HAPPY NEW YEAR

NEW WORLD RANKING

January 2010: World No.113

December 2009: World No.138
November 2009: World No.170
August 2009: World No.154
July 2009: World No.158
June 2009: World No.183
May 2009: World No.176
April 2009: World No.189
March 2009: World No.188
February 2009: World No.210
January 2009: World No.249

We can look back on the year 2009 and nod our heads in recognition that some measurable progress was made. I started the year as the World No.249 and ended as No.113. Fabulous!!

I had set goals to be in the Top 100 by June 2010, but it looks like I could get there sooner, provided i gain entry into the desired tournaments and God blesses me with top notch health. I guess there’s no better way than re-setting goals and objectives to start the year of 2010.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Short Term
– Top 100 by 31st March 2010
– Top 80 by 31st August 2010
– Top 60 by 31st December 2010

Long Term
– Top 50 by June 2011
– Top 20 by December 2012

NEXT UP: TOURNAMENTS

1) WISPA INDIAN CHALLENGER No.4 – Chennai
18th – 23rd January 2010

2) CHAIRMAN’S CUP – Hong Kong
26th – 30th January 2010

MAJOR EVENTS IN 2010

1) SA NATIONALS – Johannesburg, South Africa (July)
2) FOREXX WORLD OPEN – Amsterdam, Netherlands (September)
3) COMMONWEALTH GAMES – Delhi, India (October)
4) WORLD WOMEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – New Zealand (November/December)

The plan is to continue to fight for a rise in my world ranking, which can allow me to get different draw into tournaments and direct entry into others. These major events are in the second half of the year – which gives time for preparation. A better ranking can mean I don’t get seeded against one of the top players in the first round (like I did in the World Games in Taipei in July – I played the World No.5) ! This may give me a chance to progress further into tournaments.

So, that means that I am really looking forward to the the Year 2010. You’ll notice that I haven’t mentioned anything about the FIFA World Cup Soccer in my country. Well…the world has already gone soccer mad. I’m hoping to join in some of the madness in June …and then play some serious squash after.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you ALL!!!

ATHENS AWARDS

FAIR PLAY AWARD

I was awarded the “Fair Play” award in Athens in the Greek Open Awards Ceremony.
Here is a pic of the winner of the tournament, Nicollete Fernades, Runner up, Farah Abdel Meguid, and yours truly!

Here is one for SOUTH AFRICA!!!

NEW WORLD RANKING

MONTHLY RANKINGS

December 2009: World No.138
November 2009: World No.170
August 2009: World No.154
January 2009: World No.249

This is my highest ranking to date, so I guess we’re heading in the right direction.
My goal was to reach Top 100 by June 2010, but it seems if I can keep playing tournaments in the next few months,
it may happen sooner than that – which would be great!!

***** Visit: http://www.wispa.net for full rankings history *****

DRAMA in ATHENS

SEMI FINALS (Friday 4th December)

Opponent: Farah Abdel Meguid
Country: Egypt
World Ranking: No.126
Tournament Seed: Qualifier
Results: Lost 3-2; 11/3; 11/8; 7/11 5/11 13/15

It was too good to be true. A tough battle, where I thought I was in control. Then she came back in her Egyptian splendour, with nothing to lose, and found those perfect nick shots when it counted. I tried to wrap it up too quickly, and found myself hitting shorter lengths and opening up the game in the front of the court – which she thrives on.

The last game was a little heart-breaking when at 10-8 to me, i accidently hit my opponent on my backswing while trying to play my shot, which clearly means she is too close to me and the ball . . . which the rules say is my point, my game, my match . . . but the ref didn’t see it that way, or probably thought it was too crucial a moment to give a stroke at the last point of the game?!?!? I will never know what his thoughts were, but i was deflated for a while.

As soon as the score is 10-10, it’s any man’s battle, and battle it we did, point for point. At 13-13 she played a forehand cross court hard shot that found the nick grove in the wall, that gave her 14-13. The next rally was long, with both of us twisting and turning each other, and at such speed and intensity, she played the ball short, and with all the adrenaline pumping through me i ran to the ball, seeing a chance to play it short, but only to overrun it slightly and mishit my ball into the tin. The game was over.

Well, we both knew it would be a tough battle. I met Farah in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt last week, and we trained together too. We’re both trying to get our rankings higher and believe we are capable of being ranked higher than what our current ranking shows.
Since arriving in Athens, we formed some sort of a support team for each other, and helped each other through our matches in the last rounds. We saw we would meet in the semi-finals, then we put the friendship aside on court, and battled it out like real opponents do. I don’t think the Greeks have heard as much screaming and emotions that can come out of females on a squash court as much as they saw in both of us in that final game. We both wanted to win, but only one can be the victor. I applaud her performance. There will be a next time!

QUARTER FINALS

QUARTER FINALS (Thursday 3rd December)

Opponent: Milou Van Der Heijden
Country: Netherlands
World Ranking: No.95
Tournament Seed: No.8
Result: Won 3-1: 11/8; 11/7; 9/11; 11/2

I was just happy to win that. The pressure of taking out the top seed got to my head a little, and i tensed up more than i should have. I’ll choose to remember the last game, where I played good, aggressive, clinical and error free squash.

SEMI FINALS (Friday 4th December)

Opponent: Farah Abdel Meguid
Country: Egypt
World Ranking: No.126
Tournament Seed: Qualifier

Farah caused an upset by beating the No.3 seed, Irina Assal, from Russia. I look forward to the match.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!

Victory in ATHENS

MAIN DRAW (Wednesday 2nd December)

Opponent: Orla Noom
Country: Netherlands
World Ranking: No.37
Tournament Seed: No.1
Result: Won 3-2: 11/8 11/7 4/11 4/11 11/8

This is probably the biggest win in my career to date! It was a tough match, she came back stronger in the 3rd and 4th, but i held on, stayed strong, and closed the match as the victorious one! it is a rather strange feeling, but one I am happy to get used to.

Squash things to celebrate tonight:
1) I qualified into the main draw for the first time.
2) I am through to the Quarter Finals for the first time of my WISPA career, having upset the no.1 seed.

QUARTER FINALS (Thursday 3rd December)

Opponent: Milou Van Der Heijden
Country: Netherlands
World Ranking: No.95
Tournament Seed: No.8

Tomorrow, the show must go on. I’ll get myself ready for more battle.

**** Visit: http://www.squashsite.co.uk for the full tournament update ****

GREEK OPEN

QUALIFIER ROUND

Opponent: Belen Etchechoury
Country: Argentina
World Ranking: No.247
Result: Won 3-0: 11/2 11/7 11/5

MAIN DRAW

Opponent: Orla Noom
Country: Netherlands
World Ranking: No.37
Tournament Seed: No. 1

I won my match last night. We can celebrate my first moment of making it into the main draw after being a qualifier!!
HERE, HERE!!! CHEERS!!!

Of the 4 qualifiers that made it through, I have been drawn to play the no.1 seed of the tournament. I look forward to the epic battle.

The other 3 qualifiers were:
Farah Abdel Megui (Egypt, World No 126) to play 3rd seed Irina Assal (Russia, World No.70)
Zephanie Curgenven (Engand, World No.174) to play 6th seed Stephanie Edminson (Canada, World No.93)
Nikoleta Pozidi (Greece, World No. 171) to play 8th seed Milou Van Der Heijden (Netherlands, World No 95)

RESULTS ROUND-UP

QATAR CLASSIC (17th – 23th November)

After the tough exit, I managed to train with some Egyptians, including my opponent from the tournament.
I also managed to get on court with top French lady players, Camille Serme and Isabelle Stoehr, both in the top 20 in the world.

SHARM EL SHEIKH OPEN (24th -29th November)

Opponent: Heba El Torky
Country: Egypt
World Ranking: No.50
Result: Lost 3-1: 13/11 ; 14/16; 11/5; 11/8

Another tough match to lose. We were neck and neck in the first two games. It wasn’t the prettiest game to watch, as my opponent has a reputation of been a tough fighter on court. The third game, she played really well, my length wasn’t good enough, and she found ways to capitalize on it. I’d like to erase that one from my memory. The fourth game was close until 8-8, then found the tin TWICE, before she beat me with a trickle boast which i just couldn’t get my racket under, which gave her the game and match.

I continued to train with other players and watch the other tournament matches analytically. Some players I managed to get on court with were: Nicolette Fernandes (World No. 88) from Uruguay, Farah Abdel Meguid (World No.126) from Egypt, and Lauren Siddal (World No.39) from England.

GREEK OPEN (1st – 5th December)

It’s the start of the tournament now, the draw is up and my first match is later today.

QUALIFIER ROUND
Opponent: Belen Etchechoury
Country: Argentina
World Ranking: No 247

For full and daily updates on these tournaments and other squash tourmanents, visit:
http://www.squashsite.co.uk

Let’s go play!!!