Delaware Open Canada's Cornett's Biggest Tour Title by Howard Harding February 9, 2015 -
Canada's Samantha Cornett claimed the biggest WSA World Tour title of
her life when she beat Pakistan's Maria Toorpakai Wazir in the final of
the CSC Delaware Open, the WSA Challenger 10 squash event in its fifth
year at Vicmead Hunt Club in Wilmington in the US state of Delaware.
Second seed Cornett, the world No.32 from Ottawa, secured her
anticipated in the final without dropping a game - overcoming
third-seeded New Zealander Amanda Landers-Murphy in the semi-finals to
reach the 11th Tour final of her career, and her third in Delaware.
By contrast, Toronto-based Wazir battled through the qualifiers before
beginning a sensational giant-killing run through the event after
scalping Tesni Evans, the top seed from Wales, in the opening round.
The powerful 24-year-old from Peshawar went on to take out Egypt's
fifth seed Nouran El Torky, then Welsh opponent Deon Saffery, the No.4
seed, to earn her second shock appearance in a WSA Tour final this year!
After Cornett took the first game, Wazir quickly opened up an 8-2 lead in the second before closing out the game to draw level.
24-year-old Cornett reclaimed the lead after taking a hard-fought third game.
"In the fourth, Cornett looked like a woman possessed," said tournament
promoter Ray Chan-A-Sue. "She came out and kept the pressure up from
the previous game, really moving Toorpakai and pouncing on anything
loose.
"A tiring Toorpakai had finally run out of tricks and was done and
dusted. Cornett closed out the game and clinched her first Delaware
title on her third try."
Cornett was delighted with her fifth and biggest WSA Tour title: "I
really enjoyed the match today, and felt quite calm and in control of
myself. This helped me a lot especially as points started rolling away
from me and toward her.
"I was able to focus on what was important in the moment, which was a
combination of strategy and managing my energy levels," continued the
Canadian number one.
"In the second game she made me do a lot of work, and I knew that was
not how I would win the match, so I turned around in the third and
fourth and did that right back to her - an adjustment I'm proud of!
"Maria and I both had a big week of squash and I'm pleased to have finished the week on such a solid note.
"This whole week has been so enjoyable, from the Vicmead Hunt Club
atmosphere, to my beautiful billet family, the Wards, to the great
squash I've played. One of my very favourite tournaments!! Right up
there with Cayman Islands, even though it's the dead of winter here,
it's that good!!"
RESULTS: Women's CSC Delaware Open, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
