David v Grinham, Gaultier v Rosner in World Games Finals by Howard Harding August 4, 2013
- After semi-final upsets over the second seeds, both Germany's Simon
Rosner and Dutch champion Natalie Grinham will compete in the squash
finals of the World Games, the multi-sport games which is celebrating
its 9th edition in the Colombian city of Cali.
The World Games squash
action - featuring 40 of the sport's leading men and women athletes,
representing 20 member nations - is taking place at Club Caniasgordas,
which boasts six glass back courts plus an all-glass show court.
Third seed Grinham
will meet top seed Nicol David - the world number one from Malaysia
bidding to win a third successive World Games gold medal - in a repeat
of the 2009 women's final, whilst Rosner, also a third seed, takes on
France's world No2 Gregory Gaultier, the men's favourite, in the other
final.
The top four seeds
contested the women's semi-finals after surviving the last eight round
earlier in the day. World No9 Grinham ended the brave run of Japan's
9/16 seed Misaki Kobayashi in the quarter-finals before lining up
against Low Wee Wern (both pictured below), the world No6 from Malaysia
with whom she shared a one-all head-to-head record.
"The match was of good
quality with great frontcourt play from Natalie and excellent
retrieving by Low," reported event spokesman Major Maniam after
Grinham's 11-7, 2-11, 11-4, 11-4 victory. "Natalie played an
outstanding tactical game to upset the second seed. She was aggressive
and used her chances well.
"Low on the other hand
was too defensive and did not use the front of the court enough. Low
did play attacking squash in the second but could not produce that game
after that. Both players showed true sportsmanship as they owned up to
a number of double pickups as well as agreeing to a let when no let was
called. The packed crowd thoroughly enjoyed the show."
The other women's semi
produced the latest milestone in the sensational career of Nicol David,
the 29-year-old from Penang who this month begins her eighth unbroken
year at the top of the women's world squash rankings!
David - who has not
only not lost a match in the World Games since making her debut in July
2005, but has also not dropped a game - wrapped up her 12th successive
win in the event by beating France's No4 seed Camille Serme, the world
No12, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8.
"Nicol was a
phenomenon," said Maniam. "She was calm and composed even though she
was trailing in the third. Camille gave it everything she had but
simply was not as consistent to beat Nicol today. Nicol makes the game
look so simple. Perhaps it really is!"
Four players from four
different countries lined up in the men's semi-finals. The opening
encounter saw seven-time German champion Rosner take on England's Peter
Barker, the world No7 from London who boasts an unbeaten Tour record
over the German stretching back three years.
"It was a match that
showcased the talents of two outstanding squash players," Maniam
explained. "If one expected a long drawn out affair, it was quickly
proven wrong as Simon displayed some awe-inspiring squash that had the
crowd supporting and cheering him on. Peter played steady squash but it
was Simon who was creative, deceptive and less error-prone."
Rosner romped home
with an unexpected but well-deserved 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 victory. When
asked how he was able to bounce around the court after the
energy-sapping match earlier against France's Mathieu Castagnet, Rosner
said: "I was really tired after the afternoon match, but I had a
session with my physio and I am feeling fine. He must have done
something good."
The 25-year-old world
No12 from Paderborn later told his Twitter followers: "Too good to be
true ... In the final of the World Games. Beating P.Barker for the
first time and 3:0"
Local hero Miguel
Angel Rodriguez, the sixth seed from Colombia, produced the shock of
the men's quarter-finals when he defeated fourth-seeded Australian
Cameron Pilley 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6.
His semi-final match
against event favourite Gregory Gaultier brought the day's squash
session to an appropriate climax, despite finishing half an hour after
midnight! In their previous two meeting, Gaultier recorded 3/0 wins -
but Rodriguez has since made his first appearance in the world top 20
and is not only Colombia's highest-ranked player of all-time, but the
second highest-ranked South American ever.
"The final match of
the day was as good as one would expect of two extremely fit and
skilled players," reported Maniam. "Gregory started off at a furious
pace and was in control for the first two games. The third was looking
like it was going Gregory's way when a lapse in concentration gave
Miguel confidence and the next game.
"The fourth was
closely fought and the rallies were long and hard laced with some
outstanding deception and retrieving by both players. In the end it was
Greg's finishing shots that saw him home 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 - and
into his first World Games final. Sorry Colombia!
"The gallery was
packed to the brim until the end at 12.30 a.m. and they were treated to
the highest level of squash by the most talented squash players; what a
treat, what a show."
