England’s Millie Tomlinson rings in the New Year by winning Liberty Bell Open in USA
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
England’s Millie Tomlinson claimed the maiden WSA World Tour title of 2015 when she beat Pakistan’s Maria Toorpakai Wazir in the final of the Liberty Bell Open, the WSA Tour 5 squash event in its 11th year at Berwyn Squash & Fitness Club in Berwyn in the US state of Pennsylvania.
After upsetting home hope Cecelia Cortes, the No.4 seed from Massachusetts, in the quarter-finals, sixth seed Tomlinson made it through to the second Tour final of her career after downing giant-killer Fiona Moverley, the unseeded English player who despatched event favourite Latasha Khan in the opening round.
But Wazir also had an impressive run through to her third successive WSA World Tour final. The 24-year-old No.8 seed from Peshawar, now based in Toronto, removed USA’s third seed Sabrina Sobhy in the quarter-finals before overcoming club pro Georgina Stoker, from England, in the semis.
“Millie beat Maria Toorpakai in four great games,” reported tournament promoter Dominic Hughes on Tomlinson’s 4-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-8 victory. “She clearly tried to run Maria and despite some let situations Millie made very few errors.
“Maria lost energy after the hard third game.”
The triumph marks the second Tour title of Tomlinson’s career – and the second since the 22-year-old from Derbyshire went full-time after graduating from Yale University in the USA.
Liberty Bell Open, Berwyn, PA, USA:
1st round:
Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt [1] Latasha Khan (USA) 11-9, 13-11, 11-5
[5] Hollie Naughton (CAN) bt Madeleine Gill (USA) 11-2, 11-9, 11-7
[4] Cecelia Cortes (USA) bt [Q] Alicia Rodriguez Acosta (MEX) 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3
[6] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt [Q] Nabilla Ariffin (MAS) 11-6, 11-1, 11-6
[8] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) bt Enora Villard (FRA) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6
[3] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt [Q] Majd Alkhateeb (JOR) 11-7, 11-4, 11-4
[WC] Georgina Stoker (ENG) bt [7] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 11-3, 11-6, 11-8
[2] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [Q] Kelsey Engman (USA) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt [5] Hollie Naughton (CAN) 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
[6] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt [4] Cecelia Cortes (USA) 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-5
[8] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) bt [3] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 8-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-4
[WC] Georgina Stoker (ENG) bt [2] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[6] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4
[8] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) bt [WC] Georgina Stoker (ENG) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11
Final:
[6] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt [8] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) 4-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-8
Picture courtesy of WSA