Friday Matches

5pm     Lucy Beecroft (ENG; 124) bt [6] Marina Stefanoni (USA; 71) – 11-8, 2-11, 11-9, 11-7 (35m)
6pm     [1] Auguste Dussourd (FRA; 57) bt [4] Daniel Mekbib (CZE; 83) – 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (46m)
7pm     [4] Karina Tyma (POL; 65) bt Vanessa Chu (HKG; 58) – 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
8pm     Timothy Brownell (USA; 117) bt [3] Shawn Delierre (CAN; 82) – 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (43m)

Saturday Finals

6:30pm     Lucy Beecroft (ENG; 124) vs [4] Karina Tyma (POL; 65)
8pm     [1] Auguste Dussourd (FRA; 57) vs Timothy Brownell (USA; 117)

Friday Write Ups – Photo’s by Rael Wienburg

Those eliminated in the Semi-Finals claim $855 USD and 80 PSA ranking points.
An average of 80 in the PSA ranks would be 78^th for the men and 75^th for the women.

5pm     Lucy Beecroft (ENG; 124) vs [6] Marina Stefanoni (USA; 71)

Stefanoni and Beecroft enter the court to warm up. You can tell one is underage. She’s wearing glasses. None of the other pros wear glasses in their matches. For Marina this ends in a few months

Game 1: The game started and Beecroft’s power was shown. The American trying her best with digs and change of pace, hangs in there keeping the points long and difficult. There is a change of pace. Stefanoni starts using pace, Beecroft succumbing to the pressure. 9-2, turns to 7-9. Bee

croft hunkers down and goes back to her original game to grab the last two points. 11-9 “Beercroft”

Game 2: Both women start out playing smash ball. The American hits a roll out back wall nick. No apology needed. “I aimed for that”. This trend continued throughout the game, with multiple roll outs, and continues pressure to create opportunities. 11-2 Stefanoni.

Game 3: Tough to see a clear advantage through the first as players go tit for tat. 2 all. 3 all. 4 all. 5 all. 6 all. 7 all. “Matthew McConaughey voice “tit for tat”. 8 all. Beecroft grabs

 a couple. 10-8. Stefanoni battles for the point, 9-10. Beercroft with the winner rally.

Game 4: Beecroft comes out strong, not wanting to go to 5. Precise, hard, and low. She keeps the American on her heels. Stefanoni gets tired of the chase, and starts cutting balls off, creating pressure and digging back in. 8-6, long rally, Beecroft “hits a stinger”. 9-6. Pressure continues but the Beercraft prevails.

6pm     [1] Auguste Dussourd (FRA; 57) vs [4] Daniel Mekbib (CZE; 83) 

If the first rally of the game is any indication, this match will be a long, back and forth affair. Our 2019 Champion, Dussourd, has been looking strong so far this week. As the players settle in, the lefty Mekbib looks to be handling the shots Dussourd is throwing his way. At 6-6, Mekbib jumps to a 10-7 lead. After a controversial let call, Mekbib regains his composure and finishes off the game with a 11-7 win.

As the second game starts, it is obvious to the crowd that Dussourd was not impressed by his play in the first. Lots of (French) self-talk and we are looking for interpreters in the crowd. Unfortunately, our local francophone (and poutine lover) Gary, was missing from this match so we were left guessing what he was saying. We can only assume he too was wondering where Gary is. It’s just not the same without him tonight.

Dussourd jumps out to a 6-1 lead forcing Mekbib into some tough spots and forcing him to make some unforced errors.  Mekbib made a courageous effort to get back in the game, but unfortunately his efforts came up short, with Dussourd taking a 12-6 game to level the match at 1-1.

As the third game starts, Dussourd is making every effort to cut off every ball and force Mekbib into making quicker decisions. This strategy worked well as Dussourd jumped out to a 6-0 lead. After a cross court cut off drop shot, that Dussourd hits the tin with (which a shot that this match reporter knows well). This mistake gives Mekbib an opening. After some inspired squash and some back and forth, the match is 8-7 and the crowd knows it is anyone’s game. After a tin, no-let, no-let sequence for Mekbib, Dussourd wins the game 11-7 and takes a 2-1 lead. 

The fourth game begins as the third game ended, with Dussourd just having a little more and jumping out to a 6-3 lead. After a great rally with both players all over the court, Mekbib takes the point and hopes that gives him some life. Dussourd fights thru a few tough points, some tough let calls, and gets to match ball at 10-5. Unfortunately, a tough stroke call on Mekbib ends the match at 11-5, and a 3-1 victory to advance to the final tomorrow night.
 

7pm     [4] Karina Tyma (POL; 65) vs Vanessa Chu (HKG; 58)

Early in the match, three no-let calls were called against Chu, and most in the crowd feel that this has already changed the flow of the match. After a stroke against Chu, obvious frustrations are already starting to appear at 5-1 in the first game. Let’s see how she responds to the early adversity. Over the next few points, Chu won a few consecutive points with some solid length, and gets the game to 8-6. After that, Tyma settled in as the game progressed and took the first game 11-6.

In the intermission, many in the crowd were given Smile Cookies, a Tim Horton’s promotion. The audible noise from the crowd has been increased, as everyone is now buzzing from sugar and Sleeman beer. When the attention returned to the match, it was obvious the Tyma continued her strong play, jumping out to a quick 7-1 lead. Chu gets a few points back to get to 5-9. As has been the trend in this match, a no-let call on Chu ends the game, with Tyma winning 11-7 and taking a 2-0 lead.

The third game starts exactly as the first two games, Tyma jumping out to a 6-1 lead. Cue the comeback from Chu as she picks up her intensity and just can’t seem to get momentum. 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, 7-5, 7-6. Crucial points coming up, with Tyma wanting to end this in 3 and Chu fighting to play on. After a quick tin, a lob out, and another no-let call on match point, Tyma finishes off the match with a 11-6 win and 3-0 in the match to advance to the final.

8pm     [3] Shawn Delierre (CAN; 82) vs Timothy Brownell (USA; 117)

Brownell a Harvard Graduate that played #2 on the team, and Delierre a wily vet who knows how to extend a match and play epic mind games with his opponent are set to square off.

Game 1: Scrappy start with a short first few rallies.  Loose shots and each player exchanging winners with Delierre going up 3-1 in the first minute.  The scrappy play continues.  Neither player has settled into a rhythm and that could be each players strategy.  Delierre being the experienced veteran has always found wants to throw off his opponents, but Brownell isn’t giving in.  The rallies are getting longer and more structured as the game goes on.   A lot of defensive and working boasts from Brownell gives Delierre opportunities to to attack and draw even at 4-4.  Delierre puts together a few long aggressive rallies and forces mistakes from the younger Brownell to pull away to 9-5.  Brownell doesn’t look comfortable at any point in the first game and Shawn locks up the win 11-6 in the first.

Game 2: Brownell’s length has drastically improved and is hitting clean lines to the back forcing loose 

returns from Shawn. Brownlee goes up 3-0.  A fantastic rally where Brownell take

s control and moves Shawn from corner to corner before hitting a spectacular backhand volley drop winner going up 4-1. Both players playing hard low cross courts to each others backhands in a gruelling rally.  5-2 Brownell.  Shawn keeps It close by squeezing him on a straight drive forcing an error, 3-5. Both players settling into fast paced hard hitting rallies has the score line staying close 6-8 for Brownell.  An aggressive tackle into the corner and both players are getting fired up.  Brownell takes the lead and finished the game 11-6.

Game 3: Starts with Brownell dictating the pace of play and owning the T.  Great finish with a forehand volley drop winner.  Suspicious pickup by Brownell goes uncalled by the players or refs and he wins a fantastic point with a great hold and snap straight drive going up 5-1.  Delierre is back in the rallies and gets a lucky front wall corner bounce before his opponent unexpectedly fires it into the tin clawing a point back. 5-2.  The match looks to be turning in the young pros favour with him controlling much of the points but Shawn is fighting hard to stay in.  Brownell goes up 9-3.  An amazing cross court nick at the end of the a choppy rally allows game ball for the young Harvard Graduate.

Game 4: An amazing first few rallies with both players digging deep and trading points.  Brownell goes up 3-2 and Shawn immediately responds with a winner going 3-3. Shawn hits a prayer return of serve that was 1 mm above the tin and a winner.  He celebrates with a huge fist pump trying to get himself motivated but the very next point Brownell fires a winner going up 5-4.  The rallies are getting scrappy again going back and forth with Brownell taking the lead 9-7.   Shawn hits a loose cross court and his opponent finishes the ball easily to get match ball.  The next rally is short and Shawn hits a tin for the former Harvard #2 to get into the final of the 2021 Nash Cup.

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