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19-Dec, Final:
Briggs crowned new
Flowerbulb champion
England’s Lauren Briggs became the 5th person to win the Flowerbulb
Open in the Dutch city of Hillegom when she defeated local hero
Annelize Naudé in 4 games: 10-12, 13-11, 11-5, 11-5.
The victory was sweet for the former world number 18 from Chingford,
who slipped down the WISPA World Rankings this year, to her current
position of 80, due to knee surgery to repair damaged cartilage and
ligaments. The 31-year old Briggs showed throughout the tournament
though that she is close to her old level, showing beautiful
movement and great ball placement, en route to a well deserved sixth
ever WISPA Tour title, beating Chloe Mesic (France), second seed
Orla Noom (Netherlands), Maud Duplomb (France) and top seed Naudé
along the way.
For the runner-up, Naudé, the Flowerbulb Open 2010 was also a
tournament to remember. The 33-year old from Amsterdam played her
last ever WISPA tournament and despite losing deservedly so received
a huge ovation from the large audience who came to see her play her
last competitive professional match. A fitting end to a glittering
career of the 2-time Dutch champion, which took her to 16 WISPA Tour
finals, winning 5 of them, and a highest World Ranking of 13 back in
2006.
19-Dec, Semis:
Naudé and Briggs to contest Flowerbulb
climax
England’s Lauren Briggs and local favorite Annelize Naudé will
contest the final of the Flowerbulb Open 2010 after both players
recorded impressive straight games victories during Sunday’s semi
finals. Briggs, the event’s sixth seed, proved too strong for
France’s Maud Duplomb, winning 11-8, 11-5, 11-9, whilst the Dutch
ace, playing her last tournament before retiring from the WISPA
World Tour, took out Austria’s Birgit Coufal with relative ease:
11-5, 11-7, 11-4.
The final, scheduled later today at 5.30pm, shapes up to be an
intriguing clash between two tour veterans, who both won five WISPA
titles. Naudé leads the head-to-head count 2-1, but the last time
the pair met Briggs, former world number 18, proved victorious in a
very hard-fought five game battle.
18-Dec, Quarters:
Briggs spoils Dutch party
England’s Lauren Briggs stunned the home crowd today during
the Flowerbulb Open 2010, in the Dutch city of Hillegom, with a
hard-fought win over local favourite Orla Noom. 31-year old
Briggs, who was out of action for the past six months due to knee
surgery, showed signs of the form which took her to the world’s
top-20 in recent years. Noom, the number two seed, started off well
and took the first game 11-7, but it was Briggs who grew stronger
and more confident as the match went on winning 7-11 11-7, 11-4,
11-6.
In tomorrow’s semi finals Briggs will face France’s Maud Duplomb.
Duplomb edged out the number three seed Sarah Cardwell of Australia,
in a hard fought five games. Cardwell, daughter of former World
Champion Vicky Cardwell looked to be heading for her Semi final
appearance after taking the 4th game 11-2, but it was Duplomb who
came out stronger in the fifth game to win : 9-11, 11-6, 12-10,
2-11, 11-7.
The other semi will be between Netherland’s Annelize Naudé
and Austria’s Birgit Coufal. 33-year old Naudé continued her
quest to end her career on a high, but it was only after dropping
the first game 11-6 that Naudé found herself and stormed to a
comprehensive victory over England’s Leonie Holt in just in 21
minutes 6-11 11-3, 11-0, 11-6,: .
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Flowerbulb Photos
(Thanks to the French girls)
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Flowerbulb Open 2010
17-19 Dec, Hillegom, Netherlands,
$4k |
Round One
17 Dec, from 18.00 |
Quarters
18 Dec |
Semis
19 Dec |
Final
19 Dec |
[1] Annelize Naudé (Ned)
11-2 11-7 11-6
Milja Dorenbos (Ned) |
[1] Annelize Naudé
6-11 11-3, 11-0, 11-6
[5] Leonie Holt |
[1] Annelize Naudé
11-5, 11-7, 11-4
[4] Birgit Coufal |
[1] Annelize Naudé
10-12, 13-11, 11-5, 11-5
[6] Lauren Briggs |
[5] Leonie Holt (Eng)
11-7 11-5 10-12 11-4
[LL] Saara Valtola (Fin) |
[4] Birgit Coufal (Aut)
11-8 11-8 12-10
Julia Lecoq (Fra) |
[4] Birgit Coufal
11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5
[Q] Margriet Huisman |
[8] Lotte Eriksen (Nor)
11-9 11-6 12-10
[Q] Margriet Huisman (Ned) |
Cryielle Peltier (Fra)
12-10 11-4 6-11 11-9
[8] Maud Duplomb (Fra) |
[8] Maud Duplomb
9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7 (55m)
[3] Sarah Cardwell |
[8] Maud Duplomb
11-8, 11-5, 11-9
[6] Lauren Briggs |
[Q] Melissa Meulenbelt (Ned)
12-10 11-8 11-8
[3] Sarah Cardwell (Aus) |
Chloe Mesic (Fra)
11-6 11-4 11-1
[6] Lauren Briggs (Eng) |
[6] Lauren Briggs
7-11 11-7, 11-4, 11-6
[2] Orla Noom |
Sandra Polak (Aut)
11-4 11-6 11-4
[2] Orla Noom (Ned) |
Qualifying, 17-Dec from 12.00:
Melissa Meulenbelt (Ned) bt Saara Valtola (Fin) 4-11 11-9
11-9 11-8
Margriet Huisman (Ned) bt Patricia Van Geest (Ned)
11-1 11-1 11-0
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Naudé starts well in
final WISPA outing
 Annelize
Naudé started well in her final outing on the WISPA World Tour.
The 33-year old from Amsterdam announced her retirement from
professional squash at last month’s Dutch Open and is looking for a
perfect ending during the Flowerbulb Open 2010 in the Dutch city of
Hillegom.
The South-African born Dutch player, who already claimed the
Flowerbulb trophy once in 2006, came through her opening round
unscratched, beating compatriot Milja Dorenbos in straight
games and will now face England’s Leonie Holt who needed one game
more to defeat ‘lucky loser’ Saara Valtola from Finland.
Orla Noom and Margriet Huisman made it three
‘Dutchies’ in tomorrow’s quarter finals.
Second seed Noom, winner of the Flowerbulb Open in 2008, beat
Austria’s Sandra Polak, whilst Huisman caused the only upset of the
day by taking out Lotte Eriksen from Norway. Noom will now face a
tougher task on Saturday against former top-20 player Lauren
Briggs, back after knee surgery, who took care of France’s Chloe
Mesic with ease, and 25-year old Huisman is looking for another
scalp when she takes on Birgit Coufal from Austria, the
event’s number four seed, who proved too strong for Julia Lecoq from
France.
The last quarter final features a French and Australian player.
Maud Duplomb won an all French tussle against Cyrielle Peltier
in four and Aussie Sarah Cardwell dispatched of qualifier
Melissa Meulenbelt in three close-fought games.
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