Top Qualifying Seeds Through To World Open Main Draw
The top five seeded players for the 2012 WSA Cayman Islands World Open qualifying rounds all progress to through to the main round draw with few upsets.
Having received a bye through the first round of qualification, top seed Delia Arnold ended Welsh hopes of World Open representation by defeating Tesni Evans in straight games. The Malaysian will face 13th seed Dipika Palikal in the main draw.
English pair Lauren Briggs and Emma Beddoes progressed in three-game wins after also receiving first round byes. Joining them is compatriot Sarah-Jane Perry who defeated Guyana-national Ashley DeGroot and Egyptian Heba El Torky to make her first ever World Open main draw. Perry will face fellow Englishwoman Jenny Duncalf in the first round, whilst Briggs lines up against Samantha Teran of Mexico and Beddoes will play Camille Serme of France.
World No.226, Catalina Pelaez shocked audiences as the she first defeated Kylie Lindsay of New Zealand, followed by Lauren Selby to become a surprise inclusion in the Cayman Islands first round draw. “I was enjoying being able to run, but I think I relaxed a bit in the third,” admitted Catalina, “and she was putting me under a lot of pressure in the third with her dropshots. I was getting a little tired, so I was happy to be able to win!”
The 21-year-old Columbian will now play third seed Laura Massaro.
Samantha Cornett represents the sole Canadian interest for the Open, after defeating Lisa Aitken of Scotland in straight games. Despite the 3-0 scoreline, the match was closely contested, and Cornett told SquashSite after her win: “I knew it would be a hard, fast game as we both play that way. I think I play better when it’s fast like that so I was quite happy to play her at that game. I’m really pleased to qualify in my second World Open, I’ve been getting a lot of snorkelling in but I need to do some serious practice now!”
The Canadian now progresses to the main draw where she will face the teenage prodigy and eighth seed Nour El Sherbini.
Nicolette Fernandes defeated Misaki Kobayashi, ranked just six places above her in the WSA World Rankings, in a close five-game battle. Having already beaten Coline Aumard of France in her opening qualifier, the Caribbean favourite will now play World Open stalwart Rachael Grinham of Australia.
“You guys have no idea how much pressure you put me under!” said a delighted and relieved Fernandes. “It’s great to be playing in front of a home crowd like this, but I’m a nervous wreck.
“I had a shoulder injury after the last CASA championships here last year, it’s been a long road back but it’s all coming together now and I’m really excited to make the main draw of the World Open, right here in the Caribbean!”
Latasha Khan qualified for the main draw, after beating Egyptian Yathreb Adel in four games. The American veteran is one of 16 nationalities to feature in the WSA Cayman Islands World Open first round.
1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[9] Annie Au (HKG) v Line Hansen (NZL)
[8] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v [Q] Samantha Cornett (CAN)
[10] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v Marlene West (CAY)
[15] Samantha Teran (MEX) v [Q] Lauren Briggs (ENG)
[6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[14] Camille Serme (FRA) v [Q] Emma Beddoes (ENG)
[12] Kasey Brown (AUS) v [Q] Latasha Khan (USA)
[7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v Sarah Kippax (ENG)
[16] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
[3] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Catalina Pelaez (COL)
[11] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[13] Dipika Pallikal (IND) v [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS)
[2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v Aisling Blake (IRL)
Qualifying finals:
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Tesni Evans (WAL) 11-9, 13-11, 11-8 (51m)
Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt Lauren Selby (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (23m)
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Mary Fung-A-Fat (GUY) 11-1, 11-1, 11-4 (19m)
Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9 (83m)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Heba El Torky (EGY) 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9 (39m)
Latasha Khan (USA) bt Yathreb Adel (EGY) 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9 (47m)
1st qualifying round:
Delia Arnold (MAS) bye
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Ivonne Diaz (MEX) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 (20m)
Lisa Aitken (SCO) bt Leonie Holt (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4 (57m)
Samantha Cornett (CAN) bye
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (27m)
Lauren Selby (ENG) bt Karina Heredia Gonzalez (MEX) 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 (18m)
Mary Fung-A-Fat (GUY) bt Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) w/o
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bye
Emma Beddoes (ENG) bye
Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 8-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-3, 11-5 (55m)
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Coline Aumard (FRA) 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 (30m)
Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Eilidh Bridgeman (CAY) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 (18m)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Ashley DeGroot (GUY) 11-3, 11-7, 11-3 (18m)
Heba El Torky (EGY) bt Katja Amir (GER) 11-5, 11-1, 11-5 (14m)
Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 (37m)
Latasha Khan (USA) bye