|
|
Monte Carlo Classic 2006
Stade Louis II,
Monaco, 04-09 Dec, $31k |
|
 |
09-Dec-06,
Final:
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus)
bt [1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned)
9/2, 9/6,
9/2 (33m) |
Monaco title
for Natalie
WISPA reports
from Monte Carlo ...
The top two seeds
had reached the Monte Carlo Classic Final in quite different
ways. Vanessa Atkinson, the Classic title holder, had been
giving away games to her previous opponents like early
Christmas presents, while parsomonious Natalie Grinham had
offered none.
Atkinson, two years older than Grinham at thirty, has been
world number one and world champion, and though Grinham could
match neither of these claims she was very much the favourite.
While the Dutch player had not been beyond the quarters of a
WISPA Tour event since winning the Tournament of Champions
nine months ago, her Dutch-based opponent had come very close
to taking the World open title two weeks ago.
Those who pore over the recent head to heads to get a form
line would have come up barren. Their last encounter had been
as far back as the semis of the Qatar Classic in 2005 which
Atkinson had won. But back then she was brim full of
assuredness as well as her obvious ability. More recently, as
demonstrated in her semi final against Alison Waters, she has
shown a degree of inconsistency that would not serve her well
if repeated in front of the full house at the Stade Louis II
in the Principality of Monaco.
The match started with Atkinson’s supply of patience
restocked. Generally eschewing the opportunity to go short,
the rallies were long, and tended to last until Grinham picked
up on anything of less than good length and dinked a winner.
Atkinson knew that the lively court required patience, but at
5/2 down hers gave way to impetuosity and the early efforts to
compete were frittered way as she lost her shape.
The black clad Dutchwoman continued in the same vein in the
second as Grinham raced to a 7/1 lead, but then started to
claw back as a seeming winners did not annoyingly get
returned. It has to be something a bit special for it to be
unreachable by wisp-like Grinham.
Having clambered back to 6/7 the combination of a fortunate
side wall roller and a surprisingly reached drop gave the
initiative back to the multi Gold winner of the Commonwealth
Games. The game was taken in one hand, and the pattern of
domination continued in the third – which proved to be the
last act.
Too many lunging Atkinson back corner boasts fell short when
she was driven there. Watchers continued to enjoy some great
all court squash but after 33 minutes the finishing line was
crossed by Grinham at the third match ball attempt.
Five years after failing at the semis, she had returned to
Monaco to take the title named after the central, Rolls Royce
festooned district of tiny and stunningly sited Monaco.
After receiving her trophy along with a beautiful bracelet
offered by jewellers Fred of Paris, Grinham explained what
needed no explanation - ""I’ve had a really good week.
She is now looking forward to a short break in her native
Australia - departing tomorrow – before returning to compete
again on the WISPA Tour in early January.
Atkinson has only to head off as far as the Netherlands with
her runner up spot, her own Fred bracelet and prize money; and
nothing but admiration for her opponent.
|
Photos
by Christian Billard
"I have been working with
fitness coach Allistair McCaw and squash coach Lucas Buit, and combining
their training has been really beneficial. I am happy with my training and
it is showing in my squash."
"She was just too good. She
is playing very well, the court suited her and all in all it wasn’t going
to happen for me.
"But I was staying in there and competing so it was okay from that
standpoint."
 |
 |
08-Dec-06,
Semis:
DRAW &
RESULTS
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt
[5] Alison Waters (Eng) 2/9, 9/4, 0/9, 9/2, 9/0 (41m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt Tegwen Malik (Wal) 9/0,
9/3, 9/5 (34m) |
Top Two in Monaco Final
After all the upsets in earlier rounds, it will be the top
seeds who contest the Monte Carlo Classic final. In the
semi-finals at Stade Louis II defending champion Vanessa
Atkinson came from 2/1 down to beat Alison Waters while
Natalie Grinham overcame unseeded Tegwen Malik in straight
games. It will only be the seventh meeting between the two,
with Atkinson winning their last three meetings and Grinham's
wins both coming in the Netherlands ...
WISPA reports from Monte Carlo ... |
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt
[5] Alison Waters (Eng)
2/9, 9/4, 0/9, 9/2, 9/0 (41m) |
Atkinson pulls through ...
It could not have been much fun for Vanessa Atkinson as
she contemplated a re-match with Alison Waters in the
semi finals of the Monte Carlo Classic. Waters had beaten her
in the last two British Opens and had looked in good fettle as
she had beaten higher seeded Madeline Perry the previous
evening.
The 30 year old Dutch star had begun the year well, and as
recently as July was sitting atop the world rankings. Those
were the best of times, but having not been past the quarter
finals of an event since winning the Tournament of Champions
she had slipped to three in the player chart and is going
through the best of uncertain times at present.
That said, although she succumbed 9/7 in the decider against
resurgent Natalie Grainger in the last 16 of the World Open
she had shown shoots of recovery. You don't get to be world
number one and world champion without being special and blips
come with the territory. Now, by simply reaching the semis in
Monaco she had taken a step towards the promised land of
victories.
Waters, still only 22, has serenely progressed up the
$ rankings…..with some points impetus given by her Atkinson
victories! Clearly, with the knowledge of past wins, Londoner
Waters would enter the fray with belief.
$ Though confidence can be found in a player of any age,
experience can only be gained as the episode of life is
played. Atkinson has oodles and uses it well.
The first game in their semi final saw Waters early into a
good length, and this, peppered with held flicks and some
impetuosity from Atkinson meant that the first was easily won.
Then the Classic holder started to do what she hadn't been
earlier i.e. show some patience, winning the second with the
same relative ease with which she had lost the first.
Waters was being advised by Madeline Perry, the player she had
beaten the evening before, and her ministrations coupled with
Atkinson going too short too early again, meant turvy would
follow topsy. By retaining her shape a little Waters was two
games to one up, though it would be fair to say that neither
player was convincing except in patches.
Waters was ahead despite either a serious bandaged headwound
or what may have instead been a white almost surgical
bandanna!
Back to topsy now with Atkinson profiting by hitting the tin
less and levelling the match – without a single game being
close.
Now Waters was entirely discombobulated, and managed to serve
only once as Atkinson held her nerve.
As mentioned, experience counts for a lot. And to bolt on a
further cliché, the best players are those that can win while
playing badly.
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt Tegwen Malik (Wal)
9/0,
9/3, 9/5 (34m) |
Grinham looks good ...
If you had told Tegwen Malik that not only would she
have beaten a seed to reach the quarters, but then would face
another non-seed once she was there, she would have told you
to stop smoking the weed! One may have been a possibility but
surely not both.
But when Jenny Duncalf fell by the wayside as she waits for
the chimes to signal the start of a new year, Sarah Kippax was
also slaying a giant.
Malik, better known for steady performances than triumphs (a
title, the Finnish Open, did come to her in early 2004), was
only too aware that semi final opponent Natalie Grinham
would not make it likely that she would need to rebook her
flight again to stay for the final. Conversely, the fine form
of Grinham was a release that would allow her to relax, enjoy
the time and let the rallies flow. The 31 year old from the
Welsh city of Swansea, a city apparently not named after swans
in the sea there, did just that.
Both players flowed round the court, many of the rallies more
akin to the parry and thrust of fencing, but Grinham would
keep picking up the ball, offering up another chance to try
something rash, and like so many before her, Malik would
eventually do so. It all made for a delightfully enjoyable
match, but the result was never in doubt.
Malik has a delightful touch, coupled with sheer athleticism,
but was frustrated at every turn by the wiles of her opponent.
She was certainly playing better than the 34 minute match
scoreline suggested.
Grinham is the form player, and the Monte Carlo Classic title
is there for her to lose. The small, tenacious Australian is
focussed, though the vagaries of Atkinson’s form make it an
uncertain journey ...
|
"I assumed it would be hard as she is a
player I have trouble with. The lively court would suit her too as she
hits hard and low.
"I like to move my opponents around but with the ball sitting up it was
more like feeding so I had to try to be more patient!
"It feels good to reach the final, it's my seventh time here and I am just
going to enjoy myself. There is no pressure and I don't have much in the
way of a gameplan."
"It was just one of those
games. The last one at the British Open was a superb match but this time
neither of us played as well. I thought I had a chance and it is annoying
not to take it."
"I was hitting the ball well
and moving well, but playing Natalie is a step up. She is playing lovely
squash.
"I enjoyed getting to the semis here, the final in Oslo last week and it
has been nice for some good fortune to come my way."
"I just hope that tomorrow I
can play as well as I have in the last few days.
"I haven't played Vanessa in a WISPA event I ages ..."
 |
 |
07-Dec-06,
Quarters:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt
[6] Engy Kheirallah (Egy) 9/6, 9/1, 8/10, 9/2 (49m)
[5] Alison Waters (Eng) bt [3] Madeline Perry (Irl)
4/9, 10/8, 9/1, 9/6 (59m)
Tegwen Malik (Wal) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (Eng) 9/0, 9/3, 9/2
(30m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt [8] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) 9/2, 9/3, 9/1 (34m) |
|
Normal
Order - almost -
restored in Monaco
...
WISPA reports from Monte Carlo
Monaco is a very ordered place. Neat and tidy, everything precise and
in its place. However, two seeds had failed to progress to the quarter
finals leaving gaps where seeds four and seven should have been. Would any
of the top three not progress into the semi finals of the 11th Monte Carlo
Classic and throw the orderly progression into further turmoil?
Before this question would be answered, the two unseeded players who
happened to being the same quarter and now eyeing a semi slot would
resolve their fate ...
Tegwen takes the
semi spot
Tegwen Malik had beaten an out of sorts fourth seed Jenny Duncalf,
and Sarah Kippax had come through the qualification then taken out
off colour - in form rather than hair - seventh seed Annelize Naude.
The Welsh player has the edge on ranking (24 to 33) and showed that she
was in good form last week by reaching the Grays Oslo Open final. But
Kippax proved that she is no slouch by taking the Pepsi Enschede Open
title during October.
It was the smooth movement and slick racketwork of Malik that would
prevail over the steady and strong Kippax. Anybody counting these things
would have only needed the fingers of one hand to count the Malik errors,
while when Kippax erred from a good length she was punished.
Grinham ends French interest
Malik now faces second seed Natalie Grinham who seems to have
thrived on marriage to Dutch star Tommy Berden. Only days after the
nuptials she took an unprecedented three gold medals at the Commonwealth
Games, and came very close indeed to wresting the World Open title from
Nicol David in Belfast less than a fortnight ago.
She had no qualms about ending home interest – as far as France counts as
home – by beating Isabelle Stoehr. Ever willing and with strong
racketwork, the French number one was shown all corners of the court,
often starting in another direction to where she ended, as she gamely
tracked the ball. While she made Grinham work for the points the rallies
were dominated by the Australian's control of the pace.
'I am just enjoying my squash at the moment. I am playing well and I'm
fit" said Grinham the victor.
Waters disturbs the seedings
The first match in the top half of the draw saw a British battle between
the third and fifth rated Madeline Perry and Alison Waters,
and another disturbance of the seeding order. Perry started well enough,
playing tidy well constructed rallies, but as the second game progressed
she slowly lost her command and allowed Waters to counter attack and pull
her out of position.
The Londoner moved to 8/3 before her Irish opponent regained her precision
and began to make inroads. The lead was frittered away but a Perry
unforced tin at eight all started the undoing of the good work, with an
open court offered compounding it. One all.
From that point Waters continued to press forward, did enough good work at
the front to unsettle her opponent and reached the last four.
The end of the match was a source of relief not just for the winner but
the mothers of both players! Robin Waters and Audrey Perry had met at the
Monte Carlo event last year and become firm friends. They were back this
time enjoying the Riviera, but having to endure the knowledge that they
would need to watch one of their siblings fall out of the event.
Defending Champ through
The final match saw top seed and defending champion successfully repel
Egyptian Engy Kheirallah. Because Kheirallah had been improving and
Vanessa Atkinson looked a little becalmed, it seemed that a close
match would be likely.
The titian hair Dutchwoman has sometimes started well and occasionally
fallen away recently, a trait continued her when she squandered a match
ball in the third to an unforced tin and then lost the game after setting.
However Kheirallah was unable to capitalise as she didn't quite have the
patience to take the fourth too and so Atkinson ensured that she would not
be another stricken seed.
So to the Monte Carlo Classic semi finals. Atkinson will have taken
heart from her win, but Waters has beaten her before. And in the bottom
half Malik and Grinham will glide and graft. Two contrasting but equally
interesting clashes to be played out.
|
Mrs
Waters & Perry in Monaco
"I was absolutely delighted to have won against Annelize yesterday as I
played well, but a little bit disappointed that I lost some discipline
today.
"I got a bit impatient when she started picking up everything and I should
have been a more patient."
"She was everywhere!
"Even when I controlled the rally she got the ball back. I tried to move
her and be patient and play with a higher rhythm, but I could not do it
all the time."
"I knew that it wasn't over
when I won the third and I knew that the fourth could have gone either
way. At six all I just managed to get I front of her a couple of times.
"I tried to cut out the errors having given her three in the first. That
certainly helped."
"After I lost the third I
needed to be really patient and keep the ball at the back, because when I
went in short I was in trouble."
"I hadn't played Vanessa for
ages and maybe only twice before. It is hard when you don't quite know
what is coming.
"At first I was rushing as I thought I needed to move her around, but on
the bouncy court it was not a good strategy. Then after I won the third I
was thinking too much that she looked tired ... but she wasn't."
 |
 |
|
06-Dec-06, Round
One:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt Dominique
Lloyd-Walter (Eng) 9/6, 3/9, 9/2, 9/2 (47m)
[6] Engy Kheirallah (Egy) bt Lauren Briggs (Eng)
9/1, 9/7, 9/4 (40m)
[3] Madeline Perry (Irl) bt [3] Runa Reta (Can)
9/6, 9/0, 9/0 (26m)
[5] Alison Waters (Eng) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl)
7/9, 9/3, 9/2, 9/0 (43m)
[Q] Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt [7] Annelize Naude (Ned)
10/9, 2/9, 9/5, 9/0 (46m)
Tegwen Malik (Wal) bt [4] Jenny Duncalf (Eng)
9/3, 9/3, 9/0 (27m)
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) bt [Q] Manuela Manetta (Ita)
9/7, 9/4, 9/7 (44m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (Mex)
9/1, 9/0, 9/2 (21m) |
Grey
day for some in Monaco
WISPA reports from Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo Classic week on the French Riviera was punctuated by an
uncharacteristically grey day outside, and inside the Stade Louis II the
top seeds were not all sparkling brightly either at the 11th staging of
the championship.
The four players who had survived the long and exciting final
qualification matches the previous evening had their names listed in the
first round draw, but only one would get on to the quarter finals
schedule.
One out of four for the qualifiers ...
 Canadian
Runa Reta was the first of the quartet put to the sword. Her
opponent was Madeline Perry, the third seed and losing finalist
last year. Perry had acquitted herself fully by making the last eight of
the World Open in Belfast despite the intense pressure of being the home
player. Now she could relax and this was very clear as she flowed
comfortably through.
Reta, watched by her vacationing parents, had started well, perhaps
benefiting from her two previous matches on the glass back with one glass
side wall court, but as Perry’s length improved so did her points tally.
 Samantha
Teran was fairly comfortably despatched by Natalie Grinham. The
Pan American champion is a battler, and is certainly moving inexorably up
the rankings again now that she is clear of injury, but the variations and
accuracy of Grinham left her floundering too often to contemplate racking
up a selection of points.
However, once she got started, she chased all over the court at a speed
that can only be matched by a gringo after eating a whole enchilada for
the first time!
 After
her 95 minute victory over Nicolette Fernandes the previous evening it may
not have been surprising that Italian Manuela Manetta bowed out
too. However, in no way did she do so tamely as Isabelle Stoehr was
made to fight all the way in her 44 minute win. After the match Manetta
reckoned that she may have been lacking the extra push that would have
given her a chance but she was competitive.
Which left Sarah Kippax. The 23 year old English player had a
reasonably comfortable passage into the main draw, and although seventh
seed Annelize Naude has not been in the best form of late, an upset
was not thought likely.
 However
the lithe Dutchwoman has been unable to exert control nor seem quite so
sharp recently. Kippax maintained a steady rhythm while Naude lost hers.
She saved a game ball in the first before moving onto setting, saving
another and winning while Naude fumed at the decision that lost her the
final point.
For a while it seemed that greater experience would bring the new
Amsterdammer back, but soon the shots were looser again and Kippax was
picking up the pieces and the ranking points while her opponent exited the
venue in a despairing rush.
One more seed to fall ...
Sixth seed Engy Kheirallah was hoping to demonstrate that her neck
was operating properly again without pain by dealing with Lauren Briggs,
an athletic opponent known for her plucky performances. Briggs didn’t stop
pushing but was so at odds with her game that there was no threat to the
Egyptian. She had played what she characterised as the worst for months,
couldn’t explain why and summed up her evening with an expletive!
Another of the matches featured a player who was initially a qualifier as
Jaclyn Hawkes was elevated to the main draw following the
withdrawal of Laura Lengthorn a few days earlier after she turned her
ankle and it lost its load bearing capability. The Kiwi was game enough
but the weight of shot and the accuracy of fifth seeded Alison Waters
was more than she can handle at this stage of her development. She did
however manage to snatch the first game while Waters settled, but then
found herself being moved around as the English fifth seed mixed up her
game more.
Welsh number one Tegwen Malik must have been hoping to expose the
recent frailties of Jenny Duncalf, but not expecting them to be
quite so evident. For a little while the reigning European champion has
been suffering from what may be most easily summed up as a crisis of
confidence.
Errors showered from the Duncalf racket and a regroup is needed. Malik,
who is now in a quarter of a draw bereft of seeds and with her or Kippax a
win away from the semis.
But while that thought will soon come to the fore for Malik, after the
match her mind was with her opponent: "I know Jenny can do so much better
and while it is a bad patch that she is in now she is too good not to come
through again."
 The
final match saw England’s Dominique Lloyd-Walter try to dent the
defences of top seed Vanessa Atkinson. The English player actually
came close to doing more than just make an impression. She was matching
the Classic title holder and was level at game all when her momentum
slowly dissipated.
Lloyd-Walter was pleased with her performance, while Atkinson was simply
relieved not to be another fallen seed.
The remaining big guns will be firing for a final four Monte Carlo
Classic berth tomorrow, while two pistols hope that they will shoot
forward to the semis! |
 "Once
Madeline got used to the court she kept me tight to the back and I tried
to play at her pace, which was a pretty bad idea."
 "I
didn’t know how to play first of all and I tried long rallies but she
attacked me. Then I tried to attack her but it was no good either. I told
myself the third game was my last chance to do something but even though
she made a few mistakes her game makes it very difficult.
"I enjoyed it so much to play with Nicol in Belfast and now Natalie. I
have learned so much and I am happy that my ranking is higher now and I
can play with these players more to help me improve."
Kippax & Naude
 "I
just want to train well now for a month in Italy and start again at events
in January.
"Since September I have been getting better results, been in my first
final and yesterday was a good result so I have good hopes for next year."
 "The
ball was really lively at the start. When I slowed it down and went short
as well as long it got better.
"I was pleased to get it back as Jackie was playing and moving well."
Malik & Duncalf
 "I
have had a cold for the last couple of days and I wasn’t even sure I would
be able to play. After the second I felt my lungs tightening and that was
it.
"I learned from the match we played in Belfast and though I didn’t win I
had a game plan and was pleased to be hitting at the right pace."
 |
|
Happy birthday Engy ... but where's the other 24 candles ??? |
|
05-Dec-06,
Qualifying Finals:
Runa Reta (Can) bt Line Hansen (Den)
5/9, 9/7, 9/7, 7/9, 9/0 (83m)
plays Madeline Perry
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt Camille Serme (Fra)
3/9, 9/4, 9/0, 9/7 (42m)
plays Annelize Naude
Manuela Manetta (Ita) bt Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
6/9, 9/1, 6/9, 10/9, 9/4 (95m)
plays Isabelle Stoehr
Samantha Teran (Mex) bt Becky Botwright (Eng)
4/9, 9/3, 9/7, 9/0 (53m)
plays Natalie Grinham |
Manuela, the girl with 5 lungs !
Violaine Del Ponte stays late and loves it ...
 We
thought it would be a quick evening, only four games, back on time for
kick off at home. How wrong ! And how happy to have been wrong ...
 The
show started with young French player Camille Serme facing Sarah Kippax.
In the first, Camille took the advantage with really good attacking boast
on the backhand side punishing every "a bit too short" length from her
opponent. She won it 9/3 but lost a lot of energy in this game. Probably
starting to get tired, she was less patient on the second and attacked at
the front too early to catch her opponent by surprise.
Sarah started then to settle in the game and to decide of the pace of the
game. 9/4 for Sarah, in the third, it was now obvious that Camille was
exhausted and when it ended at 9/0, many were thinking that it was the end
of the match.
That was without Camille's bravery! She fought with her guts and was
leading 6/1 in the fourth but it was just too much for her ... no doubt
that when she'll get more decisive shots in the front, she'll be a really
difficult player to beat.
At the same time, were playing Manuela Manetta and Nicolette Fernandes.
Amazingly, in 42 minutes, they'd only started the third game! It's just
the kind of match that you could compare to a good thriller, lots of
drama, twists ... Nicolette attacking, Manuela running like hell, lots of
calls to the referee, many winners. When Nicolette had two match balls in
the fourth, we thought we had found the winner but Manuela just never
gives up... it will probably take me two days to recover from watching .
Paying the attention that was on the other court, Line Hansen and Runa
Reta played in great indifference only watched by close family. A shame as
it was a great game with lots of tension and surprises as well. Probably
they weren't making enough noise ... After many hands in hands out in the
fourth at 6-7, Line Hansen came back to two-all but could not go on at
that pace for a fifth.
The game of Becky Botwright and Samantha Teran was for sure the surprise
of the night! After winning the first quite easily, Rebecca let her
opponent take the lead i and couldn't stop the flow of sharp drop shots .
 |
Marathon Qualifiers In Monaco
WISPA reports from Monte Carlo
Two emerging talents from the Americas on the WISPA Tour arrived in the
Riviera Principality of Monaco for the first time bidding, to reach the
main draw of the Monte Carlo Classic.
Expectations were high as both Samantha Teran and Nicolette
Fernandes had successfully negotiated the qualification of the World
Open in Belfast. Indeed, they had beaten seeds to get through to the last
16.
Manuela outlasts Nicolette
Here Fernandes, conqueror of sixth seed Jenny Duncalf in Belfast, simply
couldn’t snuff out the challenge of Italian Manuela Manetta who had
reached the final of the Meersquash Open last month. Though she tried hard
to break the resistance of the 23 year old from Palma with her all court
game, Manetta’s durability has grown over the last year. It became a
totally engrossing match featuring strong rallying and the sideshow of
Manetta’s delightfully expressive self berating and requests to the
referee! The Guyanese manages her geeing up in a wondrous lilt, but she
has also married a great improvement to her game whilst being based in
Harrogate with England coach David Pearson.
Twice Fernandes looked to have closed as she served for the match at 9/8
in the fourth, but both times the Italian saved with a great length before
going on to level the match with a short forehand volley drop that rolled.
Fernandes seemed to have lost her way when she went down 0/5 in the
decider, but clawed her way back to 3/5 before missing the soccer
equivalent of a yawning open goal, tinning when the court was at her
mercy, an error which she never recovered from.
It was no surprise to Fernandes that it was tough as she has beaten the
same opponent in a tight 3/1 at the Qatar Airways Challenge in July – a
match that both players felt could have gone either way.
Teran & Reta add Americas
to the draw
Mexican Teran faced a stern task against top seed Becky Botwright but her
fast paced game caused problems for her English opponent and she is ending
her European odyssey on another high after the World Open where she was
the beneficiary of a neck injury sustained by Engy Kheirallah in the first
round to add icing to her qualification.
Botwright summed up her dismal evening saying “I started off well but then
got dragged into her game and started making too many errors”. A fair
summary.
So while Fernandes failed in an evening of big tussles, Teran had kept the
Americas going. And she was followed into the main draw by a Canadian,
Runa Reta.
Neat and tidy Reta probably wouldn’t have expected to have to apply
herself so hard to deal with the problems posed by Line Hansen, but the 23
year old Dane looked fit and strong, hitting the ball well and picking up
a lot of balls. Hansen romped home in the first and was 5/0 up in the
second before Reta began to get her measure. The Canadian crept home in
the next two games but began to make mistakes with her deceptive flicks at
the front and allowed Hansen to level before running out of steam at the
end of the 83 minute match.
As the winner put it, "Line started well and she wasn’t giving me anything
until I tried to slow the pace and set the tone myself."
England’s Sarah Kippax took the final place by beating 17 year old
French player Camille Serme, a bright star in the European junior scene
and the last local player in the qualification. Starting slowly, Kippax
looked uncertain but she soon found a good groove and controlled the play.
Once the first emotion of relief subsided, Kippax paid tribute to the
maturity of her opponent:
 "Camille
is a clever player with good shot selection and caught me a lot at the
front before I settled down with a deeper length.
"For her age she definitely has great potential."
Sarah Kippax
The four winners now join a field headed
by 2004 world champion Vanessa Atkinson and Natalie Grinham, who came so
close to winning the title only a little over a week ago in Northern
Ireland. But the main draw Monte Carlo Classic battles to come are likely
to be no more intense that the wars waged tonight to reach it.
|
"I played better than I expected but I knew it would be tough after our
last matches.
"For me this is a good result because the main draw is really strong and
it is an honour for me to be part of it."
Manuela Manetta
"Manuela played really well and she forced me onto the defensive. I could
only win a couple of rallies at a time, not a flow of points.
"At key stages of the game I made silly errors and it is really
disappointing to end the year on a low note. But that’s a career in squash
for you!."
Nicolette Fernandes
"Before I came on this trip my goal was to qualify for the World Open and
at Monte Carlo so I am pleased.
"It has been the first time I have been so far from home for so long. I
arrived ten days before the World Open and really wanted to end the year
improving my level."
Samantha Teran |
|
Line Hansen and Lauren Siddall before their
match - Line won in four |
05-Dec-06:
A "Fine" Day !
Violaine Del Ponte gets a late call up ...
Monday 15h45
 I'm
half asleep at my desk bored to death with my accounts (a normal Monday)
when the phone rings. "Do you want to play the qualification ?"
Are you kidding me ? Adrenalin rush, left everything standing (it can
wait, it's only figures!), ran to the car park and went back home to pick
up my squash kit. Now eating lunch at McDonald's doesn't seem like a very
good idea anymore ... but well, it's not like if I had a chance to win, so
...
I'm such in a hurry to get everything sorted that I'm stopped by the
police for excess speed at the border and get a fine ... you just can't be
too lucky the same day apparently.
Well, now I'm back at the Squash Club, on time, didn't forget anything
(good) and as ready as possible to play. I see some regulars and it's
really nice to realise that people enjoy coming here so much. Finally, I
can see most of the games as I'm playing the last one. 
On court one France against France , Camille vs Charlotte ...
Charlotte put up a good fight but Camille just proves too strong for her
friend and wins 3/0. At the same time, Manuela Manetta is playing a
new player in Monaco, Elise Ng, really nice girl from Hong Kong.
Lots of long rallies, lobs, drop shots ... all the range of what you can
do with a racquet ... but Manuela was too fast and strong for Elise who
was quite happy of her game and noticed that she learns a lot from those
games.
I didn't watch Sarah Kippax against Célia Allamargot where
Sarah won 3/0. Neither Fernandes against Daniela Schuman
(3/0 as well) as I was getting ready for my game.
Line Hansen and Lauren Siddall had a really long game with
amazing rallies where both were fighting really hard and it seemed quite
impossible to guess who would win but Line managed to speed up the game in
the fourth and won 3/1.
Soraya Renai had a hard game against Samantha Teran and was
never able to find the solution. The Mexican girl played a lot of winning
dropshots and the French player, despite a good fight, just couldn't
prevent her from playing them.
Picture protocol with Becky Botwright (I'll keep that one next to
the one with Linda Elriani), and I soon found myself on the court. My god,
she is hitting the ball so hard ! Well, I just tried to do my best and I
must say I really enjoyed it. I took my chance every time I could (and
some other times as well ...) and even found some winners on my volleys.
Becky was really nice as she didn't try to kill the match but didn't put
the ball higher just to give me a game so I was able to play but feeling
that she was respecting me ... it is not easy to do it and I really
appreciate it.
The last game was the one of Runa Reta and Wilma Kirsten, it
looked a bit like mine as the difference of level between the two players
is just too big .Wilma played at her best and enjoyed the opportunity to
play at that level and with great players like Runa, she was cheered by
her kids (and even by Runa's mum!).
Back in the dressing room I discovered that Wilma is practicing only an
hour and a half from here and we exchanged email addresses hoping to
arrange some games ...
Isn't it all what sport is about ? Giving your best, enjoying yourself and
meeting new people.
 |
Qualifying
Round One:
[1]
Runa Reta (Can) bt
Wilma Kirsten (Ita)
9/0, 9/1, 9/4 (16m)
[7]
Line Hansen (Den) bt
Lauren Siddall (Eng)
9/3, 10/9, 1/9, 9/2 (49m)
[3]
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt
Celia Allamargot (Fra)
9/3, 9/3, 9/6 (25m)
[8]
Camille Serme (Fra) bt Charlotte Delsinne (Fra)
9/0, 9/3, 9/3
(27m)
[6]
Manuela Manetta (Ita) bt
Elise Ng (Hkg)
9/5, 9/2, 9/5 (41m)
[5]
Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) bt Daniela Schumann (Ger)
9/1, 9/1, 9/5
(24m)
[5]
Samantha Teran (Mex) bt Soraya Renai (Fra)
9/3, 9/3, 9/2 (22m)
[1] Becky Botwright (Eng) bt Violaine Del Ponte (Mon)
9/3, 9/3, 9/0
(16m)
2005 Event |
|
 |
|
|
 Monte
Carlo Classic 2006
Stade Louis II, Monaco, 04-09 Dec, $31k |
Round One
06 Dec |
Quarters
07 Dec |
Semis
08 Dec |
Final
09 Dec |
[1] Vanessa Atkinson
(Ned)
9/6, 3/9, 9/2, 9/2 (47m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Eng) |
Vanessa Atkinson
9/6, 9/1, 8/10, 9/2 (49m)
Lauren Briggs |
Vanessa Atkinson
2/9, 9/4, 0/9, 9/2, 9/0 (41m)
Alison Waters |
Vanessa Atkinson
9/2, 9/6, 9/2
Natalie Grinham |
[6] Engy Kheirallah (Egy)
9/1, 9/7, 9/4 (40m)
Lauren Briggs (Eng) |
[3] Madeline Perry (Irl)
9/6, 9/0, 9/0 (26m)
[Q] Runa Reta (Can) |
Madeline Perry
4/9, 10/8, 9/1, 9/6 (59m)
Alison Waters |
[5] Alison Waters
(Eng)
7/9, 9/3, 9/2, 9/0 (43m)
Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) |
[Q] Sarah Kippax
(Eng)
10/9, 2/9, 9/5, 9/0 (46m)
[7] Annelize Naude (Ned) |
Sarah Kippax
9/0, 9/3, 9/2 (30m)
Tegwen Malik |
Tegwen Malik
9/0,
9/3, 9/5 (34m)
Natalie
Grinham
|
Tegwen Malik (Wal)
9/3, 9/3, 9/0 (27m)
[4] Jenny Duncalf (Eng) |
[Q] Manuela Manetta (Ita)
9/7, 9/4, 9/7
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) |
Isabelle Stoehr
9/2, 9/3, 9/1 (34m)
Natalie Grinham |
[Q] Samantha Teran
(Mex)
9/1, 9/0, 9/2 (21m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) |
Qualifying:
Finals, 05-Dec:
Runa Reta (Can) bt Line Hansen (Den)
5/9, 9/7, 9/7, 7/9, 9/0 (83m)
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt Camille Serme (Fra)
3/9, 9/4, 9/0, 9/7 (42m)
Manuela Manetta (Ita) bt Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
6/9, 9/1, 6/9, 10/9, 9/4 (95m)
Samantha Teran (Mex) bt Becky Botwright (Eng)
4/9, 9/3, 9/7, 9/0 (53m)
First Round, 04 Dec:
[1]
Runa Reta (Can) bt Wilma Kirsten (Ita) 9/0, 9/1, 9/4 (16m)
[7]
Line Hansen (Den) bt Lauren Siddall (Eng) 9/3, 10/9, 1/9, 9/2 (49m)
[3]
Sarah Kippax (Eng) bt Celia Allamargot (Fra) 9/3, 9/3, 9/6 (25m)
[8]
Camille Serme (Fra) bt Charlotte Delsinne (Fra) 9/0, 9/3, 9/3
(27m)
[6]
Manuela Manetta (Ita) bt Elise Ng (Hkg) 9/5, 9/2, 9/5 (41m)
[5]
Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) bt Daniela Schumann (Ger) 9/1, 9/1, 9/5
(24m)
[5]
Samantha Teran (Mex) bt Soraya Renai (Fra) 9/3, 9/3, 9/2 (22m)
[1]
Becky Botwright (Eng) bt Violaine Del Ponte (Mon) 9/3, 9/3, 9/0
(16m)
|
|
A French Flavour in
Monaco |
Back
to Monaco
One of the most popular events on the WISPA tour, the Monte Carlo Classic
once again sees the world's best at Monaco's Stade Louis II.
Defending champion Vanessa Atkinson is top seed, with last year's
runner-up Madeline Perry her anticipated semi-final opponent.
In the bottom half World Open finalist Natalie Grinham is expected
to meet England's Jenny Duncalf for a place in the final. |
2005 Event
|
|
