Kobayashi Claims Japan Pro Hat-Trick In Tokyo by Howard Harding November 3, 2014
- Brushing aside all opposition in the country's biggest international
squash event, local star Misaki Kobayashi claimed her third successive
Women's Pro Squash in Japan title after beating South African Siyoli
Waters in today's final of the Tokyo championship at Spa Shirokane in
the Japan capital.
The highest-ranked Japanese player of all-time, 24-year-old Kobayashi
(pictured above in action with Waters) reached the final of the WSA
Tour 10 event - her ninth on the Tour - without dropping a game.
The top seed despatched Hong Kong's sixth seed Vanessa Chu in the
semi-finals, while Waters also saw off Hong Kong opposition in the
other semi after beating third seed Liu Tsz-Ling in four games.
The Tokyo-born world No36 raced away in the final to take the opening
game for the loss of just a single point - but second seed Waters, who
overtook Kobayashi to claim a world No33 ranking in the latest WSA
list, regrouped in the second to draw level.
But spurred on by local support, Kobayashi survived the next two games
to secure an 11-1, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 title triumph after just 38 minutes
to win her third WSA title on home soil since September 2010.
"I'm really happy to win this title again in my country," said the
delighted Kobayashi (pictured above with promoter Miyuki Adachi). "I
don't play many local tournaments so my family don't really get to
watch my matches - so today I just wanted to play well and I'm glad
that I came through."
The win also marks the seventh WSA Tour title of Kobayashi's career.
RESULTS: Women's Pro Squash in Japan Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
