SAVCOR FINNISH OPEN FINAL

MONDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2012

Finals

Opponent:  Emily Whitlock

Nationality: English

Tournament Seed: 1

World Ranking: 33

LOST 3-0; 11/6 11/8 11/3

 

I lost a bit of confidence on the court today. In the process of trying to do the basics right, i kind of left out my aggressive and positIve attacking style to all corners of the court. I needed to take it up a gear, but played it too simply. Emily played her game well, placing me in the corners first, and consistently so.

 

Thanks to all the support in the last week. The live streaming has really helped people at home to take part in the action with me.

 

 You can watch the matches on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Squashfi?ob=0  (quarter final uploaded, but the semis and final will be on in next couple of days…)

SAVCOR FINNISH OPEN SEMI FINALS

Finnish Open Semi’s vs Carrie Ramsey

SUNDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2012

Relief surpasses happiness today. I was relieved to get off that court as the winner, because in some moments, it could have easily gone the other way, especially when she had match point at 10-9, or match point again at 11-10. Fortunately, lessons I had learned somewhere from squash experts about keeping calm under pressure, or memory of Rudyard Kipling’s poem studied in high school saying “if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs”, all those lessons came in handy today. 

Savcor Finnish Semi Final

Opponent:  Carey Ramsey

Nationality: English

Tournament Seed: 8 

World Ranking: 68

Won 3-2; 7/11 11/8 11/6 8/11 13/11

 

At the start of the game, i just wanted to settle into things quickly and adjust to the court as soon as I could. I played a little more conservatively at first, but soon realised that she was comfortable with that game. I played more confidently in the second and third game, imposing my game well. She stepped things up in the 4th game and we both tried to move each other around the court. I made quite a few unforced errors, trying to finish off rallies too quickly, and that let her back in the game. The fifth game, is always anybodies’ game. It didn’t help that I decided to take the rollercoaster root to become the winner. I was 7-4 up, the 9-7 up, then all of a sudden, it’s 10-9, matchball to her. I certainly gave my home support a few heart attacks, but I am just happy that the match was not decided by me putting another ball in the tin.

 

In the final tomorrow, I will be playing a young English player, Emily Whitlock (no.1 seed). I have never played her before, but am ready for battle.

 

Monday 13th February 2012

Savcor Finnish Open Final

Opponent:  Emily Whitlock

Nationality: English

Tournament Seed: 1

World Ranking: 33

 

Live internet streaming for the Finals at 17h00 SA time (15h00 UK time) http://www.squash.fi/live/

 

 

SAVCOR FINNISH OPEN QUARTER FINALS

Finnish Quarters vs Birgit Coufal

SATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2012

Quarter Final

Opponent:  Birgit Coufal

Nationality: Austria

Tournament Seed: 6

World Ranking: 62

WON: 3-1; 7/11 12/10 11/7 11/9

 

I has slower start than my opponent, while she came out firing. Pretty quickly, I was down 7-2, with the rallies far shorter than what I had intended them to be.  Glass courts often require players to take  a little time to adjust to them. In the first round I played on normal court, while Birgit has played her first match on the show court. I soon settled into the game, but had left the gap to wide to close up.

As the match progressed, I found better ways to keep my opponent working hard out of the back corners, which made it a little easier to use opportunities to the ball to the front.I am happy to be through that match with a win.

It was nice to know that I had the support of family and friends watching at home and around the world through the live streaming on the internet.

 

Semi Final

Opponent: Carrie Ramsey

Country: England

Tournament Seed: 8
World Ranking: 88

 

 SUNDAY 12th FEB 15h00 RSA time or 13h00 UK time,  LIVE ON INTERNET STREAM again: http://www.squash.fi/live/

 

 

 

 

1st ROUND IN FINLAND 2012

FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY

I thought arriving to below freezing temperature was bad enough, but today brought a different meaning to the word “chill”. -25C. Just walking one minute in that weather is enough to make a single drop of liquid freeze instantly. Good thing we only walk 2minutes to the shopping mall where they have erected an All Glass Court.

1st Round Main Draw
Opponent: Sally Skaarenborg
Nationality: Denmark
Tournament Seed: Unseeded
World Ranking: 101
RESULT: Won 3-0; 11/4 11/5 11/9 (27min)

More Info: http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/finnishopen2012.htm

Other South African matches provided the tournament with a few surprises and heart attacks, but unfortunately were unable to prevail today.

Steve Coppinger lost 3-2 against an Egyptian player, and Milnay Louw lost 3-0 against the no.1 ladies seed, Emily Whitlock.

LIVE MATCH STREAMING TOMORROW, SATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY

My match is live on internet stream at 13h45 RSA time (11h45 UK) http://www.squash.fi/live/

Quarter-Finals
Opponent: Birgit Coufal
Nationality: Austria
Tournament Seed: 6
World Ranking: 62

Gather a few friends to watch…and bring your SA flags and pom-poms!!!

SAVCOR FINNISH OPEN

10TH – 13TH FEBRUARY 2012

I have arrived in Finland for the first time, to be greeted by -11C temperatures in Helsinki, which dropped to -18C by the time I reached my tournament destination of Mikkeli, at 01h30 this morning.

There are two other South Afircans here, Milnay Louw and Steve Coppinger. It’s always nice when we can travel together to tournaments, then we can support each other through our matches. Milnay will be playing a qualification match today at 16h00, while Steve is the no.2 seed in the men’s draw.

ROUND 1: Friday 10th February
Opponent: Sally Skaarenborg
Country: Denmark
World Ranking: No. 101

For the full draw, please visit: 
http://www.horizonsolutions.tv/entry/wispa/rankpdf.php?page=tourdraw&tour=11SQWI2M