Pett and Chinappa breeze to Windy City titles

PSA/WISPA TOUR EVENT NEWS

RESULTS:         Brit Insurance Metrosquash Windy City Open, Chicago, USA

Men’s 1st round:

[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt [1] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7

Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 8-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10

[Q] Mark Heather (ENG) bt Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7

[Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [3] Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8

[4] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Jonas Laursen (DEN) 13-11, 11-3, 11-5

[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-3, 11-4

Dick Lau (HKG) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 7-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2

[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-2, 8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9

Quarter-finals:

[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-4, 11-2, 6-11, 3-11, 11-6

[Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [Q] Mark Heather (ENG) 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7

[4] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6

[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Dick Lau (HKG) 12-14, 11-8, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9

Semi-finals:

[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt [Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-9

[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [4] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-5, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 12-10

Final:

[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) 13-11, 11-6, 11-4

Women’s 1st round:

[1] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Kristen Lange (USA) 11-9, 11-8, 11-6

[6] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) bt Caroline Lemoine (USA) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4

[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX) 11-3, 11-7, 11-5

[8] Stephanie Edmison (CAN) bt Erika LaCerda (USA) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6

[5] Alexandra Norman (CAN) bt Lily Lorentzen (USA) w/o

[3] Latasha Khan (USA) bt Randy Dupree (USA) 11-1, 11-4, 11-1

[7] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) bt Katja Amir (GER) 11-6, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8

[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Heather Johnston (USA) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2

Quarter-finals:

[1] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt [6] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7

[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [8] Stephanie Edmison (CAN) 11-5, 5-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9

[3] Latasha Khan (USA) bt [5] Alexandra Norman (CAN) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7

[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [7] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) 11-4, 11-1, 11-1

Semi-finals:

[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [1] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6

[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [3] Latasha Khan (USA) 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 2-0 ret.

Final:

[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-4, 6-11, 12-10, 2-11, 11-6

Pett & Chinappa Storm To Windy City Success

England’s Olivier Pett and India’s Joshna Chinappa were the surprise winners of the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, in the Brit Insurance Metrosquash Windy City Squash Open at theUniversity Club of Chicago in Chicago, USA.

Pett, a 22-year-old qualifier from Sussex, made his breakthrough in the opening round of the men’sPSA World Tour Challenger 10 event when he toppled top seed Ryan Cuskelly, of Australia, in straight games.

Competing in his first Tour event for ten months, Pett went on to overcome two more Australians before reaching his maiden Tour final, where he faced Jan Koukal – the second-seeded Czech number one who was celebrating his 24th PSA final appearance.

Undaunted by his more experienced opponent, Pett conquered Koukal 13-11, 11-6, 11-4 to record the first Tour title success of his career.

The women’s WISPA World Tour 8 event reached an all-Indian climax between fourth seed Joshna Chinappa and the 19-year-old No2 seed Dipika Pallikal, both from Chennai.

Chinappa notched up her 11th Tour final appearance after upsetting Ireland’s top seed Aisling Blakein a five-game semi-final.  Pallikal earned her anticipated place in the final after beating Latasha Khan, but the third seed was forced to retire early in the fifth game with an injury.

In the final, Chinappa survived her third successive five-game encounter, beating her younger compatriot 11-4, 6-11, 12-10, 2-11, 11-6 to win the fifth WISPA title of her career.