Sobhy, Cornett, Latasha Khan Adance In Women's British Qualifying
by Steve Cubbins
photos Steve Cubbins
May 19, 2013 - A busy day at Pontefract saw sixteen women's first round qualification matches, but the home crowd enjoyed the very first of them most of all as home favourite Deon Saffery upset South Africa's Siyoli Waters in straight games.
"The home crowd helped today," admitted Deon, "but I would have taken a lot of stick had I lost!".
There was a trio of five-game matches as Joshana Chinappa saw off the comeback of Gaby Huber, while Olga Ertlova and Birt Coufal both successfully came from two games down to book places in the qualifying finals.
"I'm sure there are other ways of winning than to start going down 2/0 and win 11/9 in the 5th," said Czech Olga, "at least, less painful ones!!!"
For Birgit it was a case of relaxing: "At 2/0 down, it was all about letting go of the pressure, and starting enjoying my squash. I made the ball go to the back of the court better, rallying more, and taking the weight off the ball and she seemed to struggle with that."
Women's Qualifying Round One:
Joshana Chinappa (Ind) 3-2 Gaby Huber (Sui) 11/8, 11/4, 6/11, 11/1 (50m)
Deon Saffery (Wal) 3-0 Siyoli Waters (Rsa) 11/8, 11/8, 14/12 (38m)
Emma Beddoes (Eng) 3-1 Amina Helal (Eng) 11/3, 11/3, 8/11, 11/5 (37m)
Nada Elkalaawy (Eng) 3-1 Tesni Evans (Wal) 7/11, 11/5,12/10, 11/6 (45m)
Lauren Briggs (Eng) 3-0 Thaisa Serafini (Bra) 11/8, 11/7, 11/6 (37m)
Melody Francis (Aus) 3-0 Keely Taylor (Eng) 11/1, 11/1, 11/4 (14m)
Sam Cornett (Can) 3-0 Sarah Cardwell (Aus) 13/11, 11/6, 11/9 (36m)
Olga Ertlova (Cze) 3-2 Olivia Blatchford (Usa) 5/11, 16/18, 11/6, 11/2, 11/9 (64m)
Lucie Fialova (Cze) 3-0 Cyrielle Peltier (Fra) 11/3, 11/9, 11/8 (31m)
Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) 3-0 Victoria Temple-Murray (Eng) 11/4, 11/7, 11/1 (22m)
Misaki Kobayashi (Jpn) 3-0 Mari Taylor (Eng) 11/2, 11/0, 11/7 (20m)
Latasha Khan (Usa) 3-0 Maud Duplomb (Fra) 11/8, 11/6, 13/11 (32m)
Delia Arnold (Mas) 3-0 Laura Pomportes (Fra) 11/2, 11/1, 11/1 (19m)
Birgit Coufal (Aut) 3-2 Kylie Lindsay (Nzl) 7/11, 10/12, 11/7, 11/4, 11/8 (43m)
Lisa Aitken (Sco) 3-0 Anna Kimberley (Eng) 12/10, 11/4, 11/7 (34m)
Amanda Sobhy (Usa) 3-0 Claire Walker (Eng) 11/3, 11/3, 11/5 (16m)
Monday's action begins at the KC Stadium at noon with eight matches in the bottom half of the men's draw while women's qualifying finals take place at Pontefract.
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