Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 07, 2014 Sports
By Sean Devers
Mary Fung-A-Fat beat Larissa Wiltshire in an action-packed Women’s semi-final to book a place in yesterday’s final when the curtains came down on the penultimate night of the Guyana Squash Association’s (GSA) Digicel National Senior Championships at the Georgetown Club courts on Saturday evening. The action was set to conclude with the respective finals yesterday.
The first of the Women’s semi-finals pitted tournament number one seed Fung-A-Fat against 2014 Under 17 National Champion Larissa Wiltshire. Fung-A-Fat, who is currently on a squash scholarship at Drexler University, came out firing in the first game and quickly gained a four-love lead before Wiltshire could win her first point.
Wiltshire then won the next five points and the game seesawed from there until Wiltshire, who was trailing 7-9, won the next four points and the game 11-9. The second game was extremely close throughout but Fung-A-Fat, using her vast experience was able to prevail, 11 – 9.
The trend continued in the third game with both players showing remarkable retrieving ability. But Fung-A-Fat survived an even closer game which she won 12-10.
In the fourth game Wiltshire made the fewer errors and took an 8-5 lead and seemed well positioned to take the match to a fifth and deciding game. However, Fung-A-Fat held her nerve to deny Wiltshire after she was accidently hit with Wiltshire’s racquet, trailing 8 – 9. After an injury time-out Fung-A-Fat won the next three points to take the fourth game 11 – 9 and the match 3-1.
The second Women’s semi-finals featured Akeila Wiltshire, 2014 Under 19 Champion, against National player and number two seed Ashley De Groot. The elder Wiltshire was looking to replicate her younger sisters’ quarterfinal upset win. Wiltshire quickly jumped out to an 8-1 lead and quickly closed out the first game 11 – 4. The loss of this first game seemed to get Wiltshire more focused as she was soon up 8 – 4. Despite DeGroot advancing to a 10-8 advantage, Wiltshire, however, clawed her way back into the game, even though DeGroot had game ball. Wiltshire held her nerve and won this game 12 – 10.
The third game was close throughout with neither player having more than a two point advantage, but with DeGroot leading 9 – 7 it seemed as if she would force the match into a fourth game. However, this was not to be as Wiltshire won the next four points and the game 11 – 9 to close out the match 3 – 0.
The first Men’s semi-final was between US based former Caribbean champion and number one seed Richard Chin and Jason Ray Khalil the number three seed. Chin showed his vast experience and was clinical in his victory over Khalil. He won the first game 11 – 4 and in the second game with Khalil trailing 3 – 4, Chin won the next 7 points and the game 11 – 3. The trend continued in the third game and from 2 points all Chin was able to win the next nine points and the game 11 – 2.
In the second Men’s semi-finals, defending national champion and number two seed Alex Arjoon was up against three-time Caribbean Champion Nyron Joseph. Arjoon was quickly up 8 – 1 before Joseph seemed to finally settle into the match. At 10 – 3 game ball it seemed as if this game would be over in a flash but Joseph stayed focused and got to as close as 8 – 10 before Arjoon closed out the first game 11 – 8. Again Arjoon was out quickly in the second game and this time did not allow Joseph to get close as he finished the game 11 – 4. The third game was a lot closer as Joseph seemed to concentrate more and not make as many errors. With Joseph leading 8-5, the spectators sensed that a fourth game may be on the cards but Arjoon made no furthers mistakes and even though the score was tied at 9 all, Arjoon won the next two points and the game 11 – 9.
In the Men’s Classic Plate match-up between Deje Dias and former National champion Regan Pollard, Dias won the first game 11 – 9, but Pollard won the second game 11 – 9 however Dias then won the third game 11-7 and the fourth by an identical score of 11-7 to close out the match 3-1.
National under-17 Champion and two-time junior Caribbean Champion Ben Mekdeci was ruthless in his victory over Nicholas Narain in the second of the Classic Plate matches. Mekdeci won the first game 11-5, the second 11-6 and the third game 11- 2.
In the Men’s Veterans 35-49 category semi-finals between Brian Yong and Alwyn Callender, the latter took the first game 11-7 but Young bounced back, winning the second game 14-12. With Young ahead at 9-2 in the third, it seemed another upset was in the making.
Callender won the next 5 points to get to 7 but with Young leading 10-7 he seemed assured of securing the third game. However, Callender won the next 5 points and the game 12 -10. The loss of this game seemed to take the fight out of Young, as Callender won the fourth game, 11-1.
In the second Men’s Veterans semi-finals, number one seed Joe Mekdeci took on Medhy Ramdhani. Mekdeci proved much too strong and easily won the first two games 11-4. Even though the third game was close Mekdeci still won 11-9.
The other exciting match of the night occurred in the women plate as a still fit looking Kathy Ten-Pow took on the much younger Taylor Fernandes. Fernandes won the first game 11 – 9 and when she took a two-game to love lead by winning the second game 13-11, it seemed all over. But Ten-Pow displayed wonderful fight and won the third game 11-5 before taking the fourth 11-9. Ten-Pow was always slightly ahead in the fifth game and closed it out 11-8 to secure an impressive come-from-behind victory.
Saturday’s results:
Women’s Open
Mary Fung A Fat beat Alysa Xavier 11 – 8, 11 – 3, 11 – 3
Mary Fung A Fat beat Larissa Wiltshire 9 – 11, 11 – 9, 12 – 10, 11 – 9
Akeila Wiltshire beat Ashley De Groot 11 – 4, 12 – 10, 11 – 9
Men’s Open
Richard Chin beat Jason Ray Khalil 11 – 4, 11 – 3, 11 – 2
Alex Arjoon beat Nyron Joseph 11 – 8, 11 – 4, 11 – 9
Men’s Classic Plate
Deje Dias beat Regan Pollard 11 – 9, 9 – 11, 11 – 7, 11 – 7
Ben Mekdeci beat Nicholas Narain 11 – 5, 11 – 6, 11 – 2
Men’s Veterans 35 – 49
Alwyn Callender beat Brian Yong 11 – 7, 12 – 14, 12 – 10, 11 – 1
Joe Mekdeci beat Medhy Ramdhani 11 – 4, 11 – 4, 11 – 9
Men’s Veterans 35 – 49 Plate
Philip Fernandes beat Gerry Mekdeci 11 – 4, 10 – 12, 11 – 4, 11 – 6
Philip Fernandes beat Timothy Jonas 11 – 8, 11 – 7, 11 – 9
Stephen Fernandes beat David Fernandes 11 – 4, 15 – 13, 11 – 9
Women’s Plate
Kathy Ten-Pow beat Tiffany Solomon 11 – 7, 11 – 6, 11 – 3
Victoria Arjoon beat Andrea King 11 – 3, 11 – 5, 11 – 4
Victoria Arjoon beat Alysa Xavier 11 – 9, 11 – 8, 12 – 10
Kathy Ten-Pow beat Taylor Fernandes 9 – 11, 11 – 13, 11 – 5, 11 – 9, 11 – 8
Men’s Plate
Oliver Kear-Downes beat Joshua Abdool 11 – 3, 11 – 6, 11 – 9
Alec Melville beat Robert Hiscock 11- 3, 11 – 9, 11 – 0
Pic – Akeila Wiltshire (right) and Ashley DeGroot in action during their match.
–
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 23, 2024
Kaieteur Sports – Over the weekend, the prestigious Lusignan Golf Club played host to the highly anticipated AMCHAM Golf Tournament, drawing golf enthusiasts and professionals alike from across...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]