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08-Oct, A Event Finals:
[1] Stacey Ross [2]
Jesse
Engelbrecht
9/5, 9/7, 9/6
Jane Kennedy bt Isabelle Tweedle
10/8, 9/0, 9/1 (26m)
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FULL DRAWS & RESULTS |
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Men's A
Final:
[1] Stacey Ross bt [2]
Jesse
Engelbrecht
9/5, 9/7, 9/6 |
STRONG STACEY
(AT TIMES),
WOBBLY JESSE…
Framboise reports from Wimbledon
The miracle didn’t happen. Jesse didn’t find a miracle solution to
his mental lack of focus between his match yesterday and his final
today. He is still a very skilled played, the shots are there, the
fitness is there, but there is no link, no game plan, no strategy,
just whatever comes to his mind on the spot.
And when you are playing a focused Stacey Ross, on one of his good
days, you are in a lot of trouble…
The first game was the longest, and funnily enough, lasted as long
as the ladies final, more or less, although the score doesn’t
reflect the long and hard battle that those two fought. Stacey came
out on top, and literally caracoled in the second, getting his first
game ball at 8/2. We had then a typical Stacey, his mind wandering
around the court, all over the place, with a grateful Jesse who
started to relax and play at this best, finding some stunning
counter-attacks in particular. It was so close, and Stacey finally
closed it out at 8/7. But that was that close…
Not defeatist whatsoever, Jesse took a great start in the third,
well determined to make up for the loss of the first two games, and
led 5/2, but the mind started doubting yet again, Stacey equalized
at 6/6, and rushed to the finishing line….
It has to be stressed that the atmosphere on the two finals were
perfect, the games were played in a perfect relaxed, professional
yet friendly manner. It’s so nice to see top players (for the men in
particular), whose living depends on squash, still able to smile,
joke and enjoy their squash as much as those players did today.
It’s good for the sport. It’s good for the squash.
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 "It’s
not happening, it’s just not happening….
"Stacey played too tight for me today.
"I got anxious at the start, and to tell you the truth, I
don’t know what it going on, just my brain not connected. I
just get through the motions, I don’t think about my next
shot, or what my opponent just did, I’m not analyzing the
game at all, and I play a match like I train… And when I
lose, it doesn’t hurt that much, like I’m expecting it.
"And actually, I get on court nowadays not believing that
I’m good enough to win those matches, whereas when I was
young, I used to believe I could be anybody. Now, I’m more
unsure, and when you get on court with that kind of
thoughts, you can’t really win…"
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 "I
played well today, in parts anyway. It’s only when I lose my
concentration that it become 50/50. It’s not my squash that
is letting me down. It’s my concentration… And it’s due to
two factors I think, one, I don’t seem to be able to finish
the game off well, and also, I get a bit tense, and that is
enough to lose my touch and make the error.
"I’m really happy to win it in three, and also to win this
title for the second time…"
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 "This
is my sixth final, and the third year I've played against
Isabelle, and last year’s score was pretty similar, 10/8,
9/2, 9/1 I think. We always have a good run in the first,
and then, I’m able to impose my game a bit more. We’ve got
very different game, I’m fitter than she is, but she’s got
such lovely lobs and short game, it’s always a great
pleasure to play against her.
"This year, I was a bit nervous before the match, as this is
my last Surrey Closed, I’m moving to Sydney with my husband,
to try and start my own massage therapy business instead of
my usual desktop publishing for banking normal job.
"It’s so hard to say goodbye to the people here in
Wimbledon, I’ve played 4/5 times a week, it’s a bit like a
home for me, everybody has been so welcoming, Claire in
particular, who is just brilliant, and such a lovely girl,
and Rebecca, and everybody really…
"I wish I could take Wimbledon with me to Sydney, but I
don’t think that’s going to be possible somehow…."
Jane Kennedy |
"My defeat last year was
playing on my mind, and although I was always in front in
the first game, I was thinking that I was not good enough to
beat hear… And then, after that, she was just too fast…."
Isabelle Tweedle |
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Jane Kennedy
bt Isabelle Tweedle
10/8, 9/0, 9/1 (26m) |
LAST ONE FOR THE ROAD…
It was Jane Kennedy (a South African lovely player that most
people came to know as Gardner, but who just married an
Englishman, bless her) who won her 6th consecutive Surrey Closed
title, and yet again this year against discreet and shy Isabelle
Tweedle, who possesses such a lovely airy game, lobs and drop
shots, but maybe just lacking a bit of fitness and also the
confidence to believe that she could have be the winner…
Overall, a very strong and disputed first game, with Jane playing
catch up all way through, and just a little edge for the South
African, who was hitting the ball very hard, taking her opponent
by surprise at crucial times. But that was a crucial game really,
as the English lady still fought hard, but the heart and belief
was not there anymore after the loss of that game. Mind started to
play up, “not good enough, won’t make it”…
And Jane just killed more or less every shot from that point on.
I know that Jane will be solely missed at Wimbledon Racquet and
Fitness Club. She was part of the family, part of the walls,
really. We hope that she’ll just be happy with her new life, her
new surroundings, and her new career….
Bon Voyage….
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Men's A
Semi-Final:
[1] Stacey Ross bt Alex Ingham 9/2, 9/0, 9/2 |
FOCUSED STACEY…
Framboise reports from Wimbledon
If this morning, Mr Ross was a bit all over the place, today he came
on court with all the wires connected.
He played well, he played tight, used the lob with great efficiency
again the young Alex Ingham with whom he trains twice a week under
the authority of Ian Robinson in Guilford.
Stacey will be glad to have won this one with ease, as Jesse is no
push over, and places some exquisite drop shots that would kill
anybody’s quads…
You want to be fresh to play him, I tell you…
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"I
have a lot of respect for Alex, I think he’s got a good
future in front of him. He hangs in really well, and he is
very fit for his age.
"Today, I pushed him quite hard, but he still kept going. I
think he should keep on doing what he is doing at the
moment, he is on the right track.
"Alex comes across as a good professional, he is always on
time, dedicated, and he’s got the right attitude on court.
Also, he’s got a good nature off court, and is simply a very
nice guy…"
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 "Stacey
is such a good player… Against a not so good player, you can
get away with a few loose shots, but against somebody like
him, you give him one chance, and he puts it away. It’s a
bit like the transition between being a junior player, and
becoming a senior.
"I’m really working on my accuracy at the moment. I’m sure
I’ll get to work more on my physic when I get older and
stronger, but at the moment, I feel that it’s all a question
between tight and loose shots…
"I train with Ian Robinson, and play with Stacey twice a
week, who I consider as such a high quality player, who
plays the underdog in most of the major tournaments, and who
can give a good scare to the top guys…
"Still, when I play against him, I always go on court
wanting to win, always thinking that I’ve got a little
chance… And I just try and stay out there as much as I can,
and get some experience…"
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 "I’ve
been that kind of scrappy game on all the tournaments this
season. I do all the hard work, and then, I think I’ve got
to finish the rally in a perfect way, and I go for the
silliest shot.
"Physically, I’m alright, I’ve done two months of summer
training, a lot of off court work, but maybe I lack matches,
I lack tournament pressure. When I play leagues, I’m
relaxed, but when I’m on a tournament, I change my game
completely, instead of doing what I know how to do.
"I think that I just want to look good by playing an
incredible shot instead of putting the ball to the right
place…
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 "It
was so scrappy, I think I was trying to see how many tins I
could make! It looked a bit “end of the week” squash to me…
"In the third and fourth, I tried to put all that behind me,
and find a proper game, but I just kept on playing the wrong
shot.
"And in the fifth, I thought, I just couldn’t put it away in
the fourth when I had the chance, so I won’t be able to make
it in the fifth…"
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Men's A
Semi-Final:
[2] Jesse
Engelbrecht bt Tom Richards
6/9, 9/6, 5/9,
9/6, 9/7 |
SCRAPPY, O SO SCRAPPY…
I don’t think either Tom or Jesse will remember this game as their
best ever. It was more like a competition, “let’s see how many tins
we can hit, and yeah!!! I’m winning…!!!” kind of match…
No, not the best of matches, errors, wrong choice of shots, still
very intense at some points, very nice rallies here and there, but
overall, a bit messy and far too error prone.
Tom didn’t play at his best, that’s for sure, and will be kicking
himself all the way back home. And Jess will be happy to get out of
that one alive.
Tomorrow, Stacey. He definitely will have to improve his game if he
wants to have a chance…
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07-Oct, A Event
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Stacey Ross bt Dean Newberry
9/6, 9/6, 9/10, 9/2
Alex Ingham bt Phillip Nightingale
8/10, 9/6, 9/4,
9/6
Tom Richards bt Andrew Edwards
9/4, 9/0, 9/0
[2] Jesse Engelbrecht bt Jamie Matthews
9/2, 9/0, 9/2 |
TOUGH TOP OF THE DRAW…
Framboise reports from Wimbledon
Well, if Mr Stacey Ross thought he was going to have an easy ride
for his first round of this 2006 edition of the Surrey Closed, he
had to be a bit surprised by the resistance and determination of 29
year old Dean Newberry…
Having nothing to lose, loving his squash, and enjoying the
privilege of playing a top player, Dean gave everything he had, and
boy, did he have plenty to spare…
OK, to be perfectly honest here, Stacey was not exactly on his best
focus behaviour, served out five times, hit so many tins he could
have sold them to feed himself this winter, but still… Dean ran, and
hit, and retrieved, and hit, and ran, and volleyed, and retrieved…
And ran. And ran. And ran.
The third game was a model of what perseverance can do. The Horley
Man saved two match balls, and by digging in, never giving up and
running for every shot, transformed his third game ball to take a
game off the world number 49.
It was a very good performance from the underdog, who should be
proud of his performance today, but may have a few problem with
aches and pain tomorrow… |
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 "Today,
I was not attacking enough, he is very fast, and there is
nothing to stop him from picking up the ball at the front… I
needed to do more…
"Alex is very consistent and tight, he doesn’t make many
errors, he only made a few in the first game, and that was
that really. He moves around the court quite well, and he is
very strong for his size.
"I train in West Byfleet with Neil Franklin since I finished
my university degree in 2005, and I’m now playing and
training full time. But I feel that I missed out on the
years between 18 and 23, where I was training reasonably
well, but not exceptionally hard. And at the moment, I know
I’m learning a lot, but it becomes a cliché if you have
nothing to show for it.
"I need to get results, I need a breakthrough really. I’m
ranked 170 in the world, which is not what I want, and I’ve
decided to give myself two more seasons to decide what I’m
going to do. I’ve got to get results, and confidence, as at
the moment, training is very hard, but I don’t seem to get
much result to show for… Like I said, I need a
breakthrough."
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ALEX, AT LAST…
And what about that match between young Alex Ingham, he looks so
young bless him, and from memory, is 16 years old (don’t shoot if
I’m wrong, OK??) and Phil Nightingale…
All the rallies were long, disputed, harsh and intense, but with
always a bit of an edge for Alex really. It was interesting
actually. Alex was pretty much in the front all the time (apart from
the fourth where he started to be tired and was a bit too slow on
the ball), and was making his opponent work a tremendous amount, but
couldn’t kill the ball, couldn’t find that finishing shot.
On the other hand, Phil was very solid at the back, retrieving very
well, fit and strong, but not stepping up enough, a bit, not
negative, no, but not positive enough. And I think it’s called,
“lack of confidence in your game”….
At the end of the day, Alex has proved that he can hold the
pressure, but should try and finish the points a bit quicker,
especially when playing a very good player later the same day. And
Phil just needs to step up, both mentally and physically; it’s all
there, just needs a bit of oiling to make the dressing perfect….
Claire Baker with
Jamie and Andrew |
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