Nash Cup 2018 Day 3 Recap
It was an evening full of twists and turns. In the end the women’s top seeds all advanced, but the men have now seen their top 5 removed. This isn’t to suggest that there were no surprises on the women’s side. Both Nikki Todd and Lucy Turmel faced opponents who have recently refocused on their PSA goals….early season can be very unpredictable.
Women:
Emily Whitlock vs Lisa Aitken 11-4,11-6,11-5(35mins)
Lucy Turmel vs Olivia Fiechter 11-8,10-12,7-11,8-11(47mins)
Haley Mendez vs Ali Hemingway 11-5,11-7,11-5(23mins)
Marina Stefanoni vs Milou vd Heijden 8-11, 4-11, 7-11(25mins)
Samantha Cornett vs Alison Thomson 11-5, 11-6,11-8(31mins)
Salma Youssef vs Julianne Courtice 7-11,7-11,6-11(35mins)
Melissa Alves vs Nikki Todd 11-6, 12-10, 11-13,11-9(41mins)
Nicole Bunyan vs Nadine Shahin 7-11,6-11,6-11(24nins)
Men:
Shawn Delierre vs Vikram Malhotra 7-11, 4-11,8-11(37mins)
Alfredo Avila vs Jesus Camacho 11-8,8-11,11-5,15-13(71mins) 28min 4th game!
Charles Sharpes vs Mostafa Asal 6-11,11-9,5-11,8-11(54mins)
Christopher Binnie vs Andrew Schnell 11-8,14-12,11-7(45mins)
Women:
Emily Whitlock vs Lisa Aitken 11-4,11-6,11-5(35mins)
This was a high quality match with a lovely flow. Both Emily and Lisa are strong, fit ladies and their movement was a joy to watch. Most people watching would say the difference between the 2 players was Emily’s quality going in short. But I can tell you throughout every game Emily’s length and width was impeccable! Time and time again Lisa was being forced to dig the ball out of the corners and off the wall; this opened up the attacking options for Emily constantly. Lisa managed to stay in every game up until the midway point, then all the pressure started to tell with Emily closing out the games with aplomb! Emily was glad of the 3-0 as it’s very warm here at the moment, so she’ll be fresh for tomorrow.
JF reporting
Lucy Turmel vs Olivia Fiechter 11-8,10-12,7-11,8-11(47mins)
As the match starts with Turmel serving and looking strong off the start with a 5-0 lead. Fiechter is starting to adjust to the court! Turmel leads the match 1-0 and looked very strong and fast off the T position. As the 2nd begins both players are looking strong but both players are making a few errors. 10-10 and now Turmel is really opening up the court for Fiechter who wins the game to make the match 1-1. After the 3rd Turmel is still really opening up the court. Fiechter is taking advantage and putting them away. 4th game goes to Fiechter as she wins 3-1. Turmel couldn’t get the rhythm going but played well!
Jayden Shortt reporting
Haley Mendez vs Ali Hemingway 11-5,11-7,11-5(23mins)
Both players seem little nervous, but Haley managed to establish a better T position, kept everything tight down the backhand side and took a tough, but comfortable 1st game. In the 2nd game Ali definitely settled down a bit and started to use some good boasts, but Haley is just moving a little too well and playing more constructed squash. She takes the game. Haley started to open up in the 3rd to create a bit more space on the court, which gave her more time to use some holds, volley boasts and great drops. Haley goes through against a potential tricky opponent.
Ashley Davies/Paula Jenkins reporting
Marina Stefanoni vs Milou vd Heijden 8-11, 4-11, 7-11(25mins)
As the young junior Stefanoni and van der Heijden start up both come out strong but Milou pulled ahead fast after the first couple points and won the first to make it 1-0. Marina has real strength at the T and Milou does a wonderful job of keeping her off it. Marina is having difficulty gaining control of the rally.
Milou is still moving strong off the T and has control of the pace very well winning the 2nd & 3rd pretty comfortably; but this is an amazing experience for the young up and coming junior! Watch out for Marina ladies!!
Jayden Shortt reporting
Samantha Cornett vs Alison Thomson 11-5, 11-6,11-8(31mins)
Sam is looking as fit as ever and moving really well, using her reach to great advantage against the smaller Ali. Ali is playing some great squash, but Sam’s tempo is just that notch higher and this stretches Ali out of her comfort zone continually. The theme of every game is Sam pulling away towards the end of the games to close out a 3-0 win! It’s a great lesson to all about how to keep stretching an opponent and then working the front of the court more as your opponent gets tired towards the end of games. I have to say Ali played really well and hope she keeps the improvement up going forward!
JF Reporting
Salma Youssef vs Julianne Courtice 7-11,7-11,6-11(35mins)
The start of this match was a challenge as Salma’s racquet made contact with Julianne’s tooth. There was a short break and then the women went at it. This match was a perfect example of the stronger player pulling away from 7-7 area of the game. This was the story of the 1st and 2nd games; this broke Salma and Julianne raced to a 9-1 lead in the 3rd before closing it out. Julianne certainly has her game face on ladies!! A special thank you to Dr. Paul Vig who was able to do a quick assessment of Julianne’s tooth. It was chipped, but does not look major.
JF & JN reporting
Melissa Alves vs Nikki Todd 11-6, 12-10, 11-13,11-9(41mins)
Likely the match of the evening by the ladies and so it proved to be. Melissa is a strong young lady and hits a powerful ball. Both the 1st and 2nd games followed a similar pattern: both hitting powerfully to the back and then looking for the boast or volley drop to the front to attack; Melissa finished incredibly strong in both these games to take the 2-0 lead. At 10-9 in the 3rd to Melissa it looks all over for the hugely popular cutie Nikki, but no she ups her game, finds the shots and has the London crowd cheering taking it 13-11. Game on! Surely Melissa’s last moment travels from China, jetlag and matches must be catching up with her, or is she Wonder Woman?? The 4th is a great game, brutal rallies, both players jumping on the ball to smash the crosscourts in hard and low. Nikki is really taking it to Melissa, who is starting to look a little tired and taking her time between points! Nikki can small blood but unfortunately clips the top of the tin with a drop shot for Melissa to take it in 4! Again, this young lady HAS to sleep well tonight!
JF reporting
Nicole Bunyan vs Nadine Shahin 7-11,6-11,6-11(24nins)
The next Canadian was faced with the task of stopping the number 2 seed Nadine! Nicole is another Nash Cup regular and also dearly loved by the London crowd. Why are all the Canadians such amazingly nice, polite people!!?? Well Nicole is up there with the best I can tell you! And just want to send a big Hi to Nicole’s mum who’s just as lovely!
Anyway, enough Brad Hanebury style reporting, onto the squash: This was always going to be a tough game for Nicole, and sorry to say – it was! I wouldn’t say Nadine is the smoothest most natural player in the world…but damn does she see it clearly and gets the ball to go where it needs to go time and time again. Nicole was working so hard but had no answer to the tempo, then followed up by a wicked shot to the front, from Nadine. This turned into 3 games looking the same, every game close up to about 6-6 – then Nadine would speed away to take the games. I hope people realise that even though games may look quite close,(I only just lost 0-3, 7-11,7-11,7-11 I could have won on another day is absolute nonsense…you had no chance!). Nadine like many of the winners only did about 30% of the work every game upto 6-6, this means your opponent starts to falter in the 2nd half of the game. Nadine looks good, and is here to win!
JF reporting
Men:
Shawn Delierre vs Vikram Malhotra 7-11, 4-11,8-11(37mins)
The match started off with an exciting few points all to Vikram’s account. At 0-4 Shawn found his groove and tied it up. Hard fought points with a few stroke calls and it’s now 6-6. It seems to be game on! Vikram pushes ahead with 3 quick points and soon it was over. 11-7 in 13 minutes. Game 2 was all Vikram. Drops and drives, he has it all going on. A fun game to watch but the opposite of a “nail biter”. Under 8 minutes and it was over 11-4. Game 3 started like “Groundhog Day” Shawn rallied through the middle as the great warrior he is, but Vikram simply proved to be the better player today walking away with the win in under 8 minutes 11-8.
Michael McDonald reporting
Alfredo Avila vs Jesus Camacho 11-8,8-11,11-5,15-13(71mins) 28min 4th game!
Amit Shah reporting…..report is pending
Charles Sharpes vs Mostafa Asal 6-11,11-9,5-11,8-11(54mins)
Put the kids away and break out the Champagne or discount sparkling wine. Back by popular demand, match reporter extraordinaire, Brad ‘Stingray’ Hanebury aka Chris’ Brother.
While the players warm up, let’s take some questions from the audience.
John Anderson: “Have you seen Shawn Delierre…”
Me: “Uh yes, he’s right over there —“
John Anderson: “..in the sauna.”
Me: *awkward silence ensues*
I think that’s enough questions for now.
The players prepare to start the first game with Asal sporting a nifty pair of eye guards. Asal, for those unaware, is the current world junior champion and, as the PSA rules dictate, juniors are required to wear eye guards. Plus, they look cool. See kids, being safe can also be cool.
The first few rallies of the match see the players finding their length and feeling each other out. Not literally, of course. There are children in the audience.
As we get midway into the first game, neither player is able to pull away in points. Several unforced errors and a few well-places shots allow Asal to creep ahead a few points into the tail end of the first. Sharpes appears to be having difficulty finding his game.
Asal takes the first game with a comfortable 11-6.
This intermission brought to you by Sleeman Beer.
“Sleeman: the real reason you play squash”
The second game sees several let calls in a row, with one of them robbing Sharpes of what appeared to be a won point. The following rally sees Sharpes make an unforced error, likely due to lack of focus. Sharpes rebounds with some very smart and aggressive squash to tie the game 2-2. At 3-2, Asal is given a no let on a call that apparently shook his core so deeply that his racquet inexplicably dropped from his hands and his eye guards fell from face. I suppose gravity might have also played a factor.
Sharpes rides the gravitational wave and takes the lead 8-5. Asal and Sharpes trades points until Sharpes reaches game at 10-8. Sharpes is on the receiving end of the following rally due to a bad return of serve. 10-9. But he’s let off the hook when Asal hits an unforced error into the tin. Games are tied 1-1.
Let’s take some more questions from the audience.
Mick Joint: “Brad, I’m not even in London. You can’t possibly think anyone will believe this is a real statement from me?”
Me: “Yes! I also think we’re best friends!”
The third game begins with a very physical rally, after which Asal tries to educate Sharpes on his idea of proper court movement. Sharpes appears to disagree. As the game continues the play becomes more and more choppy. It’s like Lake Erie out here. (Can someone fact check this with Peter Carson?)
This reporter misses two consecutive rallies due to Matt Henderson — a UWO player of average skills — giving him a back rub. Not that I’m complaining. He’s has oddly strong hands for someone with such a feminine physique.
While this was going on, Asal wins the third game to go up 2-1.
The fourth game has Asal jump to an early lead. Sharpes will need to refocus if he wants to give himself a chance.
Joining us now in the reporting booth is local legend (in his own mind), Derek ‘Sugar’ Moore. Derek, what do you think Sharpes has to do to come back in this game?
Derek: I think he needs to hit better shots than Asal and be faster than Asal.
Very insightful, thanks Derek.
Business end of the game now. Sharpes puts in some good work, only to be cut short when Asal hits a roll out nick off the next serve. The next couple of points are like Groundhog Day. ‘Let’. ‘Let’. ‘Let’. Bill Murray driving off a cliff with a groundhog. ‘Let’. ‘Let’. The tension on the court peaks when Sharpes falls on the ground during a collision and refuses help up. There’s someone who will never need a Medic Alert bracelet.
The final point is very heated, with Asal winning on a front left drop. Asal wins 3-1.
That’s all this reporter tonight. Tune in tomorrow night, because that’s when this match reporter will be drinking beer!
Christopher Binnie vs Andrew Schnell 11-8,14-12,11-7(45mins)
The loveable boy next door Canadian was here for business! Could Andrew back up last night’s monsteeeeeeeer match today? No!
It’s incredibly difficult for any player of any level to come out fresh after such a match at the start of the season! For those of you who don’t realise why it’s simple….no matter how hard you train it’s impossible to replicate a real match – with the extra 2cm lunge, the nerves, the pushing past the highest pain barrier…that is squash at the highest level folks!! So once players have more tournaments under their belts it becomes “slightly easier” to back up a brutal match the next day!
This was basically the story of the entire match, Chris is a big boy who controlled the T perfectly against Andrew through the entire match. Keeping Andrew tucked into the back corners allowing himself to move Andrew around! I feel a fresh Andrew could have used his silky smooth movement and speed to trouble Chris. But I felt Andrew was half a step slower than he was yesterday and at this level that makes the difference. The games were close and the 2nd game was “THE” game, 14-12 for Chris and that seemed to sap the energy out of Chris who moves on to the semi-finals.
A big thank you to Rael Weinburg for the great photos!