Women's New-Look Top 5 Eyeing US Open Title
by Matt Wagg
October 3, 2012 - The 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open begins in Philadelphia next week, at a time when the outcome is far from predetermined.
World No.1 Nicol David won every event she entered during the first half of 2012, but having claimed the Australian Open after the summer break, she has failed to win her last two events on the WSA World Tour. She was beaten to the CIMB Malaysian Open title in front of home crowds by Raneem El Weleily, and was subsequently knocked out of last week’s Carol Weymuller Open by semi-finalist Alison Waters.
With David being knocked out of two successive events, a feat which hadn’t occurred since 2009, the rest of the world’s elite will see this as a prime opportunity to stake a claim for the U.S. title.
Last year’s winner Laura Massaro, recently promoted to world No.2 following her Carol Weymuller Open win over Raneem El Weleily, will have her focus set solely on retaining her title and with it, her world ranking. She will begin her title defence against wild card Kristen Lange, and is then drawn to face Madeline Perry should both players make the quarter-finals.
Seeded second for the event, Raneem El Weleily faces a tough first round match against Low Wee Wern of Malaysia, and could then face either Annie Au or last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, Kasey Brown. Spectators could be treated to a rematch of last week’s final in New York should both Massaro and El Weleily make it to the semi-finals where the pair are drawn to meet.
No.3 seed and 2009 U.S. Open champion Jenny Duncalf begins her campaign against experienced Rachael Grinham, with neither player having reached the semi-final of a WSA World Tour competition in 2012. Newly promoted world No.5 Nour El Sherbini will bid to maintain her highest ever ranking against an as yet unknown qualifier in round one. The sixteen-year-old has begun an excellent record in World Series events after reaching the British Open final and the quarters of the Malaysian Open, and will be looking to exceed her No.7 seeding in this event.
With the qualifying rounds due to commence on the 6th October, Nicol David, Natalie Grinham, Nour El Sherbini and Madeline Perry will all have to wait to see who they are drawn to play. Camille Serme, Joelle King, Dipika Pallikal and Alison Waters are just a few of the names hoping to qualify for the main draw of the World Series event.
Live streaming of WSA matches can be accessed with a SquashTV subscription, available at www.psasquashtv.com from the quarter-finals onwards.
First Round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) vs Qualifier
[8] Natalie Grinham (NED) vs Qualifier
[3] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) vs Rachael Grinham (AUS)
[7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs [5] Madeline Perry (IRL)
Kristen Lange (USA) vs [4] Laura Massaro (ENG)
Kasey Brown (AUS) vs [6] Annie Au (HKG)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) vs [2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)
Full Draw
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