Grant ends Pilley’s great run

The lanky Aussie, seeded sixth in the tournament, has had an unbelievable week. However, there was no fairytale ending as Adrian Grant came back from a slow start to win his first tournament since the CAS International in August 2005.

Grant didn’t have a great start, dropping five straight points. He came back to grab the next two points, only to drop a further three. A nice forehand boast and a shot into the tin by Pilley brought the score to 4-8.

The rally that followed was amazing, ending with a perfect forehand drive that died in the back of the court. This followed with a stroke to Pilley that got him to game ball. Grant bounced back, having settled in, playing and moving well to grab another three points. It looked as if he could come back to force a tie breaker, but was disappointed when he hit a boast that went to the tin.



A perfect lob by Pilley started off the second game. At one point a piece, Pilley slipped halfway through the rally but still managed to get up in time to get the next shot, but then Grant hit a drop shot into the nick. There were a handful of lets and Grant was frustrated, as he found it difficult to both clear the ball and also get to the ball, partly due to Pilley’s height.

With the second game at 4-2, one of the most amazing rallies of the championships took place. Both players visited every corner of the court, not to mention that they both had to dive twice to retrieve. On a few occasions, the crowd had thought the rally had ended and much to their amazement, the guys kept going.

Grant was getting used to Pilley’s game by now and the lanky Aussie had found the tin many times. He was getting frustrated and when he flung his racket to the front wall, referee Munir Shah immediately gave him a conduct warning. The game ended (yes that’s right) with Pilley finding the tin again.

Grant was in the driver’s seat from thereon, controlling the game very well but not without hard work of course. Pilley’s reach is so great, it makes it difficult to kill the rally. So tough was the match, Pilley had to have a change of his top and shorts when he came back for the fourth.

Grant was too good then, led 5-1 and then finished the match 11-3.
  

A Close shave for the
Duracell bunny

A capacity crowd filled the galleries today. Though not as full as for the World Open, it’s been quite a while since we had such noisy crowd. David started very well at a fast pace, and Bailey had trouble keeping up with it. She raced to a 7-1 lead in no time but Bailey continued to fight. Serve changed hands several times at 7-2, David dropped another two points and the first game in the bag after 18 minutes.

The second saw David starting well as well, and she seem to have shrugged off her 'slow starting syndrome'. She led 3-0 and 4-1, then handed over the lead to Bailey at 6-5. After that, Bailey only got one more serve as the Malaysian strolled home to take a two game lead.

I (and many others, I believe) had thought the third would be a quick affair, especially when Bailey looked drained at the end of the second game, but I was so wrong. David somehow slowed down the tempo, allowed Bailey back into the match and Bailey certainly didn’t waste her chance.



A stroke awarded got her to 3-1, followed by a volley drop to 4-1. David next went for a kill off the serve but it went loose, which Bailey killed off with a fine forehand drive. Rallies were long and Bailey was moving much better. The marker called Bailey’s shot down, after which the referee overturned the call to bring Bailey to game ball, which she dult converted.

The fourth was much closer and Bailey was certainly looking very tired, especially towards the end. She was in a 5-3 lead and a shot into the tin allowed David to come within a point. But she then killed off David’s serve with a slam into the nick. Bailey began to play more aggressively and attacked a lot more, even though she looked tired. She hung on and finished the game with a forehand volley into the nick.

The fifth was all David and a visibly tired Bailey could only offer minimal resistance.

The win caps off a great start to the season for Nicol David, who will also start next month as the world number one.

 Alex Wan reports from KL    29-Jul, Semi-Finals

On a hot Saturday afternoon, amidst the National Consumers Day celebration down the road, Cameron Pilley and Mansoor Zaman opened play in the semi final stage of the CIMB Malaysian Open.

Pilley started off nicely, holding early leads at 3-1 and then 5-3. Play was pretty calm in the beginning, both players still trying to get a feel of the court. The lead changed hands at 7-6 to Zaman but Pilley replied to this with a volley into the nick off Zaman’s serve. Zaman dropped just another point before scraping through to lead 1-0.

The Pakistani started well in the second, claiming the first point with a tight drive and then a forehand into the nick to be 2-0 up. Signs of the Pilley of yesterday began to show, as he used his long reach to full extent, retrieving everything Zaman threw at him, to pull back at 3-each. The next rally was well orchestrated, and then it came to a correct guess by Pilley, only for him to mishit.

At 5-4 up, Zaman displayed great sportsmanship when he called his own shot down, allowing Pilley to draw level once again. Zaman played well enough then to reach game ball, but Pilley then took four points in a row to level the match. The last point easily wins play of the day as Pilley was just retrieving, the last one being a dive from the T to get a drop shot.



The third was all about Pilley as he was very on the ball with Zaman’s game. Zaman is known for his accurate shot making, but today Pilley was ever ready for everything. This must have rather frustrated Zaman, I am pretty certain. But a quick game this is going Pilley’s way 11-3.

During the break, Zaman was seen stretching his left thigh, as we found out later he had a knock in yesterday’s match against Peter Barker. Once play resumed, Pilley won two points and Zaman had had enough…
 

After Bengy had faltered the previous day, all local hopes in the men’s event rested on the shoulders of Iskandar. His opponent – Adrian Grant, a friend of Iskandar who’s been around for a couple of weeks preparing for the event. The match started in a rather unconventional play when halfway into the first rally, there were children running and screaming, halting play for a good minute.

The first game was very close, both players being very cautious, playing a safe game. Rallies were long and although it was Iskandar who took an early lead, winning the first two rallies, Grant was the more composed and after levelling was always in front. Iskandar had to crawl back from a four point deficit. At 10-9 to Grant, a very good rally was in play, when Iskandar turned to retrieve a shot from the back corner, his shoulder hit Grant’s face, sending the Englishman screaming onto the ground. Additionally, his foot was also caught in the mess there. After a quick minute, Grant was up again and finished the job to lead.



The next game saw Grant break into a huge lead at 8-3. His calm and composed play paid off, forcing Iskandar into mistakes a couple of times. Iskandar managed another two points, but Grant reached game ball with a very nicely placed backhand drop and finished it off in the next rally.

The usually super fit Malaysian today, somehow, looked rather tired – not his usual self. I suppose playing in front of the home crowd and being left alone to carry the nation’s pride does have its pressure.

The Malaysian audience was very alive by now, chanting “Malaysia Boleh” (Malaysia can do it) – in a bid to push Iskandar for a comeback. The local lad did start well, playing very well and aggressively but was unlucky as he soon found himself four points down – after a tight drive from Grant, two consecutive mishits and then a brilliant drop shot which he could do nothing about.

Grant then sent the ball out of court, much to the cheers of the crowd, but replied by wrong footing Iskandar with a forehand boast. Good rallies followed, but Iskandar was tinning his drops quite a number of times today. Leading 8-4, Grant stopped play when he thought he heard a not up call on his pickup.

That was the last point Iskandar got, as Grant went on pressuring Iskandar right to the end.
    

Since her comeback from her car accident, this must be Bailey’s best ever run. She played with great pace and retrieves so well compared to two years ago when she was here for the Women’s World Open.

Starting off very well, Bailey broke into a 5-1 lead after a string of good rallies. Grinham found her game and slowly crawled back, drawing level at six a piece. After all the hard work, it was three straight mistakes for her, the last one returning a serve out of court. This brought Bailey to game ball, dropped another point and she was a game up.

The second started similarly, Bailey breaking into a 4-1 lead before the Australian drew level. The former world junior champion took the next four points to get to game ball. Both players played hard and well, pushing each other into all corners of the court. Grinham got serve back at 4-8 down and a “come on” shout followed. This seemed to work as she won the next three points to come within just a point of drawing level. The next point was hard fought, and the few consecutive lets was a testimony to this. Bailey once again had the final say, ending the game stylishly with a backhand drop into the nick.

The third was close, very close, point for point. The younger Grinham had the final say this time round.



The next game saw Bailey going into to sleep mode as she was overwhelmed by Grinham in every way. She was 5-0 down before getting a point, and that was really all she got. Bailey looked tired and the match seemed to be slipping out of her grasp, after taking a two game lead.

Grinham continued her run, racing to a 3-0 lead in the decider. I am pretty sure many had thought Grinham would sneak through the final at this point. However, Bailey came back stronger than ever, racing to a 6-3 lead. A backhand drop into the tin by Grinham and she was 3-7 down. This was then followed by four consecutive lets in the front left corner, after which Grinham won back serve at the same corner as well!

She next had a shot called down much to her disagreement, and in times like these, I wish there were linesmen in this game. Bailey won the next two points, ending the match after well over an hour’s play, in style yet again, with a backhand volley drop into the nick and a place in the final against the local darling.

It will be a battle of the world junior champions tomorrow!
  

Everyone knows most of the crowd present this evening is here for one reason.

Of course, there was also Azlan Iskandar on court earlier but the “soon to be world number one again” is definitely “the” reason the gallery is packed.

It is such a known fact, a word had to be said about local support before the match began, reminding them not to go too wild. She didn’t disappoint though, carving a 3-0 victory over one of the most deceptive players in the women’s circuit.

The score does not give a good account of the match though, as Rachael was very competitive and the match duration of nearly an hour is a testimony to this.

Known notoriously for her slow starts, David was at it again when two strokes gave the Aussie a 2-0 lead, followed by a mishit by David, to 3-0.

Next rally was David’s and this drew a ferocious crowd wild. This was the first of the four consecutive points David won to take over the lead at 4-3.



It was David chasing down Grinham's shots most of the time, but at certain points Grinham was tricked too and had to dig deep.

A nicely executed cross court backhand volley drop brought Grinham back her lead at 6-5, but disappointingly this was followed by a serve out of court. Point for point it was until David took the game at 10-8 to put her in the driver’s seat.

David was out of her slow start mode already by now and took a 3-0 lead in the second. Grinham drew level at three a piece, but then had two tins to hand David back the lead.

The next rally was the best of the match – it was high paced, both players took turns in attacking and defending, running everywhere with no corners spared, that drew a lot of oohhss and aahhsss from the crowd.

This great display went on for the remaining points, ending with a lob out of court from Grinham to give David a two game lead. In the third, David was always in control and there was not much doubt she was going to take this.

It has to be said though, rallies remained competitive and the lively Malaysian was moving better than Grinham, and that’s the difference in this match.

Had David lost this evening, the crowd would have been much smaller tomorrow!
   

By coincidence, the first two matches of the day happen to be between four left handers, with Jonathan Kemp and Adrian Grant opening play on centre court.

It was textbook squash from the word go, both players hitting some good lengths and playing rather safely in the beginning.

Gone were the many nicks Kemp was hitting the day before, making this match rather dry. Nine places in the PSA ranking come between the pair, but Kemp definitely gave a very good account of himself against his higher ranked compatriot.

The second match saw Mansoor Zaman of Pakistan upsetting England’s Peter Barker in straight games. It was only yesterday I mentioned this talented Pakistani had to struggle through, but today, he was a totally different player. Barker didn’t play badly, it was just that Zaman played well.



The young English lad however, had his chances as he led in both the first two games. Having lost narrowly in a tie break in the first, the second game was crucial and it went to the wire, 7-5 to Zaman in the tie break.

The third was a quick affair, as Barker was just too demotivated at this point, and who could blame him. A 3-0 victory for Zaman that took an astonishing 49 minutes to complete.

Pilley dumps Bengy

The Malaysian Open seems to have a love-hate affair with local favourite Ong Beng Hee. In 2004, he lost in the first round as top seed to the now banned Stephen Galifi, but came back strongly last year to win it. This time round, he went a step further than in 2004 but that was it.



Cameron Pilley, the towering six-footer from Grafton, has such an amazing reach it must have been frustrating for the Malaysian, who was having to kill the ball a few times before it really died in a rally.

However, it must be said that Beng Hee’s shots were not particularly impressive and his lengths were pretty loose. Pilley penalized Beng Hee with winners from all corners of the court.

Coming from 0-2 down, Beng Hee battled back to force the decider but Pilley held on, came back and broke the local hearts. In a way, Beng Hee has a special place in local squash having been one of the first to make it big in the sport.

Iskandar keeps his cool

Azlan Iskandar and Shahid Zaman have a long history between them. In 2004, Zaman denied Malaysia an Asian double when he nipped Iskandar to deny Malaysia the team title. However, that match was highly physical.

Today there was little of that. Iskandar won the first two without much contest, but halfway through the third and into the fourth, it threatened to get physical. Iskandar held his nerve and just kept playing the ball.

It’s only been two years since that match in the Asians, but the difference in Iskandar was very obvious – he is far more calm and composed now. He dropped a game but came back to win the fourth convincingly to keep the local flag flying.

"I varied the rallies and this had been distracting my opponent's concentration. "The changes in tempo caused Shahid to struggle. "I'm adapting to various changes in my techniques. "As for Saturday's match, it will be a tough affair, though." Azlan Iskandar  to Bernama

I was with Nicol David’s dad just minutes before this match and we both commented on how long the evening was going to be.

David and Perry had always played long matches and we predicted the Vicky-Rachael match to last for some time too.

While the second one came true, David proved us both wrong with a 25 minute demolition of Madeline Perry. The petite Malaysian was way more aggressive and quick, moving graciously, and constantly had Perry out of her comfort zone.

She plays Rachael Grinham tomorrow in a repeat of the Qatar Airways Challenge final of three weeks ago.

"It was not an easy game. I just had to work extra hard to make it harder for my opponent. In the end, it all paid off and my focus was in. I just felt good and went for it. I've played well. "Madeline just recovered from an injury and she did not play as always. It had been my advantage to control the game. I'm looking forward to the semi-finals. "I've met Rachael many times and at this level I have to keep on changing my momentum. For Saturday's match, I have to get my focus in and trust on whatever I'm doing." Nicol David   to Bernama

Grinhams through

The sisters from Towoomba went through to the semi finals in contrasting fashion today.

Rachael had a tough battle against Vicky Botwright in a match that lasted 49 minutes while younger sister had it all done in 25.

Playing Rachael is never easy (neither is playing anyone else), but the difference is that her deceptions and flicks are so unpredictable, it sends one everywhere on court, and tonight even the lanky Botwright just couldn’t handle it.

Natalie meanwhile, had the easier tie on the day, against Alison Waters, the most improved player of 2005. After a tough match against compatriot Jenny Duncalf the night before, she was no match for the 2004 World Open finalist tonight.

Natalie was just playing her game while Alison was doing all the hard work.



A slow Atkinson

Slow would be the perfect word to describe Vanessa Atkinson tonight. After just recovering from a back injury which saw her pull out of the Hyderabad event, she impressed yesterday.

Bailey has also been playing well of late and she totally outplayed her opponent tonight. 25 minutes was again the duration of the match, and Bailey dropped a mere 5 points in the entire match.

When asked later about her back, Atkinson was graceful to say it was just lack of practice and she found the pace too much for her. This must also be her first loss on this court in a very, very long time!