Massaro Dominates Final Three Games To Win WISPA US Open Crown
by Steve Cubbins
photos courtesy Steve Cubbins
October 6, 2011 - Laura Massaro made a good enough start to the Delaware Investments U.S. Open women's final, as she and Kasey Brown traded patient rallies to open proceedings on the glass court at the Daskalakis Athletic Centre at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Getting to two-all in that opening game took a few minutes, and you certainly couldn't pick a winner at that point. But as the game wore on it was the Australian who began to take charge of the rallies more, and, helped by several unforced errors from Massaro, she moved ahead to 6/3, then 9/4, and took the lead 11/5 with a dropshot that left Massaro a long way back in the court.
After that though, the fifth seed from Lancashire was, in truth, dominant. The rallies were still there, the movement and shotmaking from both were good, but it was Brown who was being rushed, and Massaro who was making the most of the openings she waited patiently for.
That new favourite shot, the deceptive little crosscourt flick from the front left corner was working well, and more than a few points were earned with it.
In the second game Massaro went ahead 4/2, 7/4, 10/5 and won it with a drive to the deep that was too tight.
The third saw her lead 9/1 in a flash with Brown hitting tin after tin. The first two games took 14 and 19 minutes, 11/3 in the third came after just 7.
Brown did lead the fourth, 2/1, but Massaro was soon back on top, controlling play again as she went ahead 5/2, then 10/4.
Kasey saved one match ball with a straight drive, but Laura put paid to hopes of a comeback with a another wrongfooting boast, and the new U.S. Open champion raiser her hand in the air …
"Kasey come out strong in the first and I just couldn't get in front of her, she was putting me under pressure and I was making mistakes. It was the sort of match where whoever got in front was winning, so I really had to work on it to get in front from the second game.
"At the start I didn't feel as comfortable as I had in the previ0us matches, my legs felt heavy and I felt a little sluggish, but I just told myself I had to forget that. I got a few good rallies together and I felt good and played well after that.
"I can't believe I won, it's been a great year for me with three major victories. The Nationals is always up there and I was very proud to be the first Lancashire woman to win it, beating Nicol in Cleveland was big, but this is the biggest of them, a major event on a glass court, they don't come much bigger than this!
Laura Massaro
Women's Final:
[5] Laura Massaro (Eng) bt [6] Kasey Brown (Aus) 5/11, 11/5, 11/3, 11/5 (56m)
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