Madeline Marks 'Perfect Finish' In Dublin by Howard Harding
April 26, 2015
- Irish squash star Madeline Perry rounded off her illustrious career
in perfect style at the Women's GillenMarkets Irish Open on home soil
by winning the WSA Challenger 15 event at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
in Dublin for the sixth time.
The 38-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, announced recently that
she would retire from the WSA World Tour at the home event in which she
has competed with distinction since 2003, reaching the final now eight
times.
Top seed Perry, a former world No.3 currently ranked 18 in the world,
faced Nicolette Fernandes, the second seed from Guyana ranked just two
places lower.
Putting behind her the straight games defeat she suffered at the
underdog's hands at last year's British Open, Perry was in
scintillating form - despatching her 31-year-old opponent 11-8, 11-6,
11-9 in 43 minutes to claim the Irish Open title for a sixth time since
2005.
"I've been really looking forward to this event, desperate to win it
and end on a high," said Ireland's most successful player of all-time
after clinching her 12th and final WSA Tour title.
"I don't think I've played that well for a long time, I just enjoyed
every ball I hit, every moment. I never let the emotion overcome me as
I was just in such a focussed state of mind.
"The perfect finish, I guess!" Perry added.
At the post-match presentations, Perry was also awarded a special
lifetime award - and, in her winner's speech, thanked her supporters
over the years.
"This is one of my favourite events and I want to also thank Nicolette,
who is a very fun and fair player, for making it a good final,
particularly since it is my very last," said Perry.
