Perry takes tight first game but lets slip 10-5 lead in the second
By Squash Mad Correspondent
Egypt’s reigning champion Nour El Tayeb retained her Cleveland Classic title after weathering a fierce attack from England’s Sarah-Jane Perry.
Perry had removed No.2 seed Joelle King in the semi-finals and launched a solid attack against the tournament favourite in the early phase of the final at Cleveland Racquets Club.
The physicality of top-class squash was evident in two brutal opening games. Perry was very accurate as she took the first game 12-10 and she started the second with a very good variation of shots and amazing racket skills to set herself 10-5 up.
That was not enough, though, to take the game, as Nour saved eight game balls to tie the match showing an incredible physicality and mental toughness to win it 14-12.
That fightback was a significant achievement for the Egyptian, who was runner-up in the Carol Weymuller Open at Heights Casino last week.
After the first two games, El Tayeb came out looking really strong and in dominant mood as the setback clearly got to Perry. El Tayeb used her short shots in a very smart way, always catching her taller opponent off guard.
The Englishwoman made a few mistakes in both the third and fourth games, which the top seed used to cruised her way and eventually win her second Cleveland Classic final, 10-12, 14-12, 11-5, 11-4 in 51 minutes.
PSA $51,250 Women’s Cleveland Classic 2020, Cleveland Racquet Club, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Final:
[1] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) beat [3] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-1: 10-12, 14-12, 11-5, 11-4 (51m)
Pictures courtesy of ANDREA DAWSON