Marie Earns Maiden WSA Title In Montreal by Howard Harding March 20, 2015
- The surprise all-French climax of the Women's Montreal Open in Canada
went the full distance as compatriots Marie Stephan and Melissa Alves
battled to secure success in their first ever WSA World Tour final.
But after a tie-break in the decider, it was eighth seed Stephan who
prevailed over unseeded Alves to win the WSA Challenger 5 squash event
in its fifth year at Club Sportif MAA in Montreal.
US-based Stephan, a student at the University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia, made her breakthrough in the semi-finals where the
19-year-old from Nimes toppled top seed Hollie Naughton.
It was in the previous round that Alves upset the form book. Playing in
her first WSA Tour event for more than two years - and currently ranked
216 in the world - the 21-year-old from Paris defeated second-seeded
compatriot Cyrielle Peltier in a five-game marathon before taking out
Mexico's No.5 seed Nayelly Hernandez in the semis.
"Smaller pro events can often be interesting," commented tournament
organiser Yvon Provencal (pictured above with Stephan, centre, and
Alves). "Players in the draw range from veterans with a ranking that is
slipping, to players trying to get valuable ranking points to younger
players just starting their career.
"The Montreal Open had all of those and the final had two unexpected
players in the final. Unseeded Melissa upset the 6th, 5th and second
seed. She has played less than 10 WSA events and this is her first
event in the last two years.
"Eighth seed Marie upset the 3rd and 1st seed en-route to the final. After a successful junior career, was in her first WSA."
Stephan twice came from behind to win the final 10-12, 11-6, 4-11,
11-7, 12-10 in 62 minutes in a maiden WSA Tour title triumph which is
sure to see the French teenager make a dramatic jump from her current
world ranking of 214.
