Donna Urquhart meets Dipika Pallikal in WSA Tour comeback
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Australian Donna Urquhart, the former world No.13 making her WSA Tour comeback after a six-month lay-off following foot surgery, had a successful return to action in the Winnipeg Winter Open.
She was taken to four games by Amanda Landers-Murphy before beating the No.8 seed from New Zealand 13-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8.
The top four seeds all made it through to the semi-finals of this WSA Challenger 15 squash event in its sixth year at the Winnipeg Winter Club in Winnipeg, Canada.
Urquhart, the Brisbane-based 28-year-old, had match-ball at 10-8 in the third, but her fellow Antipodean took advantage of unforced errors from the fourth seed to reduce the deficit. World No.36 Urquhart regrouped in the fourth to secure her anticipated place in the semi-finals.
Her opponent will be fellow glamour girl Dipika Pallikal, the top seed who is bidding to keep the title in Indian hands for the third year in a row after her success in 2013 and her compatriot Joshana Chinappa’s triumph in the 2014 championship.
After dropping a game in her first round match, the 23-year-old world No.14 from Chennai was in commanding form in the quarters, beating rising Egyptian 17-year-old Nadine Shahin 11-4, 11-9, 11-3.
Mexican veteran Samantha Teran got the better of fellow 33-year-old Aisling Blake, beating the fifth seed from Ireland 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5.
Third seed Teran now takes on Egypt’s Heba El Torky for a place in the final. The second seed and 2014 runner-up ended North American interest in the event when she defeated USA’s No.6 seed Olivia Blatchford 11-6, 11-8, 11-3.
Winnipeg Winter Club Women’s Open, Winnipeg, Canada
1st round:
[1] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [Q] Cyrielle Peltier (FRA) 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6
[7] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Linda Hruzikova (SVK) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6
[4] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5
[8] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [Q] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
[5] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7
[3] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Nikki Todd (CAN) 14-12, 11-6, 11-7
[6] Olivia Blatchford (USA) bt [Q] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
[2] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [Q] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 13-11
Quarter-finals:
[1] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [7] Nadine Shahin (EGY) 11-4, 11-9, 11-3
[4] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [8] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 13-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8
[3] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [5] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5
[2] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [6] Olivia Blatchford (USA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Dipika Pallikal (IND) v [4] Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[2] Heba El Torky (EGY) v [3] Samantha Teran (MEX)
For all the latest WSA Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
Picture from Squash Mad archive