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06-Feb, Final:
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[2] Vanessa Atkinson bt [1] Nicol David
(MAS)
9/6, 9/2, 9/10, 9/7 |
It's Atkinson in Apawamis ...
Alex Langerhorst reports
Vanessa Atkinson
captured the first major women's title of 2006 when she beat top seed
Nicol David in the final in Rye, New York.
Vanessa started of playing at a monster pace and it took Nicol David a
while to start playing more aggressive. in the first two games Vanessa
was moving Nicol all around the court and you could tell that the girls
got very tired!
In the third game Nicol started putting more pressure
on Vanessa and got up to 2/7, Vanessa won a couple good rallies and got
back to 7/7, 8/8 and than match ball on 9/8, Nicol got back and finished
the game.
In the fourth game it went to 7 all in a very even match, but Vanessa
who started to play more attacking squash forced Nicol to make a couple
errors and finally won the match!
05-Feb, Semis:
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[1] Nicol David
(MAS) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS)
9/7, 9/2, 1/9, 9/5
[2] Vanessa Atkinson bt [Q] Fiona Geaves (ENG)
10/8, 9/0, 9/1 |
Top Two Through In Apawamis
Alex Langerhorst reports
from Apawamis
A very exciting first semi-final! Rachael Grinham played exciting squash
with a very creative game, philly boast, high but tight drops, fast
cross courts trough the middle to surprise her opponent and some great
holds and fakes, but Nicol David played at a high pace with
superb volleys and drops.
After the third game it almost seemed that Grinham got in to the right
rhythm by leading in the fourth, but that the world #1 stepped it up and
sealed the deal in that game.
Vanessa Atkinson is definitely doing serious business in Rye, NY.
She played good basic squash with tight lengths and sharp drop shots.
The first game was an very exciting game to watch with a experienced
Fiona Geaves who was moving Atkinson around the court but the fit
Vanessa Atkinson kept Geaves under constant pressure. Geaves who played
her fifth match in the tournament seemed a little tired after the first
game and Atkinson played out the match in 35 minutes.
04-Feb, Quarters:
Geaves gets Grainger in Rye
Alex Langerhorst reports
from Apawamis
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[1] Nicol David
(MAS) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
6/9, 9/6, 9/0, 9/1 |
Engy continued her fine form and took the first game against David, and
got to 6 all in the second game before the current world champion reeled
her in.
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[3] Rachael Grinham
(AUS) bt Madeline Perry (IRL)
9/4, 10/8, 9/7 |
 Rachael
Grinham had to be at her best to withstand great pressure from Irish
number one Madeline Perry, who was combining strong defence with fast
paced attack.
Perry recovered from 6/8 down in the second game to reach parity only to
hit the tin twice to go two down.
Perry still volleying sharply in the third but Grinham hung on to take
the match.
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[Q] Fiona Geaves
(ENG) bt [5] Natalie Grainger (USA)
0/9, 9/6, 9/6, 9/6 |
It took Grainger only 8 min to take the
first game by playing good offensive squash. The experienced Geaves
slowed down the pace and start directing the points by hitting superb
volley drops to create a stunning upset.
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[2] Vanessa Atkinson
(NED) bt [7] Tania Bailey (ENG)
10/8, 9/1, 9/10, 9/3 |
 The
world #2, Atkinson played very well against the talented Bailey. The
first game was great squash the ladies where hitting good defensive and
attacking shots but the experienced Atkinson took the game.
The second game was an easy game for Atkinson. The third game was the
most exciting game were Bailey got up to 0/7 and Atkinson got back to
7/7 than 7/8, 8/8 Atkinson took set 2 and had match ball at 9/8 but gave
it away to Bailey who won the game with sharp forehand drive.
Vanessa asked for a let but didn't get it. The fourth game went to
Atkinson who was playing great squash. Atkinson was dominating with
excellent drops and volley drops through out the whole match.
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Quarters, 03-Feb:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt
[Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
6/9, 9/6, 9/0, 9/1
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Madeline Perry (IRL)
9/4, 10/8, 9/7
[Q] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt
[5] Natalie Grainger (USA)
0/9, 9/6, 9/6, 9/6
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [7] Tania Bailey (ENG)
10/8, 9/1, 9/10, 9/3
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Apawamis Open
2006
Rye, New York, USA,
$40k |
Round One
Feb 03 |
Quarters
Feb 04 |
Semis
Feb 05 |
Final
Feb 06 |
[1] Nicol
David (Mas)
9/3, 9/1, 9/6
Annelize Naude (Ned) |
Nicol David
6/9, 9/6, 9/0, 9/1
Engy Kheirallah |
Nicol David
9/7, 9/2, 1/9, 9/5
Rachael Grinham |
Nicol David
9/6, 9/2, 9/10, 9/7
Vanessa Atkinson |
[6] Omneya
Abdel Kawy (Egy)
10/8, 3/9, 9/1, 5/9, 10/8
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) |
[3]
Rachael Grinham (Aus)
9/4, 9/4, 9/7
Pamela Nimmo (Sco) |
Rachael Grinham
9/4, 10/8, 9/7
Madeline Perry |
[8] Jenny
Duncalf (Eng)
4/9, 9/0, 9/7, 9/7
Madeline Perry (Irl) |
Alison
Waters (Eng)
9/4, 9/3, 9/5
[5] Natalie Grainger (Usa) |
Natalie Grainger
0/9, 9/6, 9/6, 9/6
Fiona
Geaves |
Fiona
Geaves
10/8, 9/0, 9/1
Vanessa Atkinson |
Fiona
Geaves (Eng)
5/9, 7/9, 9/6, 9/8, 1/0 rtd
[4] Vicky Botwright (Eng) |
Dominique
Lloyd-Walter (Eng)
9/2, 9/5, 9/1
[7] Tania Bailey (Eng) |
Tania Bailey
10/8, 9/1, 9/10, 9/3
Vanessa Atkinson |
Latasha
Khan(Usa)
9/7, 9/2, 9/6
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) |
Qualifying:
2005 Event
Finals
(Thu 2nd):
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Alana Miller (CAN)
9/2, 9/1, 9/0
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Karen Kronemeyer (NED)
9/2, 9/0, 9/2
Latasha Khan (USA) bt
Kasey Brown (AUS)
9/2, 9/0, 9/2
Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)
10/8, 9/3, 9/6
First Round (Wed 1st):
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Jenna Gates (ENG)
9/0, 9/1, 9/3
Alana Miller (CAN) bt Manuela Manetta (ITA)
9/5, 9/5, 8/10, 9/6
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Ivy Pochoda (USA) 9/3, 9/4,
9/6
Karen Kronemeyer (NED) bt Amanda Siebert (USA)
9/2, 10/8, 9/0
Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
9/6, 9/5, 9/0
Latasha Khan (USA) bt Tara Mullins (CAN)
9/6, 9/1, 9/0
Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Siu Lynn Leong (MAS)
10/8, 9/3, 9/6
Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt Lily Lorentzen (USA)
9/4, 9/4, 9/2
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Engy stops Omneya in Apawamis
 Two seeds fell in the first round of the
Apawamis Open in Rye, New York, as Engy Kheirallah overcame
compatriot Onmeya Abdel Kawy in a thrilling five games, finally closing
it out 10/8 in the fifth. Fiona Geaves also won in five, against
fellow-Englishwoman Vicky Botwright, althouh here the finish was less
tense as Botwright was forced to retire early in the decider with a foot
injury.
Botwright stumbled awkwardly on the penultimate point of the fourth game
– and, after a short break to ice and stretch her heel, cautiously tried
to start the fifth game. But after a single point, the 28-year-old was
forced to retire, with the score at 5-9 9-7 9-6 9-8 1-0. It was later
confirmed that Botwright has suffered a painful foot problem for the
past three weeks.
No problems for the top four seeds after their trans-continental flight
from an exhibition event in Los Angeles, as Nicol David, Vanessa
Atkinson, Rachael Grinham and Natalie Grainger all won in straight
games.
WISPA GOES GOLD IN RYE
...
WISPA is celebrating the elevation of its long-established Apawamis Open
to a WISPA Gold 35 event - in previous years the event has featured men's
and women's events, but this year is women's only.
 The 2006 event at the Apawamis Club in Rye, in the US state of New York,
has attracted a top-class field led by Malaysia's world No1 Nicol David
and Netherlands' world No2 Vanessa Atkinson.
Long-time event organiser Peter Briggs commented: "This is a
transitional year for us and though we hope to welcome back the guys, for
now we are really excited to have the cream of the WISPA women at Apawamis.
Not only do our members enjoy watching them, but talking to them and in
some cases playing with them too; especially the juniors whom the women
are so happy to play with."
Andrew Shelley, Chief Executive of WISPA, added: "Because the club
itself are the main sponsors this year, they decided that to run high
level events for men and women wouldn’t be possible, and WISPA is
delighted and grateful that they have chosen to run with a WISPA Gold
event."
Women Only In Rye
...
For the past two years the Apawamis Open has featured men's and women's
events, but for 2006 it's a women's only event, with an upgraded $40k
prize fund that has attracted all the world's top names to Rye.
Nicol David, Vanessa Atkinson, Rachael Grinham and
Natalie Grainger, the only four players who can claim to have been
number one, will be travelling from their appearance in Los Angeles, to be
joined by the rest of the world's top ten (with the exception of Linda
Elriani, champion here in 2004).
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