In a dramatic climax to the 2014 SHOP.CA Women’s World Team Championship in Canada, 2nd seeds England defeated 1st-time finalists Malaysia 2/1 to win the championship for the 7th time.
England began their latest campaign in convincing style when squad number 3 Sarah-Jane Perry beat Malaysian Delia Arnold 11-8, 11-9, 11-7. Next on the ASB all-glass showcourt were the two teams’ top-strings – World No1 Nicol David facing England’s World No1 Laura Massaro for the 30th time since 2005. The Malaysian was in dominant form – extending her ten-year unbeaten record in the event to beat Massaro 11-8, 11-9 11-3 and force a decider. “I’m so pleased with my performance today,” David said later.
England looked set to claim the title in straightforward style when Londoner Alison Waters took the first 2 games and led 8-6 in the 3rd. But plucky Low Wee Wern – the world No.7 from Penang who had clinched Malaysia’s historic place in the final the day before by winning the decider – reeled off 5 points in a row to reduce world No.5 Waters’ lead. But, from 2-3 down, the England No2 picked up 7 successive points before Wee Wern again took serve – then grabbed the next two points to close out the match 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4 after 69 minutes and give the title to England.
England team coach David Campion said: “It’s been a great week for us, despite the ups and downs, and our success is down to the professionalism of the players and the spirit in the camp. It was a superb final.
The triumph marks England’s seventh title since 1985 – but the first since winning it in Edmonton, Canada, in 2006.
Final: (all ties played in team order 3, 1, 2)
[2] ENGLAND bt [3] MALAYSIA 2/1
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Delia Arnold 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (44m)
Laura Massaro lost to Nicol David 8-11, 9-11, 3-11 (44m)
Alison Waters bt Low Wee Wern 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4 (69m)
3rd place play-off:
[1] EGYPT bt [4] HONG KONG CHINA 2/0
Omneya Abdel Kawy bt Liu Tsz-Ling 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (23m)
Raneem El Welily bt Annie Au 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (24m)
5th place play-off:
[6] USA bt [5] FRANCE 2/0
Natalie Grainger bt Laura Pomportes 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (25m)
Amanda Sobhy bt Camille Serme 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (37m)
7th place play-off:
[7] AUSTRALIA bt [8] IRELAND 2/0
Sarah Cardwell bt Breanne Flynn 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 (21m)
Rachael Grinham bt Aisling Blake 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8 (49m)
9th place play-off:
[10] WALES bt [9] NEW ZEALAND 2/1
Jennifer Haley lost to Kylie Lindsay 12-14, 11-6, 4-11, 7-11 (33m)
Tesni Evans bt Amanda Landers-Murphy 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (25m)
Deon Saffery bt Megan Craig 11-3, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8 (33m)
11th place play-off:
[11] CANADA bt [12] SOUTH AFRICA 2/0
Nikki Todd bt Alexandra Fuller 11-3, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7 (40m)
Samantha Cornett bt Siyoli Waters 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)
13th place play-off:
[13/16] MEXICO bt [13/16] INDIA 2/0
Karla Urrutia bt Sachika Ingale 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 11-7 (27m)
Samantha Teran bt Joshana Chinappa 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9 (48m)
15th place play-off:
[13/16] GERMANY bt [13/16] COLOMBIA 2/0
Nicole Fries bt Karol Gonzalez 12-10, 12-10, 11-4 (27m)
Franziska Hennes bt Catalina Pelaez 11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 13-11 (52m)
17th – 20th place play-offs:
[17/20] CHINA bt [17/20] AUSTRIA 2/1
Duan Siyu lost to Lisa Kaserer 8-11, 6-11, 11-13 (23m)
Li Dongjin bt Birgit Coufal 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 2-11, 11-8 (38m)
Gu Jinyue bt Jacqueline Peychar 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 (35m)
[17/20] SPAIN bt [17/20] GUATEMALA 3/0
Margaux Pitarch Moros bt Nicole Anckermann 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (17m)
Xisela Aranda Nunez bt Winifer Bonilla 11-1, 11-5, 11-1 (18m)
Marina de Juan Gallach bt Pamela Anckermann 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 (20m)
Final positions: 17 Spain, 18 China, 19 Austria, 20 Guatemala
