Dipika Pallikal (IND) beat Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL).11-5,14-12,11-9 in the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions 2012 (photo: Steve Line)
The women’s ToC final will be a test of experience versus youth as 33-year-old Natalie Grinham and 20-year-old Dipika Pallikal play for the title. Experience carried the day – just barely – in Grinham’s semifinal match against 16-year-old Nour El Sherbini. “It’s not fair. She’s half my age and twice my height”, Grinham said jokingly. After dropping the 1st game, the 2nd seed won the next 2 games. El Sherbini fought back to level, but Grinham came back strong in the 5th to take the match 6-11, 11-5, 11-5,7-11,11-4.
Grinham will meet another young challenger in the final as Dipika Pallikal (pic ri) beat New Zealand’s Jaclyn Hawkes (pic le) in straight games 11-5,14-12,11-9. The success of the 20-year-old from India was a result of the attacking strategy, that her current coach Sarah Fitzgerald did implement to Pallikal’s game.
After coming off the court Pallikal’s competitive instincts were evident. “I won’t be happy until I have finished my job and won the tournament,” she said.
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Pallikal downs Urquhart in ToC quarters!
The quarter final round gave audiences at Grand Central Station surprising result of the WSA Tournament of Champions, as New Zealand’s Jaclyn Hawkes ended hopes of an all-Grinham final after beating the elder sister Rachael in 3 games …
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Semis in Grand Central Station!
Shortly the semi-final action in Grand Central Station of New York will start. Women and men will find their 2 players for the great final of the Tournament of Champions. And it might be Frenchman Greg Gaultier (pic le) again …
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The top four will contest the semi-finals!
In the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Junior Squash Championship in Cologne (Germany) all four top contenders managed to reach the semis. In the all-Egyptian match between defending champion Nour El Sherbini and Nouran El Torky, the 14-year-old to…
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Sherbini, Pallikal and El-Defrawy made it!
The women’s 1st round action at the World Open in Rotterdam came up with 3 upsets, as qualifier Nour El Sherbini bet 13th seed Donna Urquhart (AUS) 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 9-11, 11-2. Her compatriot Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (pic le) overcame in an …
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El Tayeb and Pallikal surprised in Qatar!
Teenagers Nour El Tayeb and Dipika Pallikal (pic) produced notable upsets on the opening day of main draw action in Doha. Rapidly-rising 17-year-old Nour El Tayeb struck the mightiest blow, beating fellow Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy, the 3rd seed, 11-7,…
