US #1 Grainger Sits Out As Americans Fall To Australia In World Teams Main Draw
from DailySquashReport.com
November 15, 2012 - Defending champion Australia cruised into the Women's World Teams quarterfinals yesterday in Nimes, France, with a 3-0 win over a game but young US squad.
US #1 Natalie Grainger was not in the lineup, and instead it was 15-year-old Sabrina Sobhy taking on top Aussie and world #16 Rachael Grinham.
“We were a bit surprised that they dropped Grainger," said Australian team coach Sarah Fitz-Gerald. "But that worked in our favour. And now we’re expecting to meet Hong Kong – and we feel pretty good about that.”
Maria Elena Ubina played a strong #3, taking a 2-1 lead against Melody Francis before losing 11-2 in the fifth.
Sabrina got to an overtime middle game against Grinham before losing in three.
And Olivia Fiechter lost 2-1 in an abbreviated #2 match to tough Donna Urquhart.
Fiechter and Ubina are each 17-years-old and, like Sobhy, on impressive fast tracks, but the fact is the US had a junior team on the floor yesterday in the most important US Women's Team match in two years.
The question must be asked: Where are the American 25-year-olds who were groomed so extensively through junior and collegiate play and should be making up the US Women's Team now?
The US women take on South Africa today in the consolation bracket.
[6] AUSTRALIA bt [12] USA 3/0
Melody Francis bt Maria Elena Ubina 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-2 (35m)
Rachael Grinham bt Sabrina Sobhy 11-2, 13-11, 11-3 (27m)
Donna Urquhart bt Olivia Fiechter 11-6, 10-12, 11-8 (25m)
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