Top seed Siyoli takes Joburg title
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Runner-up two years ago, Siyoli Waters defeated fellow South African Alexandra Fuller in the final of the Women’s Assore Central Gauteng Open to win the WSA Challenger 5 squash event at Parkview Squash Centre in Johannesburg for the first time.
Top seed Waters, the 32-year-old reigning South African champion, fought off 22-year-old Egyptian Farah Abdel Meguid in the semi-finals to reach her 18th WSA Tour final.
Fuller’s semi-final triumph took the South African number four into her maiden Tour final. The 21-year-old No.4 seed from Cape Town dug deep to overcome higher-ranked compatriot Cheyna Tucker, the second seed, in a dramatic five-game battle.
But Waters, who had already taken out two fellow countrywomen earlier in the event, extended her unbeaten run over Fuller to beat her Cape Town colleague 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 in 29 minutes to claim the ninth Tour title of her career.
“Alex is very competitive and if she is given any leeway in a match she takes full advantage of it,” said the triumphant Waters (pictured with Gaunteng chairman Barry Hendriks). “I had to get in early and take control of the match.”
Women’s Assore Central Gauteng Open, Johannesburg, South Africa
1st round:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [Q] Michelle Kohne (RSA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (14m)
[5] Milnay Louw (RSA) bt Alexa Pienaar (RSA) 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (29m)
[3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [Q] Judy Usher (RSA) 11-1, 11-2, 11-4 (14m)
[8] Lume Landman (RSA) bt [Q] Kacey-Leigh Dodd (RSA) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (18m)
[7] Hana Essam Khedr (EGY) bt Adel Weir (RSA) 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 (25m)
[4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt Sacha West (RSA) 11-7, 10-12, 11-3, 11-5 (29m)
[WC] Elani Landman (RSA) bt [LL] Janice Harmse (RSA) 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (22m)
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt [Q] Mariska Wiese (RSA) 11-5, 11-2, 11-9 (18m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [5] Milnay Louw (RSA) 11-7, 16-14, 11-5 (31m)
[3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [8] Lume Landman (RSA) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (20m)
[4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt [7] Hana Essam Khedr (EGY) 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (30m)
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt [WC] Elani Landman (RSA) 11-4, 9-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-5 (18m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (27m)
[4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt [2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 5-11, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5 (53m)
Final:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (29m)
Picture courtesy of WSA