First Round Set At WISPA Orange County Open
from DailySquashReport.com
September 8, 2011 - Yathreb Adel and Salma Hany of Egypt joined Diana Ferro of Mexico and Kristen Lange of the US as successful main draw qualifiers in the $9,000 Orange County Open at the luxurious Sports Club/LA in Irvine, California.
In last night's second round of qualifying, Adel beat Tesni Evans of Wales, Ferro ousted fellow-Mexican Karina Heredia, Lange got past Merhan Amr Mahmoud of Egypt and Hany beat Canadian Alix Younger.
Siyoli Waters filed this report:
Merhan Amr Mahmoud (Egypt) vs Kristen Lange (USA)
Lange won 2/11 8/11 11/3 11/7 11/8
This match was the toughest contest of the day. Mahmoud was the first to settle into the game well by starting off with a 6-0 lead, then taking the first game 11/2. The second game was closer with each player fighting hard for each rally. Mahmoud closed off the game with great drops to the front. In the next game, the momentum began to change in favour of Lange. After a few unforced errors from Mahmoud, Lange won two rallies with a straight drops; one on the backhand and the other on the forehand. Lange takes the game 11/3. In the fourth game, the scores were neck and neck, with a few lets and strokes, until 7-7. Lange won the next point to make it 8-7. The following rally was exciting to watch, where the Egyptian tried to twist the American with cross courts, but Lange took control and won the next points with a forehand boast, then a backhand cross-court drive nick, then a backhand trickle boast, to take the game 11/7.
The final game brought lots of excitement. The score line went something like this…1-0 to Lange, 1 -1, 2 -1 to Lange, then drop shot nick, 3-1, trickle boast in front on forehand 4-1; Mahmoud plays deep to backhand 2-4; a backhand trickle boast by M 3-4; error from L, 4-4; drop error from M, 5-4; forehand deep drive from M, 5-5; forehand cross court drive nick from M, 6-5; a long rally then forehand trickle boast by L, 6-6,; another long patient rally, then L plays cross court drive, 7-6,; then 8-6; an error from M, 9-6; a dead nick lob cross court from M, 7-9; backhand kill drop from L, 10-7; deep backhand drive, 8-10, error from M after retrieving so well in that last rally. Game. Match to Lange. 11/8.
Diana Elisa Garica Fierro (Mexico) vs Karina Heredia Gonzales (Mexico)
Fierro won 3-0; 11/2 11/7 12/10
Diana Fierro lead the first game quite comfortably, being 7-0 up, to win it 11/2.
Gonzales came back in the second game to leads 5-2, then Fierro found her cross court volley drop that helped her to get back into the match. The score line then reached 5-5, 6-5, 7-5 to Fierro. Gonzales played a volley drop kill to make 6-7, then an error from Fierro makes it 7-7. A stroke against Gonzales gives Fierro the lead, which she capitalizes to close off the second game. In the third game Fierro had match ball at 10-8, but Gonzales managed to save the game, but Fierro carefully finished off the game to qualify for the main draw event.
Salma Hany (Egypt) vs Alix Younger
Hany won 3-0: 11/7 11/8 11/7
In this match, both players played fast and aggressively. Hany had 9-6 lead in the first game, and a 7-3 lead in the second. She played great drop shot kill shots throughout the match, which saw as the third qualifier into the main draw.
Yathreb Abdel (Egypt) vs Tesni Evans
Abdel won 3-0; 11/4 11/7 11/6
The 15 year old player from Egypt was in full control of the first game, winning it 11/4. Abdel is quick onto the ball and takes loose balls out of the air with great ease. In the second game, there was not much that separated the players until Abdel got the edge at 7-6, where some tight drives down the line and volley cross court nicks helped her to close off that game 11/7 and the next one 11/6.
Siyoli Waters filed this report on the First Round of qualifying:
Kristen Lange (USA) vs Sally Skaarenborg (Denmark)
Lange won 4/11 9/11 11/3 11/7 11/8
This was an explosive match of power and speed. A great match to watch with both players moving each other around the court. The Danish player had the upper hand at first, but Lange found some great tight lengths to the backhand that Skaarenborg just could not retrieve. Lange did well to close the match as the winner after being 2-0 down.
Alix Younger (Canada) vs Imelda Salazar Martinez (Mexico) Younger won 3-1; 11/9 11/9 12/14 11/9
There was not much that separated these players, as you can see by the score line. It was neck and neck all the way, with each player fighting hard to stay in the game.
Diana Elisa Garica Fierro (Mexico) vs Genevieve Lessard (Canada)
Fierro won 3-1; 11/13 11/6 11/4 11/6
Fierro used the cross court length effectively to keep her opponent twisting. This was a physical match with a lot decisions to be made by the referee. Even though Lessard took the first game, Fierro proved to be too strong for her today.
Tesni Evans (Wales) vs Bine Malund Lind (Denmark)
Evans won 3-1; 8/11 11/7 11/3 11/4
Lind started off strongly, keeping the pace high, and Evans behind her, safe and clean play. Evans turned things around in the second by slowing things down and looking like the more composed player. In the third game, Evans brought out her great drops and delayed shots. The fourth game saw some great rallies exchanged between the two players, but at this stage, Tesni was in complete control and closed the game off in good style.
Merhan Amr Mahmoud (Egypt) vs Jacky Moss (USA)
Mahmoud won 3-0; 11/6 11/6 11/9
The game started with both players playing patient squash, and the game score close. Then the Egyptian picked up the pace and moved her opponent well around the court to finish off with a back hand trickle boast. 8-5 to the Egyptian. She closed off the game comfortably. In the third game, Moss came back from
being being 9-3, but Mahmoud managed to finish what she had started.
Final Round Qualifying Results, $9K WISPA Orange County Open
Yathreb Adel EGY beat Tesni Evans WAL 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 25 min
Diana Elisa Garcia Ferro MEX beat Karina Heredia Gonzalez MEX 11-2, 11-7, 12-10 25 min
Kristen Lange USA beat Merhan Amr Mahmoud EGY2-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 45 min
Salma Hany EGY beat Alix Younger CAN 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 30 min
Today's First Round Match-Ups:
Dipika Pallikal IND v Kristen Lange US
Siyoli Waters RSA v Diana Elisa Garcia Ferro MEX
Manuela Manetta ITA v Salma Hany EGY
Misaki Kobayashi JPN v Nayelly Hernandez MEX
Stephanie Edmison CAN v Thaisa Serafini BRA
Miranda Ranieri CAN v Yathreb Adel EGY
Ivonne Diaz MEX v Milou Van Der Heijden NED
Karen Kronemeyer NED v Latasha Khan US
Back To Main
