Teenage sensation Emily Whitlock won her first WSA World Tour title yesterday in the Savcor Finnish Open.
Seeded first in the tournament at the age of just 17-years-old, Whitlock stormed through the event without dropping a game. She then continued her impressive run of form to beat second seed and world No36 Siyoli Waters 3-0 in the final.
In contrast the Englishwoman, Waters of South Africa had tough four and five games battles on her way the final. Her semi-final clash against Carrie Ramsey saw the players on court for 60-minutes, the longest match of the competition, and the South African twice came from match-ball down in the fifth, to progress to the final.
Earlier in the event, No3 seed Lucie Fialova of the Czech Republic became the only seeded player to fall in the first round, throwing away a two-game lead before succumbing to Englishwoman, Victoria Bell. Remarkably, this was to be the only rankings upset of the whole event.
Currently sitting at her highest ever WSA World Ranking spot at 33, Whitlock last week helped the England finish third in the Under21’s World Cup in Chennai, India.
Final:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (30m)Semi-finals:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [4] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (30m) [2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [8] Carrie Ramsey (ENG) 10-12, 11-5, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11 (60m)Quarter-finals:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [5] Olga Ertlova (CZE) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (33m) [4] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [7] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 (40m) [8] Carrie Ramsey (ENG) bt Victoria Bell (ENG) 11-9, 13-11, 11-6 (30m) [2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [6] Birgit Coufal (AUT) 7-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-9 (35m)1st round:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt Milnay Louw (RSA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 [5] Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt Belen Etchechoury (ARG) 11-3, 11-5, 11-0 (19m) [4] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [Q] Emilia Soini (FIN) 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (22m) [7] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt Anna Jurkun (POL) 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 [8] Carrie Ramsey (ENG) bt Bine Malund Lind (DEN) 12-10, 11-4, 11-0 (27m)Victoria Bell (ENG) bt [3] Lucie Fialova (CZE) 6-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8
[6] Birgit Coufal (AUT) bt Saara Valtola (FIN) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (31m) [2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 (27m)