Ohio Open 2008

16-Nov, Final:
Lloyd-Walter triumphs in Ohio
Charlie Johnson reports

A packed gallery at the Dayton Squash Center saw England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter do justice to her # 1 seeding in the 2008 Ohio Open, a new event on the WISPA World Tour schedule, by defeating Canada's Alana Miller 3-0 in 49 minutes.

Losing only one game during the tournament, in her semi-final match with countrywoman Lauren Siddall, Dominique got off to a fast start winning the first game 11-4 as Alana seemed a bit tight and it looked like the Canadian's strategy was to try and play a patient, control oriented game matching Dominique's style. Dominique was much better at that patient pace of play and won the first game easily.

Alana changed her style and came out swinging with power in the second game, winning the first two points with kill shots finding the nick & floor. Dom was not rattled, ran off four points but then the two engaged in the best professional squash of the week as Alana went deep within herself to try and win this second game. Down 7-4, she fought hard to get back to take the lead 8-7. dropped one to go 8-all, went up 9-8 after a fantastic rally that had the crowd on it's feet with her effort. After all that, she dropped two straight tough points and was facing game ball at 9-10. This is where the 2nd game went into OVERDRIVE as Alana dug deep to try and win one game and Dom was just as determined not to let Alana get in the match with a win in this game. Alana had a game ball at 11-10, then Dom went up 12-11 but Alana tied it at 12, down 12-13, tied it at 13 (all this the results of some incredible rallies - you had to be there to see it!), Dom went up 14-13 and then closed it out 15-13......... the crowd could now breath!!!

After such an effort, a lesser player might have been flat in the third game but once again, Alana went up early with power, 2-0, but then Dom rolled off 5 straight to take a lead she would never relinquish. At this point one spectator was heard saying "it's over," but evidently Alana didn't get that message as she continued to fight back one or two points at a time, trying to chip at the Dom's lead with some tenacious and at times ferocious play. At 10-7 and facing match ball, however, it looked like the spectators prediction was coming true but in the character of this match and Alana's play throughout the tournament, she battled on to win two more points and get to 9-10 where she might tie it up and force another nail-biting tiebreaker. It was not to be this game, however, and Dominique won 11-9.

Both players displayed amazing athleticism throughout the match and then incredible graciousness after the match in the awards ceremony. Dominique spoke on her behalf and all the players and thanked the sponsors, volunteers and spectators at this event for making it such a wonderful tournament for the WISPA players. They really appreciated the extra attention they were given to have all their needs (food, transport, hotel) looked after but especially the personal attention of the Dayton Squash Center members who enjoy the close interaction and appreciate the life of a touring squash professional. Alana echoed these feelings and also Dom's thanks to promoter Charlie Johnson for once again hosting a WISPA event and all look forward to the girls returning in 2009 for a bigger and, if possible, better event.

Ohio Open 2008 Dayton, Ohio, 11-16 Nov, $16k
Round One 13-Nov	Quarters 14-Nov	Semis 15-Nov	Final 16-Nov
[1] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Eng) 11/4, 11/3, 11/2 (20m) Stephanie Edmison (Can)	[1] Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11/3, 6/11, 11/8, 11/5 [5] Lauren Siddall	[1] Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11/4, 11/7, 11/7 (38m) [3] Manuela Manetta	[1] Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11/4, 15/13, 11/9 (49m) [6] Alana Miller
[5] Lauren Siddall (Eng) 11/8, 6/11, 11/5, 11/2 (30m) [Q] Larissa Stephenson (Nzl)
[3] Manuela Manetta (Ita) 11/6, 11/7, 11/7 (25m) [Q] Miranda Ranieri (Can)	[3] Manuela Manetta 11/9, 9/11, 12/10, 11/9 [8] Tara Mullins (
[8] Tara Mullins (Can) 11/4, 11/7, 14/12 (40m) Georgina Stoker (Eng)
Lucie Fialova (Cze) 11/6, 11/7, 11/5 (36m) [6] Alana Miller (Can)	[6] Alana Miller 11/7, 11/8, 11/1 [4] Aisling Blake	[6] Alana Miller 11/9, 11/7, 11/7 (40m) Runa Reta
[Q] Alexandra Norman (Eng) 13/11, 14/12, 11/2 [4] Aisling Blake (Irl)
Runa Reta (Can) 11/6, 11/6, 8/11, 11/6 (40m) [7] Karen Kronemeyer (Ned)	Runa Reta 11/7, 5/11, 6/11, 11/6, 12/10 [2] Louise Crome
[Q] Genevieve Lessard (Can) 11/6, 11/5, 11/6 (20m) [2] Louise Crome (Nzl)

12-Nov, Qualifying Finals, 17.30 and 18.30:

Alexandra Norman (Eng) bt Lia Paz Noguez (Mex)               11/6, 11/1, 11/6 (23m)
Miranda Ranieri (Can) bt Olivia Blatchford (Usa)       8/11, 11/6, 11/9, 13/11 (40m)
Genevieve Lessard (Can) bt Ivonne Diaz (Mex)                16/14, 11/4, 11/8 (29m)
Larissa Stephenson (Nzl) bt Leonie Holt (Eng)                   12/10, 11/4, 11/8 (31m)

11-Nov, Qualifying Round One:

Lia Paz Noguez (Mex) bt Belkys Velez (Ecu)   6/11, 11/9, 5/11, 13/11, 11/6 (46m)
Genevieve Lessard (Can) bt Yuko Ikeda (Jpn)                   11/5, 11/3, 11/9 (14m)
Leonie Holt (Eng) bt Majd Samir Alkahateeb (Jor)              11/5, 11/8, 11/5 (20m)

15-Nov, Semis:
Canadians impress in Ohio
Charlie Johnson reports

England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter won her match in 38 minutes of incredibly steady squash. You could count her unforced errors on one hand and not use all your fingers. Her opponent, Manuela Manetta from Italy, fought hard, enduring long rallies and pushed her game to a high level to try and find a way to break her opponent. Trading extremely tight length shots down both side walls, making great retrieves and the occasional outright kill shot, Manuela never gave up but in the end, Dominique was just too patient and too consistent, winning the match 11/4, 11/7, 11/7 and secured a spot in the championship match.

In the other semi-final two Canadian comrades and room-mates at this event, put aside their friendship for 40 minutes and play in front of the enthusiastic gallery at the Dayton Squash Center. Alana Miller won 9/11, 9/7, 9/7 and perhaps last night's five game victory had taken its toll on Runa Reta: she made the first game close as they traded rallies and she was up 9-7 but the powerful Miller closed that game out with four straight points. games 2 & 3 were similar: Alana went way up (10-3 in #2, 7-0 in #3) but Runa showed her fighting spirit and battled back in both. Alana, however, could rely on her punishing pace to close out each game and advance to the finals.

Tomorrow's Championship Match should be a great exhibition of the classic battle between "power and control." Both players bring weapons to the fight that should make this an exciting match for the spectators.

14-Nov, Quarters:
Canadians impress in Ohio
Charlie Johnson reports

Canadian players acquitted themselves well tonight in front of a great crowd at the Dayton Squash Center. Area media coverage saw folks unfamiliar with squash turn out to see world class athletes in action and they were treated to some great squash.

Canadian Alana Miller (# 6 seed) powered her way past # 4 seed Aisling Blake of Ireland. Aisling said she tried to step up her "hard-hitting to match Alana's pace" but it tired her out and Alana breezed to the victory in three games.

Canadian Runa Reta, having knocked off # 7 seed Karen Kronemeyer last night, had to fight hard to upset the #2 seed from New Zealand, Louise Crome. This match lasted almost an hour and Reta, ranked #99, showed great tenacity to win 12-10 in the fifth.

Canadian Tara Mullins also tried to pull off an upset of Italy's Manuela Manetta but fell just short in a 52 minute match that was quite even throughout. Although the match went 3-1 to Manetta, all the games were close, and but for a 5 point run in the 3rd game when she was down 2-6, Manetta would have been faced with a 5th game given the close win in the 4th.

Top Seed Dominique Lloyd-Walter of England was tested by her fellow countrywoman, Lauren Siddall. Siddall, like Manetta & Georgina Stoker (lost last night) are local favorites as they have been to Dayton for all four of our WISPA events. Siddall looked a bit tight at the start, making quite a few unforced errors, but rallied to win the 2nd game and was close in the third. Lloyd-Walter, however, showed why she is poised to break into the world top-20 using experience and steady play to close out the match in the fourth game.

Saturday's first semi-final starts at 12:30 and the next at 1:30 and these matches are open to the public and all Dayton Squash Center members as well as the amateurs in town to play in the 20th Anniversary of the Ohio Open's amateur draw.

13-Nov, Round One:
Reta joins seven seeds in Ohio
Charlie Johnson reports

In tonight's first round action in the $15,000 Ohio Open, 7 of 8 seeded players advanced, including the # 1 & 2 players who were fairly untested and won in three straight games. 7th seeded Karen Kronemeyer did lose in 4 games to Runa Reta of Canada (one of 3 Canadians to advance to tomorrow's 1/4 final matches). Before the match, Kronemeyer was discussing her travel arrangements out of Dayton tomorrow so the "handwriting must have been on the wall."

# 5 seed Lauren Siddall of England lost a game to qualifier Larissa Stephenson of New Zealand but showed her experience to close out the match in the 4th game with a strong 11/2 win. One of the best matches of the night, had Aisling Blake of Ireland and Alexandra Norman of England playing incredibly similar and close points for the first two games. Blake won both in overtime (13/11, 14/12) and then like Siddall, stormed through the winning game 11/2.

The matches continue on Friday at 5:00 & 6:00 pm and the competition should be fierce as all the players ranking indicate they are fairly well matched. Tonight's crowd at the the Dayton Squash Center consisted of members, guests, WISPA players and quite a few interested "outsiders." This is a World Class sporting event right in our own back yard and we at the Dayton Squash Center are please to offer this athletic competition free and open to the public

Match Points from Charlie Johnson

Top seed Dominique Lloyd-Walter looked at ease on court and overpowered Stephanie Edmison. "She's just too good" said Stephanie after the match.

Qualifier Larissa Stephenson put up quite a fight against the #5 seed Lauren Siddall, making the first game close, winning the second, but then began to run out of steam. England's Siddall powered her way through the third & fourth, getting up to a 6-0 lead in both games.

Manuela Manetta was "happy to get a solid first round win - it's often the most difficult," she said. She got off to a fast start, up 6-2 in the first and although qualifier Miranda Ranieri fought hard, Manetta proved to be the more experienced and solid player

Tara Mullins started her match strong, with punishing cross-court length than won lots of rallies in the first game. Georgina Stoker got in the match in the second game and it was even ahead 6-5 when the Canadian won four straight rallies and got to game ball and won after dropping one more point. The third went much as the second, Stoker up 6-4 then Mullins ran four to go up 8-6, dropped three to be down 8-9, tied it and then began some terrific rallies as Stoker fought to stay on court. Mullins survived two game balls and prevailed before an enthusiastic crowd.

The match between Alana Miller and Lucie Fialova was by far the hardest hitting that the crowd saw tonight. Although Miller won in three games, Fialova hung with her for games one and two, trading hard drives and fight for control of the middle. But the effort took its toll and Miller finished strong in the third.

Aisling Blake versus Alexandra Norman was easily the closest match of the night for the first two games as the score indicates. These two seemed evenly matched, both playing with excellent control, with Blake squeezing out both games. Norman couldn't maintain this level however and down 2-3, Blake ran seven straight rallies to take the match and advance.

Runa Reta was in control for the first two games but Karen Kronemeyer fought back to win the close third and seemed to try to keep it together in the fourth until 6-all and then Runa broke away to take the match.

Qualifier Genevieve Lessard made a good showing but second seed Louise Crome was just too steady and cruised to victory in just 20 minutes.

Talented field
heads for Dayton
Dayton Daily News

12-Nov:
Qualifying complete in Ohio
Qualifying finals roundup from Charlie Johnson

Lia Paz Noguez tried to put up a fight but strong play from Alexandra Norman and a bit of fatigue from last evening's match was too much to overcome as the Englishwoman won in straight games.

The young American Olivia Blatchford played well tonight, taking the first game against Miranda Ranieri, hanging close in two & three and forcing an exciting tie breaker in the fourth. Both played with power, speed and some incredible touch around the front of the court so it was somewhat sad that the match ended with a stroke awarded to Ranieri with a loose ball back to the centre of the court. 40 minutes made it the longest qualifying match of the night.

Ivonne Diaz made a great come-back in game one against Genevieve Lessard, down 5-9, to tie it at 9, force the tiebreaker with game ball against her, go ahead 11/10 but ultimately lose at 14-16. Fairly evenly matched based on the seedings, Lessard took control of the second game but the third was even until 6-5 Lessard when she ran off 3 straight points to go up 9-5 and take control of the match & advance to the main draw.

Similar to the previous match, Leonie Holt forced a tiebreaker in game one, had a let down in game two and then fought hard in the third to stay alive but did not prevail as Larissa Stephenson advanced.

Talented field heads for Dayton Dayton Daily News