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Trinidad & Tobago Open 2009
10-14 June, Cascadia Squash Club, St Anns, Trinidad |
13-Jun, Day Four:
Sample edges Scoon in thriller
Shammi Kowlessar
Kerrie Sample edged Joanna Scoon in a thrilling
five-setter last night to advance to the final of the
Trinidad and Tobago Open Squash Championships for the second
year in succession at Cascadia Squash Club, St Ann's.
The Briton, whose mother hails from Trinidad, prevailed
7-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 in the match of the tournament
to date.
Scoon, now a student in the United States, is a former
Caribbean under-17 champion who is competing at home for the
first time since she pulled up injured on the verge of being
crowned Caribbean under-19 champ in 2006.
Sample, the ninth-ranked under-19 player in the United
Kingdom who had overpowered "Nationals" runner-up Jessica
Scott 11-2, 11-4, 11-5 in Friday night's quarterfinals, made
her debut to local squash in this event last year and was
the runner-up.
Sample, who then went on to be crowned Caribbean under-19
champ a couple months later, will get the opportunity today
to gain revenge over the player who beat her here last year.
But it will be a very tough proposition as Karen Meakins,
the second-ranked player in the English-speaking Caribbean,
was in awesome form last night as the top-seeded Barbadian
trounced 15-time national champ Rhea Khan 11-2, 11-6, 11-5
in the other semi.
As expected the men's title match will be an all-Bajan
affair. But top-seeded Shawn Simpson was forced to
work much harder than expected before the second-ranked
player in the English-speaking Caribbean defeated last
year's national under-17 and 19 champ Kale Wilson 11-7,
11-9, 2-11, 11-7.
Mark Sealy beat Marc Pontifex 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 for
the other place in the title match.
And Sealy, who is seeded to win the veterans' title, cruised
into the over-40 final with an 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 victory over
Brian Jackson.
John Holley defeated former multiple national champ Richard
Hart 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 in the other semi. |
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12-Jun, Day Three:
Khan, Scoon reach squash semis
Shammi
Kowlessar
RHEA KHAN beat a potentially dangerous opponent last night
to advance to the women's semifinals of the Trinidad and
Tobago Open Squash Tournament at Cascadia Squash Club, St
Ann's.
The 15-time national champion scored an 11-6, 11-6, 6-11,
11-9 triumph over Amy Gillezeau, the two-time defending
national under-19 champ who has just completed her first
year of studies in the United States.
Kerrie Sample beat Khan in the semis of this tournament last
year and the No.3 seed will most likely get the chance for
revenge at the same juncture tonight. However, Sample, a
Briton whose mother hails from Trinidad, still had to deal
with "Nationals" runner-up Jessica Scott in her quarterfinal
after press time last night.
Former Caribbean under-17 champ Joanna Scoon, a university
student in the United States, playing her first tournament
at home in three years, crushed Karina Lutchmeesingh 11-2,
11-0, 11-4 and also had to wait until after press time to
know her semifinal opponent. Top seed and defending champ
Karen Meakins of Barbados was facing Michelle Cornilliac.
The four seeded players in the veterans' division advanced
to the semis. And of the quartet only Brian Jackson had to
survive some anxious moments, but after dropping the opening
set 11-8, the No.4 seed bounced back to beat Brian Phillips
11-9, 11-7, 11-8.
Third-seeded Richard Hart, who has been crowned national
champion at least ten times, also surrendered a set in his
11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 triuimph over Briton Duncan Smart.
Hart and Smart are also among the leading players in the
veterans' ranks in tennis in the country.
Second-seeded former national champ John Holley crushed
Alfred Bell 11-1, 11-3, 11-5, while No.1 seed Mark Sealy was
an 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 winner over William Bhola.
Men's quarter-finals-
S. Simpson bt P. Pirtheesingh 11-6, 11-5, 11-3; K. Wilson bt
J. Sanguinette 11-9, 11-7, 11-3; M. Pontifex bt T. Gopaul
11-8, 11-8, 11-6; M. Sealy bt K. Ross 11-3, 11-7, 11-2.
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12-Jun-09:
Shammi Kowlessar in the T&T Express
RHEA KHAN could have a fight on her hands when the
quarterfinals of the Trinidad and Tobago Open Squash
Championships are contested tonight at Cascadia Squash Club,
St Ann's.
The No 3 seed, who was crowned national champion for a
sensational 15th time a few weeks ago, will do battle with
Amy Gillezeau in the most compelling of all 12 (women's,
men's and veterans') quarters.
Gillezeau just completed her first year of university
studies in the United States and came back home to defend
her under-19 crown in the National Junior Championships two
weeks ago.
She has reportedly improved significantly since being in the
USA but was tested in her 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-7 victory
over veteran Sonia Carrington when the tournament served off
yesterday.
Former Caribbean under-17 champ Joanna Scoon, another
student in the United States, played her first match at home
in three years yesterday and defeated national under-17
champ Emily Bones 11-5, 11-1, 11-6.
The fourth-seeded Scoon will battle Karina Lutchmeesingh for a place in tomorrow night's semis after the
former national player avoided disaster when she came from
two sets down to edge Ingrid Lloyd 8-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6,
11-8.
In the other quarters, defending champ Karen Meakins will
tackle Michelle Cornilliac, while under-19 player Jessica
Scott, the surprise runner-up in "Nationals", will do battle
with second-seeded Caribbean under-19 champ Kerrie Sample.
This Briton, whose mother hails from Trinidad, and the
top-seeded Barbadian Meakins had byes yesterday, along with
the top two men's seeds, Barbadians Shawn Simpson and Mark
Sealy.
In the men's quarters, top-seeded Simpson will will oppose
Peter Pirtheesingh; Marc Pontifex will face Travis Gopaul;
Kale Wilson and Justin Sanguinette will square off in a
battle of the 2006 Caribbean under-13 and 15 champs,
respectively; and national under-18 champ Kevin Ross opposes
Sealy.
Sealy is seeded to win the over-40 division, ahead of former
national champs John Holley and Richard Hart.
Selected results:
WOMEN-M. Cornilliac bt E. Farah 11-1, 11-3, 11-2; R. Khan bt
C. Knaggs 11-0, 11-6, 11-6; J. Scott bt C. Martin 11-9,
11-6, 11-4
MEN-P. Pirtheesingh bt R. Bayne 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-4; K.
Wilson bt L. Davis 11-2, 11-7, 11-6; M. Pontifex bt G. Wei
11-5, 11-2, 11-3; T. Gopaul bt D. Smart 11-4, 9-11, 11-8,
11-6; K. Ross bt C. McQuan 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8
VETERANS-W. Bhola bt R. Young 11-4, 11-3, 11-5; R. Hart bt
E. Wilson 11-5, 11-4, 11-5; D. Smart bt R. Poon Kong 11-4,
11-3, 11-5; B. Phillips bt H. Laughlin 14-12, 11-8, 11-6; A.
Bell bt P. Maris in straight sets. |
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