NASH Cup 2017 Day 3 Recap
Another incredible night of squash at London Squash & Fitness with significant upsets. The level of play really is stunning this year. 16 players remain, all ranked in the world’s top 100. Matches begin at 5:30pm Thursday and the pairings can be found at www.nashcup.com
Reminder: There will be a BBQ at London Squash and Fitness Thursday from 11am to 2pm. Members and Guests are invited. A portion of each meal will go to the Western Teams.
Reports:
[Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY) v [5] Hollie Naughton (CAN)15-13,8-11,6-11,11-8,11- 4(70mins)
Game 1: Nouran 15-13
Nouran came out of the blocks fast and stayed in front to hold game ball at 10-9. After a couple of lets and a brutal rally where Hollie made Nouran cover almost every square inch of the court we found ourselves at 10-10. A number of phenomenal rallies followed with superb retrieving from both girls but in the end it was Nouran who took the game 15-13. Hollie dominated a lot of the rallies but also made a few crucial errors at the end of them.
Game 2: Hollie 11-8
Hollie started the 2nd game with patient but positive rallying to lead 3-1. This became 3-3 but a clinging drop forced an error from Nouran to regain the lead. Hollie’s clever mixing of pace and hold got her to 9-6, 10-7, before a perfect straight drive down the left wall clinched the game 11-8.
Game 3: Hollie 11-6
Hollie continued where she left off in the 2nd and built a 6-3 lead. Both girls are looking to take the ball early and retrieving some incredible shots. A winner, an error and a stroke and it’s a 6-6 game but a powerful volley kill from Hollie gave her back the lead. She didn’t look back and closed out the game 11-6
Game 4: Nouran 11-8
Credit to Nouran, she dug deep in the 4th being positive with her attacking and miserly with her unforced errors to lead 10-6. Hollie clawed it back to 8-10 but an unforced error gifted Nouran the game. We have a decider on our hands.
Game 5: Nouran 11-4
It was Nouran’s turn to get the early lead in the 5th which she kept throughout the game. She changed the pace well, winning a couple of points with the lob and closed it out 11-4. Good game
[1] Tom Richards (ENG) v [Q] Michael McCue (CAN)11-3,11-7,11-7(32mins)
Jean and Ken Wright great aunt / uncle and fans of Mike McCue were there cheering. Mike played exceptionally, but had his hands full with the number 1 draw Tom Richards. Excellent court coverage was required by both to pick up some tremendous boast and length shots. Rallies were long and each shot looked well thought out. In the end Tom was able to hold the T a little better, and it was impressive how many nicks and near nicks he hit.
Andrew Schnell (CAN) v [8] Farhan Zaman (PAK)8-11,11-8,6-11,9-11(52mins)
Zaman started game 1 slow with some unforced errors, but fought back to take the opener 11-8. Game 2 was cat and mouse, great movement to all four corners, Schnell takes it 11-8. Schnell looks tired at this point. The boys start game 3 looking calm and determined, then squabble over a few contentious let calls; as usual, it all evens out and play settles down. Schnell seems fatigued and it shows with a quick loss, 11-6. Schnell starts game 4 strong but Zaman fights back quickly and Schnell shows his fatigue again; best point of the match is a 3 wall death point. Zaman’s touch is impressive. The rallies are fairly “short” in this match, at 10-15 balls each. The court is hot this week and rallies have been very long. Schnell is fighting back. It’s 8-8. For the first time in the match Zaman looks tired. Andrew misses an opportunity and loses 11-9 for a 3-1 Zaman victory.
Nikki Todd (CAN) v [4] Nada Abbas (EGY)8-11,11-5,9-11,11-8,11-9(54mins)
As the match begins both players are battling hard. Nada wins the first game, but both are playing tight. The second game begins with Nada, the 17 year old, serving. The game is going back and forth. Todd wins the second with some silky movement on the court. After each game the players get 2 minute to rest, but the 17 year old stays on and just hits the ball on court. It looks like a rest wasn’t needed as she jumps to a 7-2 lead in the third. Nada hits it back to herself and Todd ask for a stroke. but the ref’s call let and the crowd goes insane. Todd fights back by 7 points to make it 8-10, but Nada manages to goes up 2-1 winning the game 11-9.
In the forth Todd is looking tired but fighting through it to get up 9-3. Todd has the crowd on her side. Nada hits 3 amazing boasts, Todd got 2 but couldn’t get the third. Nada comes back to 8-10. Nada goes for a drop and makes the error to finish the game.
Nada she stays on court again and takes no rest. Todd gets another burst of energy and its 1-1 to start the fifth. Both players really tighten things up as the score goes to 3-3. Todd hits 2 tins in a row and Nada goes up by 2. 7-4 for Nada with another amazing boast. Another 2 points for Nada and the score reached 9-6. As both players are pushing to their limit. Todd fights back through some unbelievable rallies and gets up 10-9 for match ball. The crowd erupts as she makes a winning shot and steals an upset advancing to the NASH Cup quarter finals for the third year in a row.
Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) v [7] Sarah Cardwell (AUS)8-11,11-4,11-5,11-9(44mins)
As the first game starts to play out both players are taking the ball early to apply some pressure. They are attacking and working to keep each other off balance. A few tins from Amanda and some precise drops from Sarah put Sarah in the lead and she takes game one. Game 2, and both players continue stepping up and taking the ball aggressively. At 5-2 Amanda has really been striking the ball well with some amazing holds and clever miss direction. Sarah is fighting back hard, hitting some great counter drops, but Amanda’s pressure is relentless and Amanda takes the game. Game 3 has both players exchanging winners and a stroke each to get to 3-3. Amanda hit some big winners to go up 7-3 Sarah is moving very well and trying to extend the rallies but Amanda is hitting the ball too precisely and is creating so much pressure she takes game 3 and leads the match 2-1. The pace and intensity both players are playing at is incredible as both players are covering the court with such speed. Sarah took an early lead at 3-1 but Amanda fought back with some amazing winners to take get up 4-3. At 6-5 they had a massive rally with both players retrieving and working each other and Sarah staining to make it 6-6. Sarah is hitting some tight drops and really creating pressure for Amanda. At 8-8 Amanda hits back to back winners to go up 10-8 but Sarah keeps coming and hit some great length to make it 9-10. After an amazing rally with both players attacking and hitting some wonderful shots Amanda manages a great hold and length shot to take the match 3-1.
-Rob Doherty
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [7] Ben Coleman (ENG)8-11,11-6,5-11,11-5,7-11(83mins)
As the game opens, both players are testing their length & their legs as both seem comfortable chasing the rally. The crowd seems a tad uneasy about the clashing colour choice by the players, bright orange by Yow Ng & deep red by Coleman. After a few strokes and tin in the early parts of game 1, the players settle in at 5-5 and a series of let calls start occurring. This added to the brilliant retrieving by both players lengthens game 1. After 16 minutes, an 11-8 win to Coleman.
Game two continues the way game 1 ended, endless rallies & great retrieving & a countless lets. Both players have settled in to a looooong retrieving game. The crowd is getting restless. This blogger is getting tired… after almost 25 minutes, Yow Ng ties it up at 1-1. From here the battle continues and the opponents swap blows leading to a 2-2 tie in games and a showdown in the fifth. In the end Ben gets the better of this 83 minutes battle and advances. In conversation with Eain after the match it seems the ability to recover between rallies made the difference. A great win for Ben.
-Mark McLean
Nick Sachvie (CAN) v [6] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-8,12-10,9-11,11-7(81mins)
The final match of the night found another hometown hero in Nick Sachvie playing Charles Sharpes from England. Charles brought a higher PSA ranking to the court but Nicholas brought a no less impressive pedigree. He’s a former Canadian junior open champ a former US open Junior champ and is the reigning number one player in Canada after his victory at the Canadian championships in the spring.
Game one started with no delay in ratcheting up the squash to the highest level. The opening rally lasted over 20 shots and was a harbinger of the battle to come.
Nick had come off of a long off-season and yet quickly found his game. He showed the complete range of exceptional mobility, retrieval, power and touch, and was too much to handle in game one.
Game two was more of the same. Charles attempted to rally with a few beautiful backhand kill shots into the front corner. It wasn’t enough.
Game three brought a visibly flagged Sharpes struggling to stay in the game. A dramatic rally early in this game ended with blood on the court as Charles racquet grazed Nick’s right eyebrow and a supra orbital laceration brought the game to a halt. Reports that the on scene medical advisor had to cut Nick’s upper eyelid with a razor blade to allow him to see may have been exaggerated, however Nick did need an extended medical time out to bring the bleeding under control. He returned to the court sporting a menacing looking black dressing on his forehead and a determined look in his eyes. However, Charles had used the time out to his own advantage and came to the court looking refreshed and with much greater energy. He mounted an exceptional come back and closed out game three, emphasizing his new found confidence with a rollout nick to the front corner that brought the crowd to its feet.
Game 4 showed Charles seizing an early lead and the Canadian crowned was tense for their champion. However a quick series of brilliant retrievals, well-placed drops and strategic extended rallies not only brought Nick next level with Charles but also depleted the energy stores that Charles had gathered during the break. Charles conceded a drop and the crowd knew the final outcome was inevitable.
It would have been appropriate for the Rocky theme to be playing as the St. Catherine’s Stallion exited from his round 1 victory.
After the game, local squash legend Brad “Stingray” Hanebury was inspired to inexplicably observe “Don’t sweat the petty things, but don’t pet the sweaty things.”
Player Quotes:
Nick Sachvie – “I’m happy to get a win in the first tournament of the season. I loved the home crowd support.”
Charles Sharpes: -“I was really disappointed with the result. Nick played really well but I don’t think I handled the conditions well. Possibly the hottest court I’ve ever played on.”
-Amit Shah
Overview
[1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 11-6,11-2,11-5(28mins)
[Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [5] Hollie Naughton (CAN)15-13,8-11,6-11,11-8,11-4(70mins)
[1] Tom Richards (ENG) bt [Q] Michael McCue (CAN)11-3,11-7,11-7(32mins)
[8] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Andrew Schnell (CAN) 11-8,8-11,11-6,11-9(52mins)
[6] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Haley Mendez (USA)3-11,11-8,11-8,11-3(30mins)
Nikki Todd (CAN) bt [4] Nada Abbas (EGY)8-11,11-5,9-11,11-8,11-9(54mins)
[5] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [Q] Shahjahan Khan (PAK)11-3,5-11,11-7,6-11,10-7ret(74mins)
(Q)Jan Van Den Herrewegen (BEL) bt [4] Todd Harrity (USA)11-3,11-8,13-11(39mins)
[3] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [Q] Anna Kimberley (ENG)11-9,11-7,11-7(32mins)
Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [7] Sarah Cardwell (AUS)8-11,11-4,11-5,11-9(44mins)
[3] Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt [Q] Ashley Davies (ENG)6-11,11-7,9-11,11-8,11-6(80mins)
[7] Ben Coleman (ENG) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-8,6-11,11-5,5-11,11-7(83mins)
[8] Danielle Letourneau (CAN) bt [Q] Alison Thomson (SCO)11-4,11-9,11-6(28mins)
[2] Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt [Q] Catalina Pelaez (COL) 11-9,11-5,11-1(21mins)
Nick Sachvie (CAN) bt [6] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-8,12-10,9-11,11-7(81mins)
[2] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Shawn Delierre (CAN) 13-11,11-3,11-5(30mins)