WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: Women's Heliopolis Squash Open, Cairo, Egypt
Final:
[1] Carol Owens (NZL) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 9-5, 9-5, 9-4 (44m)
Owens Celebrates Silver Success In Cairo
New Zealand's Carol Owens beat Australia's Rachael Grinham in straight games
in the final of the $20,000 Women's Heliopolis Squash Open in Egypt to claim
the 25th WISPA title of her career - and take a significant step towards
reclaiming the world No1 ranking she unexpectedly relinquished to USA's Natalie
Pohrer this month.
"I haven't run so much for a long time," said Owens after her 9-5 9-5 9-4
victory in 44 minutes. "I was really twisted and turned out there - it was
really hard," added the Australian-born world No2 who celebrates her 32nd birthday
on Wednesday. The match was Owens' first real test in the event after
relatively comfortable victories through to the final.
Grinham, newly-elevated to world No3, was playing in front of a packed "home"
crowd at the Cairo club which she has now made her base. The superlative
match, the pair's second meeting in little more than a week, featured inventive
all-court action characterised by Grinham's delicate touch matched by her
opponent's resilience.
"I knew after Qatar that I had no chance by rallying so I played to volley
and attack. I still need to get a bit more experience to win these matches,"
conceded the 26-year-old Queenslander afterwards. "But, I have got better and
better through basing myself here in Heliopolis for the last two years," added
Grinham, who benefited from constant encouragement in Arabic throughout the
match!
The victory in the 9th Heliopolis Open marked Owens' sixth successive WISPA
World Tour title win since reaching the semi-finals of the World Open last
November.