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10-May, Final:
Sobhy Prevails in All-American Final
By Sarah Cortes
 World-ranked
#39 Amanda Sobhy, 16, had to dig deep tonight to defeat #57
Olivia Blatchford, 17, in their fifth final this season.
Sobhy came back from 0-2 down to win a hard-fought 3-2 match. These
two American players are inspiring great US interest in WISPA
matches.
Blatchford displayed an error-free style as she took the first game
11-5. In the second, the scrappy players used up most of their 5
lets, with many strokes awarded and many calls appealed.
In the end, Blatchford’s superior depth prevailed over an unfocused Sobhy,
11-8.
But Sobhy deepened her intensity in the third and resolved the 9-all
tiebreak into an 11-9 win. Blatchford was quick to the ball, but was
unable to turn back Sobhy in the fourth, who prevailed, 11-6.
Finally, after 45 minutes of fine squash, Sobhy took match ball,
11-6 in the fifth game.
 Meet
Amanda - Stargazer
interview on SquashStars
WISPA advance in the US
Tournament director Joe McManus noted that 32 players from 17
countries have participated in the New England Open in Boston,
Massachusetts, USA this weekend. Players hailed from Argentina,
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador in the
Americas, from England, Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands in
Europe, plus Jordan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Japan.
The New England Open has recently joined an increasing roster of
WISPA events in the US. As American colleges have made an increasing
number of squash team slots available to women, graduating women
squash players have then begun to fill pro teaching positions in the
US. These women are joining the tour while teaching in increasing
numbers, and inspiring their clubs to support WISPA events.
It’s thrilling to observe the multiplicity of nations now spawning
WISPA pros, to reflect on the progress WISPA professional athletes
have made in the past decade. That so many young women from so many
countries would consider the option of becoming a professional
athlete, and choose squash, reflects the benefit of an opportunity
increasingly available to young women. It is encouraging to watch
the high caliber of women’s professional squash and the enjoyment so
many derive from attending these events.
Men join the fun
As a warm-up before the women’s final, Daniel Sharplin USA #1 took
on Kush Mahan, a Floridian originally from Kenya 11-4, 11-4, 11-3.
Sharplin displayed his classic anticipation and shot selection,
while Mahan, currently Maine champion, relied on speed in the match.
In the men’s draw, the four New England champions from Maine,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, will compete with pros
including Wael el Hindi and Shahier Razik in events organized as
part of Joe McManus’s new Pro Squash tour.
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 New
England Open 2010
07-10 May, Natick, MA Usa, $5k |
Round One
08 May |
Quarters
09 May |
Semis
09 May |
Final
10 May |
[1] Amanda Sobhy (Usa)
11/5, 11/5, 11/5
Nayelly Hernandez (Mex) |
[1] Amanda Sobhy
11/4, 11/7, 9/11, 11/1
[7] Karen Kronemeyer |
[1] Amanda Sobhy
11/8, 11/8, 9/11, 11/7
[3] Nicolette Fernandes |
[1] Amanda Sobhy
5/11, 8/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/6 (45m)
[2] Olivia Blatchford |
[7] Karen Kronemeyer (Ned)
11/6, 11/9, 11/9
[Q] Niki Clement |
[3] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
w/o
Zoya Khalid (Pak) |
[3] Nicolette Fernandes
11/4, 11/3, 11/4
[LL] Julianne Chu |
[LL] Julianne Chu
9/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/5
Fernanda Rocha (Arg) |
[Q] Hope Prockop (Usa)
6/11, 14/12, 11/2, 14/12
[6] Carrie Hastings (Eng) |
[Q] Hope Prockop
6/11, 14/12, 11/6, 13/11
[4] Thaisa Serafini |
[4] Thaisa Serafini
11/5, 11/6, 11/5
[2] Olivia
Blatchford |
[Q] Cece Cortes
12/10, 11/1, 7/11, 14/12
[4] Thaisa Serafini (Bra) |
[Q] Larissa Stephensen (Nzl)
11/3, 11/6, 11/4
[5] Belkys Magaly Velez (Ecu) |
[Q] Larissa Stephensen
11/7,11/9, 11/9
[2] Olivia Blatchford |
Catalina Pelaez (Col)
11/9, 11/7, 11/3
[2] Olivia Blatchford (Usa) |
Qualifying Finals
Hope Prockop bt Maria Elena
Ubina
11/7, 11/5, 12/10
Cece Cortes bt Katja Amir
11/8, 11/3, 11/4
Larissa Stephenson bt Wendy Ansdell
11/5, 11/6, 9/11, 11/5
Niki Clement bt Julianne Chu
11/8, 11/9, 11/8
Qualifying Round 1
Hope Prockop bt Szilvi
Szombati
11/5, 11/7, 13/11
Wendy Andsell bt Kim Palterman
11/6, 11/2, 11/8
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09-May, Quarters & Semis:
Two Americans through to the final
Sarah Cortes reports
The four top seeds made it past two qualifiers and a lucky loser,
inlcuding another two Americans, Chu and Prockop. With four
Americans in the quarter-finals, crowds spilled out of the bleachers
and into the aisles.at Cross Courts Club in Natick, just outside
Boston, MA.
Once again, Amanda Sobhy and Olivia Blatchford make it
an all-American final tomorrow.
Boston is thrilled to welcome 32 of the top women in the world. Top
seeds Fernandes, Serafini, Velez, and Hastings drew crowds and load
of local interest.
Joe McManus, tournament director, noted the tremendous interest
Boston has consistently expressed in recent years in bringing women
back to the Boston squash scene.
First up today was Blatchford vs. Stevenson. Blatchford, 16, now a
full-time player continuing her studies while dedicated full-time to
the tour, dispatched Stevenson 3-0 in 35 minutes.
Next up Serafina overcame Prockop, einding the American's remarkable
run from the qualis, 3-1, 14/12 in the 4th.
In the third quarter-final, lucky loser Chu put up a good fight but
succumbed 4,3and 4 to Fernandes.
Finally, Sobhy defeated Kronemeyer 3-1.
After a short break, Blatchford was back on court and dispatched
Serafina 3-0 in 23 minutes.
In the final match of the day, Sobhy dispatched an in-form but
recovering Fernandes 3-0.
Tomorrrow, Sobhy, also 16 and world ranked #36, faces off against
world #57 Blatchford.
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