Wise words from Natalie Grainger help Siyoli Waters to beat Farah Meguid in Cape Town final
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Just a week after winning the Central Gauteng Open in Johannesburg, South African Siyoli Waters clinched her second successive WSA World Tour title on home soil when she beat Egypt’s Farah Abdel Meguid in the final of the Keith Grainger Memorial UCT Squash Open in Cape Town to take the title for the third year in a row.
Playing in her home town, top seed Waters reached the final of the WSA Challenger 5 event at the University of Cape Town without dropping a game.
The final was a repeat of the Johannesburg semi-final in which Waters, the 32-year-old world No.33, toppled 22-year-old Meguid in four games.
Favourite Waters, the reigning South African champion, won the opening game on a tie-break – and had to fight back from 2-7 down in the second before finally extending her lead after winning the game 20-18.
Waters led throughout the third, ultimately closing out the match 12-10, 20-18, 11-7 in 40 minutes to win the title for the third straight year.
“I know Farah really well having run into her often on tour, and it’s great to see her back playing after completing her studies,” said Waters. “It’s always an exciting challenge playing the skilful Egyptian players on tour and I had to ensure I started each game well and dominate the points, not allowing her to display her skills.
“In the marathon second game I was just focusing on not putting the ball into the tin, which I often do under pressure! Natalie’s (Grainger) words to me early on in the day really hit home, that I needed to be more consistent in my approach, so it was important for me to win for the third straight year.
“It’s such a privilege to have Natalie (pictured above, centre, with Waters and men’s champion Nathan Lake) back in South Africa, a player we really look up to, especially that back hand drop!
“Many thanks to Jean & Chris Grainger, my coach Rowan Smith, Tecnifibre, Laser Logistics, friends, my church and my supportive husband. I was really pleased to see so many squash playing juniors in the crowd.”
Keith Grainger Memorial UCT Squash Open, Cape Town, South Africa
1st round:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [Q] Ria Kennerley (ENG) 11-6, 11-0, 11-5 (22m)
[7] Lume Landman (RSA) bt Kacey-Leigh Dodd (RSA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (28m)
[4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt [Q] Sharon Bender (RSA) 11-1, 11-2, 11-1 (18m)
[5] Milnay Louw (RSA) bt [Q] Gill van Vlaanderen (RSA) 11-0, 11-5, 11-4 (18m)
[6] Hana Essam Khedr (EGY) bt Sacha West (RSA) 11-3, 18-16, 12-10 (35m)
[3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Alexa Pienaar (RSA) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (33m)
[8] Elani Landman (RSA) bt Karen Schultz (RSA) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 (20m)
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt [Q] Danielle van Niekerk (RSA) 11-0, 11-7, 11-2 (18m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [7] Lume Landman (RSA) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (22m)
[5] Milnay Louw (RSA) bt [4] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 (28m)
[3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [6] Hana Essam Khedr (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 (37m)
[8] Elani Landman (RSA) bt [2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-8 (51m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [5] Milnay Louw (RSA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 (25m)
[3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [8] Elani Landman (RSA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (28m)
Final:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [3] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) 12-10, 20-18, 11-7 (40m)Â
Picture courtesy of WSAÂ