead. A see-saw second saw the lead change hands five times, Engy levelling the match 11/9. The third was neck and neck, but this time Alison won the final points to put England one game away.

The fourth was a nightmare for the Englishwoman as a combination of strokes, tins and Egyptian winners saw Engy run away with it 11/0.

Now it was down to a one-game final, and although Engy continued her run to take the first three points, Alison somehow recovered her composure, levelled at 4-all and from then on there was once again nothing to separate them as first one then the other took the lead, the crowd alternating between going wild and silent.

Alison earned one match ball at 10/9, lost it on a stroke, Egypt thought they'd won it when Alison tinned at 10/11, but a let was called.

On the next rally though, Engy put the ball deep and as Alison's backwall boast fell short, Egypt were Women's World Team Champions for the first time, and Cairo erupted ...

3/4: Malaysia 2-1 New Zealand 5/6: Ireland 2-1 Australia 7/8: Netherlands 3-0 Hong Kong
9/10: South Africa 2-1 Canada 11/12: France 2-1 Japan 13/14: Germany 2-1 Usa
15/16: Italy 2-1 Spain 17th Switzerland, 18th Austria, 19th, China

Egypt Beat England To Win World Title In Cairo

Roundup from Howard Harding

In one of the most dramatic climaxes of the Women's World Team Squash Championship of all time - staged before a packed crowd of partisan fans on an all-glass court in the grounds of theNational Stadium in Cairo - hosts Egypt beat defending champions England to win the title for the first time after a final which went to the wire.

England were overall favourites to retain the biennial World Squash Federation title - boasting higher-ranked players in each of the three matches. Egyptian number one Omneya Abdel Kawy, ranked seven in the world, opened proceedings against Jenny Duncalf, crushing the world No6 11-1, 11-6, 11-9.

The vociferous crowd sensed a shock victory in just two matches when third string Raneem El Weleily twice stemmed leads by England's world No8 Laura Lengthorn-Massaro - ranked 11 places higher than her teenage opponent. But the 25-year-old from Lancashire took control of the decider to clinch an 11-8, 5-11, 15-13, 6-11, 11-4 win - the winning match ball greeted by absolute silence from the distraught crowd.

The decider provided edge-of-the-seat drama from the outset, with England's second string Alison Waters - now ranked a career-high five in the world - twice taking the lead, only for Engy Kheirallah, who lost her world top 20 ranking this month, to draw level.

Kheirallah, who won the fourth game in a whitewash, three times came from behind in the decider before facing a match-ball against her at 9-10. But the 27-year-old Egyptian won the point on a stroke, before moving on to her own match-ball at 11-10 - which she won when a ball off the back wall from Waters failed to reach the front wall.

There was immediate pandemonium around the glistening court as Egyptians jumped up and down, screaming with joy after Kheirallah's 4-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-0, 12-10 win had given the world team title to Egypt for the first time in history.

"It's unbelievable," said 23-year-old Abdel Kawy, from Cairo. "It's a remarkable achievement for the team - here in Cairo, in front of our family and friends," added the former world junior champion.

"I guess you could say it's the proudest day of my life."

Egyptian IOC member Mrs Rania Elwany - who presented the trophy to the Egyptian team - was also full of praise for the event and the win by her home country: "It's really amazing - it’s been an excellent competition. Squash is a really competitive sport - one in which the people at the top are often changing, which is good for the sport."

In his address to the crowd at the presentations, Egyptian national coach Mohammad Medhatparticularly thanked "the people who prayed for the team".

A downcast England national coach David Pearson conceded that his team struggled with the pressure: "We expected it, but struggled to cope with it. Our girls didn't play freely, they weren't relaxed and didn't express themselves the way they can.

"But all credit to Egypt - they played to their potential," added Pearson.

Fourth seeds Malaysia claimed the bronze medal following a 2/1 upset over third seeds New Zealand. In a high quality opening encounter, world number one Nicol David dropped only her second game of the tournament in beating Kiwi top string Shelley Kitchen 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3. Joelle King pulled back the deficit for New Zealand after beating Delia Arnold.

But another assured performance by Malaysian number two Sharon Wee, who beat the NZ number three Louise Crome 11-9, 12-10, 13-11 gave Malaysian their second successive third-place finish in the event.

"It's good to see the girls play so well," said Malaysian national coach Jamie Hickox. "We perhaps took a bit of a risk playing Sharon, as her form hasn't been great over the past few months - but she has really raised her game playing for her country this week and today she won it for us.

"And our number one Nicol David continues to be just spectacular - she's absolutely solid the whole way through and a great team player. She's always incredibly focussed and really boosts the rest of the team, raising their expectations," added the former England international.

New Zealand have been managed for the first time by Dame Susan Devoy, the former four timesWorld Open champion and eight times British Open champion: "We're disappointed - we should have maintained our seeding, but our second player Jaclyn Hawkes picked up a knee injury yesterday so couldn’t play. But it was still there for the taking.

"We need to be fitter, stronger and tougher.

"It's been different being involved in an event like this as a non-player. It's good to see how the game is developing - with new scoring and many new countries involved.

"What has most impressed me is the emergence of the new Asian nations like Hong Kong and Japan - they've had tough match after tough match and have come back each day and played out of their skins! The sport is no longer the domain of England, Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand."

The legendary Kiwi player admitted that she'd been tempted for the first time to take up Masters squash after visiting the recent World Championships in Christchurch. "I loved it - it was so good to see so many people of a wide age range really enjoying competing in it. Sadly, I snapped my Achilles tendon earlier this year, so it might be some time before I can join in.

"But we will be hosting the next Women's World Team Championships in 2010 in Palmerston North - and I can promise you that it will be a really good event," concluded Dame Devoy.

Sixth seeds Ireland recorded their best finish since 1990 after beating seventh seeds Australia2/1 in the play-off for fifth place. Squad number one Madeline Perry scored a positive 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 win over world No13 Kasey Brown, but Laura Mylotte (suffering with a knee injury) went down to Queenslander Lisa Camilleri to take the tie into a decider.

After losing the first game heavily, Dublin-born squad number two Aisling Blake raised her game to beat Australia's Donna Urquhart 2-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 in 36 minutes to bring Ireland home.

"That was an excellent win for us today - the squad worked really hard to get this far, there were no easy rides," said Irish team manager Joan Gorham. "Perhaps the standout performance for me was our pool match against USA when Madeline fought off their number one Natalie Grainger to beat the world No4 in four games.

"Then we had a semi-injured player in Laura: it was touch and go if we played her today, but we did and she did the business for us. Also Tanya Owens, who was making her championship debut for us, is not a full-time player - yet put in some tough performances.

"And Aisling, our number two, perhaps had the toughest match yesterday when she came back from three match balls down to put us in the lead against Hong Kong," added Ms Gorham.

In perhaps the most dramatic play-off at the National Stadium, 15th seeds Japan stretchedFrance all the away to a fifth game tie-break decider in the third rubber against the eighth seeds in the play-off for 11th place.

Camille Serme had put France ahead by beating the Japan number one Chinatsu Matsui 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 - but the plucky 32-year-old Kozue Onizawa fought back to level the tie with a straight games win over France's Maud Duplomb - ranked more than 150 places higher!

With supporters from both sides almost raising the roof, France's Celia Allamargot twice came from behind against Misaki Kobayashi to take the decider into a fifth game - then saved six match-balls to beat Japan's 18-year-old second string - ranked almost 30 places lower - 1-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 14-12 in sensational 43-minute encounter.

The win gives France 11th place, but the 12th place earned by the runners-up is the highest ever finish for Japan.

Fri 5th, Semi-Finals
England 3-0 New Zealand Alison Waters 3-1 Jaclyn Hawkes 11/6, 11/7, 8/11, 11/5 Jenny Duncalf 3-0 Shelley Kitchen 11/5, 11/5, 12/10 Laura Lengthorn-Massaro 2-0 Joelle King 11/8, 11/8	Egypt 2-1 Malaysia Engy Kheirallah 3-1 Sharon Wee 11/6, 6/11, 11/9, 11/9 Omneya Abdel Kawy 0-3 Nicol David 14/16, 4/11, 8/11 Raneem El Weleily 3-1 Delia Arnold 11/3, 11/6, 10/12, 11/9
**MATCH SCHEDULE & COMPLETE RESULTS**
England reach the final Top seeds and defending champions England eased into the final when they beat New Zealand in the first of today's semi-finals in Cairo. Fielding the same team as in the quarters - the same team that won the world junior team title in 2001 - England were off to a good start as Alison Waters beat Jaclyn Hawkes in four games. Kiwi number one Shelley Kitchen couldn't make much impression on Jenny Duncalf in the first two games of the next match, and when the Englishwoman saved three game balls to take the third on extra points the match was decided. "Shelley is in fine form at the moment and the match could have gone either way, but Jenny played really well, controlling the match throughout. "If she can reproduce that form in the final tomorrow - if that's against Egypt as expected - Omneya is going to have to play well to beat her." David Pearson

Title-Holders England To Face Hosts Egypt In World Final In Cairo

Roundup from Howard Harding

England, the title-holders and top seeds, will face hosts Egypt, the second seeds, in Saturday's final after coming through the semi-finals on an all-glass court in the grounds of the National Stadium in Cairo.

In a close-fought encounter against fourth seeds Malaysia which completed a dramatic semi-final day Egypt's second string Engy Kheirallah took four games to beat Sharon Wee 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in 45 minutes.

But Malaysia fought back - world number one Nicol David extending her unbeaten run in the championships since 2004 by beating the Egyptian number one Omneya Abdel Kawy 16-14, 11-4, 11-8 in 33 minutes.

A packed partisan crowd did all they could in the decider to help third string Raneem El Weleilyin her clash with Malaysian Delia Arnold. After taking the first two games, the 19-year-old from Alexandria dropped the third - but came back in the fourth to win 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9 and take Egypt into the final for the second time in a row.

"When we reached the final last time in Canada - which was totally unexpected and a huge achievement for us - I don't think anybody really noticed over here. So now it's happening here in Cairo, I'm sure it will make a big difference," said Engy Kheirallah, who is celebrating her 27th birthday today.

"It's fantastic to have my friends, all my family and my cousins here - not just for me but for the team," added the jubilant birthday girl. "I'm especially pleased for Omneya because even though she lost tonight, she really played well. It's good to see her confidence high - she's definitely back!"

Title-holders England reached the final for the eighth successive time after squad number one Jenny Duncalf defeated New Zealand's top string Shelley Kitchen 11-7, 11-5, 12-10 - saving three game balls in the third.

Second string Alison Waters, the new world No5, had put the favourites firmly in the driving seat earlier after beating Kiwi Jaclyn Hawkes 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5.

In the best-of-three 'dead rubber', Laura Lengthorn-Massaro maintained England's 3/0 winning run throughout the tournament by overcoming Joelle King 11-8, 11-8.

Australia, winners of the title a record eight times since 1981 but seeded seven in the 2008 championship, marked up a notable upset when they beat fifth seeds Netherlands 2/1. Donna Urquhart, from New South Wales, put the underdogs ahead by beating Dutch number two Annelize Naude in four games. World No11 Vanessa Atkinson restored Dutch pride after dismissing Australian number one Kasey Brown, ranked just two places lower, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 to keep the tie alive.

It looked to be going the fifth seeds' way when Orla Noom, ranked 41 in the world, took the first two games in the decider against Lisa Camilleri. But the determined Queenslander, ranked eight places higher, battled for the next three games to record a dramatic 6-11, 7-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-9 victory in 60 minutes to put Australia into the play-off for fifth place.

"Orla played really well in the first two games and I thought I was out of it," said 21-year-old Camilleri, from Euramo. "But after I won a handful of points in the third, everything turned round. I just concentrated on playing a good length and finally came through.

"It was great having my team-mates cheering me on," added the world No33. "I had a tough five-setter yesterday - which I lost - so this makes up for that."

Michelle Martin, the former world number one who is now the team manager and coach, was pleased with the third string's performance: "I believed Lisa was more than a 3/0 loss - she's really worked hard this year. And that's the importance of the new PAR (point-a-rally) scoring - you can't afford to give your opponent a start.

"Lisa's made a big step forward this year - and I'm not only pleased for the team, but for her personally after getting through such a tough match."

One of the standout performances of the day came in the other 5th-8th place play-off when Hong Kong's 19-year-old Annie Au - the youngest player in the world top 20 - despatched experienced and higher-ranked Ireland number one Madeline Perry 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 to level the tie between the two nations.

"If I'd lost, the team would have lost," said the modest Hong Kong teenager who agreed that world No9 Perry was perhaps her best scalp ever. "I think the pressure was on Madeline, so I just had to relax and play my shots."

Ireland, the sixth seeds, went on to win the tie when Laura Mylotte, the third string from Galway, beat Hong Kong's Shin Nga Leung 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.

South Africa caused a further upset with a 2/1 victory over eighth seeds France in the play-offs for 9th-12th places. Both teams have been in Cairo without their regular top strings (Isabelle Stoehr for France and Tenille Swartz for SA - ranked 12 and 102, respectively), with 13th seeds South Africa fielding a squad of unranked players.

The underdogs took the lead when Diana Argyle, 26, from Johannesburg, beat world No65 Celia Allamargot 11-3, 11-4, 11-7. France came back with a solid performance from squad number one Camille Serme, the 19-year-old world No49 overcoming Farrah Sterne 11-7, 11-6, 11-6.

Siyoli Lusaseni, a 25-year-old from Cape Town making her first appearance in the event since 2002 after completing her studies, faced France's third string Maud Duplomb, the world No80 from Lyon. It was a tense affair with the black South African stretching Duplomb to three tie-break games before winning 14-12, 5-11, 12-10, 15-13 in 43 minutes to clinch a significant win for her country.

"That was perhaps the most important match of the tournament for me - as it takes South Africa through to the play-off for ninth place," said Lusaseni, who plans to join WISPA in the near future. But the win I'm most proud of was earlier in the week when I beat Annelize Naude (ranked 24 in the world and born in South Africa) in one of our pool matches - it's always great to beat a fellow South African!

"I've been working hard for this - particularly over the past month in Germany with Egyptian coach Wael El Batran. I don't have a ranking, so this will help me position myself on the WISPA Tour and work out what my goals should be. I've stepped over a few people this week so it's literally been a stepping stone to my future as a pro player."

South African national coach Richard Castle was delighted with his squad's success: "Beating France is massive - our goal was to finish in the top ten, and we've already achieved this.

"Siyoli was clearly very nervous today and did exceptionally well to handle the pressure - coming back from 8-4 down in the third and 9-5 down in the fourth, then having two match balls before finally coming through," said Castle.

"It's been a good event for us - particularly without Tenille. The future looks great for South African squash - we have five girls who will come through over the next five years when I think we will compete with the best in the world. The talent is there - and the desire is there.

"And Siyoli is a great prospect - I'd be very surprised if she's not in the top 16 in two years' time. She's a great athlete, she's intelligent and she has the desire to win," concluded Castle.

South Africa will face Canada in the play-off for ninth place after the tenth seeds ended the brave run of 15th seeds Japan. But after Runa Reta put the Canadians ahead after a straight games win over Misaki Kobayashi, national champion Alana Miller faced Japan's indefatigable number one Chinatsu Matsui, the 31-year-old world No69 from Kawasaki.

Miller, ranked more than 30 places higher in the world, was stretched to five games before finally overcoming left-hander Matsui 8-11, 11-7, 16-14, 9-11, 11-9 in 65 minutes - the longest match of the championship.

"Chinatsu is a really good player on the tour - she just never stops and doesn't make many mistakes," said Miller, 28, from Winnipeg. "I only played her a few days ago in the pool matches, and beat her in four then - so I knew it was going to be tough.

"Our goal here was to finish in the top eight, so once we missed that we were determined to get ninth place. And when you've got your team-mates behind you, it helps you battle a little bit more.

"But now we've got South Africa - and their players don't play on the WISPA tour, so they're unknown to us," added Miller.

For full earlier reports and previews, see WWT News