Pallikal Wins WISPA Dread Squash Series 2
by David Keating
October 16, 2011 - Dipika Pallikal (IND) faced her toughest tournament match in the final today, but won in three games, completing a shut out of her opponents. Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG), the unseeded surprise finalist, proved in her loss that reaching the final was no fluke.
Perry dropped two of the first three points in the match, then went on a tear, putting four winning shots out of reach of her speedy and graceful opponent as she built a 7-3 lead. The pair traded points to 9-5, then Pallikal reeled off a six point streak and closed out the game on a winning serve. It was the first time all weekend any of her opponents reached nine points in any game.
Pallikal said “it took me a while to adapt to her style, and I found I had to keep it tight and deep to avoid getting blocked” or volleyed by her six-foot tall opponent.
The rising star from India continued her run in game two, showing an impressive display of shot making with a variety of winning shots that included boasts, a cross court nick, drops and dying length as she built an 8-1 lead on the way to an easy 11-3 victory.
Perry said “I knew [Pallikal] had great racquet skills, and if I hit anything loose, she’d make it very difficult.”
Game three delighted the crowd, as both players played nearly error free squash and displayed flair with their shots. The see-saw battle saw at least six lets on the way to a 7-7 tie. Then Pallikal again showed her brilliance on the court, winning three points before Perry erred on match ball.
After the match, Pallikal expressed satisfaction with her performance in a series of tournaments in the United States, saying it’s “been a good week and I played well.” She takes a short break back home in India before the World Open.
Perry took a high-tech approach to her match and asked her coach to watch the online streaming of the match. She powered up her laptop near the court and between games, Steve Townsend, her Kenilworth, England based coach, sent advice via an online chat.
Next stop for Perry is the Santiago Open 2011, where she is again unseeded, that starts Wednesday in Spain. She defeated the #1 seed at this tournament, so she has a good shot at making another final.
FINAL: WISPA $12,000 Dread Series 2 - Washington, DC
Dipika Pallikal beat Sarah-Jane Perry 9, 3, 7 – 33 minutes
Back To Main
