20ème MONTE-CARLO CLASSIC
du 9 au 13 novembre 2015

Toutes les photos...

13th Nov, Final:

[3] Jenny Duncalf 3-0 [1] S.Jane Perry 11/4, 13/11, 11/9

Christian Billard reports

So after a final 100 % Egyptian last year, we had a final 100 % English, a lot of people came to watch it.

The first game was on one way, jenny put under preasure sarah-jane who was making too many error, especially when she wanted to play in the front and so lost the first game 11/4.
In the second game sarah-jane was more precise and play better than the first game, she was leading 7/2 but was making then like in the first game a lot of fault.

And Jenny came back trying, when she had the possibility, to finish the point in a vey tight drop shot.

In the third it was the repetition of the first game, Jenny with her experience didn’t let sarah-jane take the advantage, she show her constancy during the rally and that was the key of the match.
Sarah-jane perry was very sad to lost the final, and jenny very happy after her last apparition eight years ago.

12th Nov, Semis:
Christian Billard reports

[1] Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0 [6] Line Hansen
                          11/9, 13/11, 11/6 (40m)
[3] Jenny Duncalf 3-0 [2] Rachael Grinham
                          11/8, 12/10, 11/9 (31m)

[1] Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0 [6] Line Hansen
                              11/9, 13/11, 11/6 (40m)

The first semi final of the day was a very pleasant match. Line, who had not spent a lots of time on court was very fresh to start the match and so the first two games were very closed.

 Both player were attacking the ball and made some nice shoot for the public. Sarah-Jane showed a better face than yesterday and she was better on doing it and won a lots of winner shoot in the front of the court.

In the third game dominated by sarah-jane, at 10/5 Line hurt her ankle but could finish the match but lost it after some more intense rally.
Sarah-Jane Perry show her superiority and a different game in this match, also if she had been staying more time on the court than her opponent from the beginning of the tournament.

[3] Jenny Duncalf 3-0 [2] Rachael Grinham
                               11/8, 12/10, 11/9 (31m)

His Highness Prince Albert II came to watch the second semi final of the day. The first was dominated by Jenny, she was leading all the game but Rachael showed a good panel of shoot.

In the second game, Rachael was making too many errors at the beginning and so Jenny was leading 8/2. Rachael start to come back having a lots of winner shot and also a game ball (10/8). But Jenny
 went back and her shoot were more efficient.

The third game was only in the sense of Jenny who was more fresh than racheal who gives some nice “tricky shoots” for the public.
The final of tomorrow will 100 % English.

[1] Sarah-Jane Perry 3-1 [7] Nicolette Fernandes
                   13/11, 11/8, 7/11, 11/7 (66m)
[6] Line Hansen 3-0 [4] Emily Whitlock
                   11/5, 11/5 rtd
[3] Jenny Duncalf 3-0 [Q] Natalie Grinham
                   15/13, 11/4, 11/4
[2] Rachael Grinham 3-1 [8] Tesni Evans
                   12/10, 7/11, 11/7, 11/8  

Christian Billard reports

The first match of the day beetween the seed n°1 & 7. The first game was very close, Nicolette was trying to push her opponent in the back of the court and lost 13/11 the first game in a battle 18 minutes. In the second game, Sarah-Jane was making running a lot Nicolette who tried like the first game to play in the back of the court but lost 11/8.

In the third game, Nicolette change of strategy and play more in the front and get the game 11/7. Fourth game, the beginning was very closed, sarah-jane was making too many errors when she was playing in the front, but at 5-5 all of her volley where points and so she won the match in 66 minutes

The second match of the day had another physionomy. The first game start very fast as Tesni was leading 10/7 and lost the first game ball on a big mistake, this made in confidence Rachael who came back and won it 12/10.

In the second she didn’t do the same as the first, the points were made a lot in the front of the court, both player were using all the space in the front. The third and fourth were also a big battle for pushing the opponent to the front and finish the rally. Tesni was a little down physically and Rachael use it to win the match 

In the third match between Line Hansen and Emily Whitlock Line didn’t give any chance to make a lot of points, she was trying to get the ball very early but Emily seems to be not on a good day. After loosing the second game, she had to retired.

The last match of the day was between Jenny  Duncalf and the four time winner of the tournament and also “local star” Natalie Grinham.

Jenny seemed today a bit fitter then Natalie, in the first game they both had the chance to win it but it was on favour of Jenny
 who was more precise in the front of the court. The second and third game where only in favour of Jenny  who show a very good show for the audience.

11/9, 13/11, 11/6 (40m)

[6] Line Hansen

19.00

[3] Jenny
 Duncalf

11/8, 12/10, 11/9 (31m)

[2] Rachael Grinham

09 Nov 2015 - Qualifying:

Finals:
[1] Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-0 Enora Villard (Fra)                  11/5, 11/8, 11/6 (23m)
[4] Nouran El Torky (Egy) 3-1 [7] Millie Tomlinson (Eng) 6/11 11/5 13/11 11/7 (53m)
[3] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 Nele Gilis (Bel)                      12/10, 11/8, 11/7 (37m)
[2] Olivia Blatchford (Usa) 3-0 [6] Fiona Moverley (Eng)       11/8, 11/7, 13/11 (27m)

Round One:

[1] Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-2 Chloé Mesic (Fra) 11/4, 7/11, 1/11, 11/8, 11/6 (45m)
Enora Villard (Fra) 3-0 [8] Cyrielle Peltier (Fra)                     11/9, 11/3, 11/9 (31m)
[7] Millie Tomlinson (Eng) 3-0 Elise Romba (Fra)                 11/2, 11/4, 11/5 (18m)
[4] Nouran El Torky (Egy) 3-0 Marija Shpakova (Sui)          11/7, 11/4, 11/0 (14m)
[3] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 Laura Gamblin (Fra)             11/5, 11/4, 11/9 (21m)
Nele Gilis (Bel) 3-2 [5] Deon Saffery (Wal)      1/11, 12/10, 13/11, 2/11, 11/4 (52m)
[6] Fiona Moverley (Eng) 3-0 Victoria T-Murray (Eng)   11/6, 11/1, 9/11 11/6 (30m)
[2] Olivia Blatchford (Usa) 3-0 Nadia Pfister (Sui)                 11/5, 11/4, 11/3 (15m)

View from Miss Whitlock's Room ... Tis a tough life but ...

[1] SJane Perry (Eng) 3-1 [Q] Olivia Blatchford (Usa)
                        11/5, 10/12, 11/6, 11/3 (36m)
[7] Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) 3-0 Siyoli Waters (Rsa)
                         11/7, 11/7, 11/5 (27m)
[6] Line Hansen (Den) bt [Q] Mariam Metwally (Egy)
                         11/3 rtd
[4] Emily Whitlock (Eng) 3-1 Misaki Kobayashi (Jpn)
                          11/9, 10/12, 11/9, 12/10 (50m)

[3] Jenny  Duncalf (Eng) 3-1 [wc] Coline Aumard (Fra)
                           7/11, 11/7, 12/10, 11/9 (51m)
[Q] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-1 [5] Heba El Torky (Egy)
                            7/11 11/9 13/11 11/7 (50m)
[8] Tesni Evans (Wal) 3-1 Samantha Teran (Mex)
                            12/10, 11/4, 4/11, 11/7 (55m)
[2] Rachael Grinham (Aus) 3-0 [Q] Nouran El Torky (Egy)
                             11/4, 11/1, 11/6 (21m)

GRINHAMS PREVAIL
IN THE BATTLE OF THE SIBLINGS..

Doesn't happen often, does it, but in this first round, we had the Grinham Sisters facing the El Torky Sisters. And in that occasion, the Australian/Dutch pair prevailed over the Alexandria's!

It was two different matches we are told. Rachael won rather comfortably, in 21m, 4, 1, 6, with young Nouran unable to read Rachael's unorthodoxe style - while the "bataille fut rude", a hard battle between Nat and Heba. There was not much between the players, and there were a few decisions as well.

To be noted too, a very close match for wild card Coline Aumard, the French number 2, who lived up to her invitation, giving Birthday Girl Jenny Duncalf a hard time, 7/11, 11/7, 12/10, 11/9.

An even more disputed match was between English Emily Whitlock and Japan Misaki Kobayashi,  11/9, 10/12, 11/9, 12/10!

Truly could have gone either way that one, but it's an English victory this time, with Misake making errors at crucial time and leading 10/7 in the 3rd...

Tesni Evans dominated Sam Teran 3/1, while top seed SJ Perry overcame Olivia Blatchford on the same score but having had to stay focused at all times. Nicolette Fernandes  stopped net the return from injury of South African Siyoli Waters, 3/0, but the match I'm told was very intense and high paced.

To be noted that poor Mariam Metwally couldn't finish her match against Line Hansen (aka Mrs Pilley). Apparently, she was already struggling yesterday, but it got worse today...

Philippe Reports sur Coline..

Coline AUMARD ne passe pas !

La N2 Française détenait la clef de la victoire ce soir. Coline opposée à l'Anglaise Jenny Duncalf a commencé tambour battant en remportant le 1er jeu. Bonne pression, jouant juste, l'Anglaise était débordée.

Dans le 2e jeu, Coline perd sa longueur et ne fait plus les bons choix. Mais le 3ème jeu est à nouveau maîtrisée par la Française qui surclasse son adversaire et mène 7/2 ! Jenny
 se bat et cela entraîne une panique chez la Française qui attaque sur des balles inattaquables et commet faute sur faute, jusqu'à être menée 9/7...

Elle se reprend et obtient une balle de jeu à 10/9. Un "cafouillage" permet à Jenny de revenir à 10 partout puis de prendre le jeu.

Le 4ème est semblable au précédent, Coline montre de belles choses mais joue mal les points importants. Elle s'incline 11/9.

L'Anglaise remporte le match qui semblait nettement à la portée de notre Française.

9th November 2015 - Qualifying Finals

[1] Mariam Metwally (Egy) 3-0 Enora Villard (Fra)
                        11/5, 11/8, 11/6 (23m)
[4] Nouran El Torky (Egy) 3-1 [7] Millie Tomlinson (Eng)
                       6/11, 11/5, 13/11, 11/7 (53m)
[3] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 Nele Gilis (Bel)
                       12/10, 11/8, 11/7 (37m)
[2] Olivia Blatchford (Usa) 3-0 [6] Fiona Moverley (Eng)
                        11/8, 11/7, 13/11 (27m)

Philippe parle du Pôle Créteil

Enora VILLARD s'arrête ! Moins en jambes que ce matin, perturbée par le jeu de l'Égyptienne Mariam Metwally, la Française n'a pas réédité sa performance du matin.

Elle s'incline en 3 jeux. Fin d'un parcours positif pour Enora Villard.
 

9th November 2015 - First Round Qualifications

Philippe sur les filles du Pôle Créteil

Enora VILLARD passe le 1er tour!

La Cristolienne, 109ème Mondiale, réalise sa plus belle performance en dominant Cyrielle PELTIER, 51ème !

Cette dernière, de retour de blessure, est tombée sur une joueuse qui avait décidé de ne rien lâcher aujourd'hui.

Pour Elise ROMBA et Laura GAMBLIN, nos deux juniors venues pour l'expérience, il n'y a pas eu de miracles.

Elles s'inclinent 3/0 sur des joueuses beaucoup plus fortes, Tomlinson et Grinham, tout en montrant de belles choses sur les courts Monégasques.

Monte-Carlo, it's the 20th!

I'm sure that it feels like yesterday to Patrick Rubino and his team, but yop, 20 years of memories there. Monte-Carlo welcomed the "gratin du squash mondial", the crème de la crème both men and women for decades - remember the old court people, with holes in it, where Shah Khan actually lost a final as the ball got stuck in the wall?? Ahhhh, the good old days...

None of that in the new complex of course, and a few savoury matches coming up, and the presence of two "heavy-weight", that's a metaphore of course, I don't mean fat, in the qualifyings - Natalie Grinham, no need of introduction, but also Fiona Moverly, who created some stir in Qatar this week, when she managed to put the winner of the tournament, Laura Massaro, under a heck of a pressure in the second round, taking a game out of her, and staying on that dead court for 50m! She is back in competition after a few years only playing leisure squash, and it's nice to have her back. I have the feeling she may enjoy Monte-Carlo a few days, but we'll see...

In the main, SJ Perry and the other Grinham, Rachael - former number 1 of course 2005, 4 times British Open Champion and World Champion in Madrid, and fit as it comes at 38!

Nice to see Siyoli Waters back from injury, she will be facing Nicolette Fernandes, Emily will play Misaki who had an early exit in Qatar after a collision with Mena Nasser in the final of the qualifs. She spent the night in hospital to have her neck checked but it was only contusions.

French interests in that main will reside with Coline Aumard, the "French qui monte", improving player who takes more and more confidence in her game, who is playing Jenny
 Duncalf - who lost in Qatar in a tight match against Annie Au.

But the match of the day could have well be Sam Teran against Tesni Evans, if Sam is fit of course, as she had a few injury troubles recently.

Bonne chance à toutes!
 

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