Defending champions Egypt crashed out of the Women's World Team Squash Championship after losing 1/2 to Malaysia in today's quarter-finals in New Zealand. Raneem El Weleily had given Egypt the perfect start, with a straight games win over Low Wee Wern. However, world number one Nicol David (pic ri) squared the ledger with an 11-9, 11-3, 8-11, 11-4 victory over Omneya Abdel Kawy (pic le). World No21 Delia Arnold then completed the Malaysian fight back, with an epic 11-9, 3-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8 victory over Engy Kheirallah, the Egyptian third string ranked six places higher. Malaysia will now play Australia in the semis after the second seeds edged to a 2/1 win over USA.
Category: "teams"
Malaysia Oust Title-Holders Egypt In New Zealand!
December 2, 2010 • Tags: Delia Arnold, Low Wee Wern, New Zealand, Nicol David, Women's World Teams Championship, WSF • Categories: all posts, teams, tournaments
New Zealand overcome Malaysia in World Championship Upset!
December 2, 2010 • Tags: Jaclyn Hawkes, Joelle King, New Zealand, Shelley Kitchen, Women's World Teams Championship, WSF • Categories: all posts, teams, tournaments
Hosts New Zealand (pic) pulled off their third successive win in the pool stages of the Women's World Team Squash Championship by upsetting Malaysia to finish in top place in Pool D in Palmerston North. The fifth-seeded Kiwis beat fourth seeds Malaysia 2/1 - a crucial win which ensures that the home team have avoided playing one of the top three seeds in the quarter-finals. Joelle King was first on court and beat Malaysia's world No16 Low Wee Wern 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9. It was all on Shelley Kitchen to seal the tie with a victory over world No21 Delia Arnold. Kitchen, who turns 31 tomorrow - and is competing in her first international event since the birth of her daughter Amalia in February - started the celebrations early with a stunning 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 victory. David then completed the expected victory over Hawkes, winning 11-3, 11-5, 11-5. Quarter-final line-up: [1] ENGLAND v [7] IRELAND, [5] NEW ZEALAND v [6] FRANCE, [3] EGYPT v [4] MALAYSIA, [2] AUSTRALIA v [9] USA.
Fitz-Gerald confident for international comeback!
November 28, 2010 • Tags: Australia, New Zealand, Sarah Fitz-Gerald, Women's World Teams Championship, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
National pride was behind Sarah Fitz-Gerald‘s (pic) decision to play for Australia at the Women’s World Team Squash Championships New Zealand. The 5 times world champion compete in her 1st big squash event in almost 10 years, as she retired in 2002. She joins a powerful team that includes world number five Rachael Grinham, 7th ranked Kasey Brown and 17th ranked Donna Urquhart. “There was one year Australia finished 10th and I think the last one we might have been about sixth. When I was coming through we were always in the top three, probably the top two so that’s part of the reason I put my hand up – just to see if I could help move us up from potentially sixth to four or five even. I haven’t ever really stopped playing since I came off tour. I’ve been doing league, promotions and exhibitions, so my fitness is still pretty good and I’m playing all right”.
Squash Queen Sarah Fitz-Gerald is back!
November 4, 2010 • Tags: Donna Urquart, Kasey Brown, Michelle Martin, Rachael Grinham, Sarah Fitz-Gerald, WISPA, Women's World Teams Championship, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
Australian squash legend and 5 time World Champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald (pic) will make her comebacks at the Women’s World Teams Championship in the New Zealand, while she is teaming up with former World No.1 Rachael Grinham to play together for Australia. Fitz-Gerald and Grinham will be joined by Kasey Brown and Donna Urquhart. The Australian team will be managed by Fitz-Gerald’s former team-mate and long time rival, Michelle Martin. “It’s very exciting to welcome Sarah and Rachael back into the team,” said Martin, a former 3 times World Champion herself.
Nick Matthew celebrates double gold in Delhi!
October 14, 2010 • Tags: Adrian Grant, Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India, Nick Matthew, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
England's Nick Matthew brought his 2010 Commonwealth Games campaign to a magnificent climax in Delhi when he won gold in the Men's Doubles with team mate Adrian Grant to add to the gold medal he won in last week's singles final. In the final match on the spectacular ASB all-glass showcourt, the favourites battled to hold off the Australian 2nd seeds Stewart Boswell & David Palmer - and recovered from losing the 2nd game to win 11-9, 6-11, 11-5 in 133 minutes. "It's definitely the biggest moment of my career," said the world No2 Nick Matthew. "I didn't get the chance to celebrate my singles medal, but now I will be able to. I made a good decision not to play a major Tour event in Egypt later this week. I put aside thoughts of regaining my world number one ranking for the sake of two gold medals."
Australia won the Mixed Doubles final in Delhi!
October 14, 2010 • Tags: Cameron Pilley, Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India, Kasey Brown, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
It was a first squash gold medal of the 2010 Games for Australia when Kasey Brown & Cameron Pilley (pic) beat New Zealand outsiders Joelle King & Martin Knight 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 in a 96-minute Mixed Doubles final. When asked how it felt to win his county's first squash gold medal this time, the 27-year-old Pilley responded: "It's special - but more so because you're playing for all of squash in Australia. It's an honour to put on the Australian colours – it gives you something extra, and I think that showed when we came back from one-nil down." Malaysian Nicol David & Ong Beng Hee beat Australian Donna Urquhart & David Palmer for the bronze medal play-off.
New Zealand takes women’s doubles gold!
October 13, 2010 • Tags: Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India, Jaclyn Hawkes, Joelle King, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
After Carol Owens and Leilani Rorani won the women’s doubles gold medal in 2002 in Manchester, it was the 2nd time in Commonwealth Games history, that a New Zealand women’s team won the title. 4th seeded Jaclyn Hawkes (pic le) and Joelle King (pic ri) beat 3rd seeded English team Jenny Duncalf with Laura Massaro in straight games (11-9, 11-10) in 60 minutes. The bronze medal was guaranteed to Australia, while top-seeded Kasey Brown with Donna Urquhart beat their compatriots Lisa Camilleri and Amelia Pittock (11-4, 10-11, 11-5).
Matthew and King In Double Gold Bid In Delhi!
October 13, 2010 • Tags: Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India, Joelle King, Nick Matthew, WSF • Categories: all posts, players, teams, tournaments
England's Nick Matthew and New Zealander Joelle King (pic) will be going for double gold in the Commonwealth Games Squash Doubles finals after both survived arduous semi-finals in Delhi. Matthew, the world No2 who won singles gold for the first time, partnered Adrian Grant to an 11-10, 11-9 win in 65 minutes over 4th seeded Australians Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley in the Men's Doubles semi-finals. Joelle King, the world No24, had to play three matches. After first winning her Mixed Doubles quarter-final with Martin Knight, the 22-year-old paired up with Jaclyn Hawkes to upset Australia's No2 seeds Lisa Camilleri & Amelia Pittock 5-11, 11-5, 11-5 in a Women's Doubles semi - then immediately afterwards linked back with Knight in their 11th-seeded Mixed partnership to see off the third-seeded Malaysians Nicol David & Ong Beng Hee 11-7, 11-10 in 53 minutes. Men's Doubles Final: [1] Adrian Grant & Nick Matthew (ENG) v [2] Stewart Boswell & David Palmer (AUS). Women's Doubles Final: [3] Jenny Duncalf & Laura Massaro (ENG) v [4] Jaclyn Hawkes & Joelle King (NZL) Mixed Doubles Final: [1] Kasey Brown & Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [11] Joelle King & Martin Knight (NZL).
