Irish 08

Two thrilling five-game finals brought the 2008 Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open Squash Championships to a resounding climax at the Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin - with Scottish favourite John White winning the men's $25,000 PSA Tour title and England's third seed Laura Lengthorn-Massaro claiming the $25,300 women's WISPA World Tour crown to make it a British double for the second year in a row.

John White, the US-based Australian-born former world number one, was playing London-based Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar, who is almost a decade his junior.

White reached the 32^nd Tour final of his career after despatching Welshman Alex Gough, the defending champion, in a marathon five-game semi-final - while Iskandar fought back from a game down to upset England's second seed Adrian Grant in the other semi.

The Scot won the first game of the final easily enough, although his lethal "kills" were not functioning quite as well as usual, with Iskandar chasing the most impossible of balls.

The Malaysian deservedly got the edge in the second game, but it looked as if White was on his way to victory when he wrapped up the third game for the loss of just four points. That was to underestimate Iskandar's determination as he gave as good as he got in the fourth game, often leaving the older man sprawling.

With the match finely-balanced at two games each, Iskandar took three points for a 6-3 lead in the decider before a brilliant couple of kills by White put him back in the match. When White evened the match at 8-8, Iskandar clearly disagreed with the call and let out an anguished howl. White showed no mercy, mopping up with next three points - and with it the match 11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-8 after 75 dramatic minutes.

"I don't know what happened at eight all, but whatever it was, I'm glad," said world No15 White in accepting the Cannon Kirk Trophy - and the 13^th PSA Tour title of his career.

Equally close was the all-English women's final between Lengthorn-Massaro and No2 seed Alison Waters - the pair's first meeting since contesting the British National Championship final, won by Waters, in February.

Underdog Lengthorn-Massaro had the edge in the first game, taking full advantage of a series of unforced errors by Waters to win for the loss of just a single point. Londoner Waters replied by wrapping up the second in a whitewash in just eight minutes.

The third game proved a marathon, with service changing hands frequently before Laura reclaimed the lead. Waters was on top in the fourth, and drew level.

In the decider, Waters pulled away to a 7-4 lead but Massaro clawed her way back into the match to put her in touch when Waters earned won her first match ball. Dogged resistance from Massaro found her regaining serve, evening the scores and then going ahead after a saving a second Waters' match ball.

With the match finely-balanced, Massaro finally then converted her third match ball to win 9-1, 0-9, 9-6, 2-9, 10-8 in 67 minutes.

"This was my third time playing Alison this year, so I'm glad at last to have won!" said a delighted Lengthorn-Massaro after celebrating the fourth WISPA title of her career.

It was the new champion's second upset in the event, after beating Lancashire and England team-mate Vicky Botwright, the top seed, in the semi-finals. The other women's semi also saw the end of local star Madeline Perry's bid to win the crown for a fourth successive year.

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 (37m)
[4] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-6, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9 (64m)
[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [8] Liam Kenny (IRL) 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7 (66m)
[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [6] Kashif Shuja (NZL) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-3 (37m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [8] Samantha Teran (MEX) 9-7, 9-0, 4-9, 9-3 (50m)
[3] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [7] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 9-6, 9-4, 9-0 (37m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS) 9-4, 9-4, 9-3 (27m)
[2] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [6] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-0, 9-7, 9-1 (30m)

Seeds Survive In Dublin

The top four seeds have safely negotiated routes through to the semi-finals of the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open - with defending women's champion Madeline Perry now solely leading local interest after beating Malaysian qualifier Delia Arnold in the quarter-finals of the $25,300 WISPA World Tour squash event at the Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin.

Perry produced a stunning display to claim her place in the last four. After a shaky first round display, the world number 14 looked much sharper as she eased past Arnold 9-4, 9-4, 9-3 in just 27 minutes. The Banbridge girl is going for her fourth successive Irish Open title - but is up against it this year with England's Vicky Botwright, currently ranked eighth in the world, in the draw.

Top seed Botwright, however, was made to work in her quarter-final, before beating Mexican Samantha Teran 9-7, 9-0, 4-9, 9-3 in 50 minutes - the longest women's match of the day.

Perry, who is fighting back to form after sustaining a serious head injury late last year, will gain confidence from her quarter-final display - and having been ranked as high as six in the world. The 31-year-old fourth seed will hold no fear as she faces second seed Alison Waters from England.

In the last match of the day, British national champion Waters beat New Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes 9-0, 9-7, 9-1.

Liam Kenny, the last remaining Irishman in the other draw, bowed out of this year's championship after losing to Malaysian third seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar. Kenny, ranked 54 in the world, put in a very respectable performance against the current world number 13. The pair shared the first two games, producing some gruelling rallies and excellent drop shots.

After winning the third game, Iskandar finished out the match to take it 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7 in 66 minutes. The Malaysian will now face England's second seed Adrian Grant in the semi-finals.

Defending champion Alex Gough also looked in good nick as he beat Australia's Aaron Frankcomb in straight games to book his place in the semi finals. The Welshman will face Scotsman John White after the top seed defeated English qualifier Tom Richards 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5.

Men's 1st round:

[1] John White (SCO) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-8, 10-11 (1-3), 11-10 (2-0), 11-9 (51m)

[Q] Tom Richards (ENG) bt [5] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-9, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 (52m)

[4] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [Q] Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-6, 11-5, 1-11, 11-5 (46m)

[7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (52m)

[8] Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Jonathan Harford (ENG) 11-9, 11-5, 3-11, 11-6 (57m)

[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Romain Tenant (FRA) 11-8, 11-9, 11-1 (28m)

[6] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Stacey Ross (ENG) 3-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 (58m)

[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (37m)

Women's 1st round:

[1] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-6, 9-0, 9-3 (38m)

[8] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-3, 9-6, 9-5 (43m)

[3] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Elise Ng (HKG) 9-2, 9-2, 9-2 (22m)

[7] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [Q] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-4 (25m)

[Q] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [5] Annelize Naude (NED) 9-7, 9-5, 2-9, 9-7 (65m)

[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-4, 7-9, 4-9, 9-4, 9-3 (64m)

[6] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Lauren Briggs (ENG) 10-8, 10-9, 9-0 (56m)

[2] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Vicky Hynes (ENG) 9-0, 9-0, 9-5

Tom Richards Takes
Quarter-Final Place In Dublin

England's Tom Richards claimed a notable upset in the first round of the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open when he beat fifth-seeded American Julian Illingworth in straight games to reach the quarter-finals of the $25,000 PSA Tour squash event at the Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin.

Remarkably, the only upset in the women's WISPA World Tour event also saw the exit of the fifth seed as Malaysian qualifier Delia Arnold beat higher-ranked Dutch opponent Annelize Naude 9-7, 9-5, 2-9, 9-7.

Richards, 21, from Surrey, battled for 51 minutes to earn his 11-9, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 victory over four times US National champion Illingworth. Richards will now take on top seed John White, the former world number one from Scotland who beat Frenchman Julien Balbo 11-8, 10-11 (1-3), 11-10 (2-0), 11-9.

In the women's event, top seed and world number eight Vicky Botwright outclassed Ireland's Aisling Blake. The Galway girl put up a good fight in the opening game, losing out 9-6, but her English opponent eased through the next two to take the match 9-6, 9-0, 9-3.

Defending champion Madeline Perry endured a shaky start to her title defence as she edged past England's Sarah Kippax in a tight five game match. At two one down in games, the Irish number one looked as if she might make a surprise early exit - but the fourth seed from Banbridge showed her experience to take the fourth and fifth games to win 9-4, 7-9, 4-9, 9-4, 9-3 and book her place in the quarter finals.

Men's qualifying finals:

Romain Tenant (FRA) bt Bernardo Samper (COL) 11-10 (3-1), 11-6, 11-3 (31m)

Tom Richards (ENG) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG) 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-3 (26m)

Rob Sutherland (WAL) bt Joshua Greenfield (NZL) 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (34m)

Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0) (90m)

Women's qualifying finals:

Elise Ng (HKG) bt Lauren Selby (ENG) 9-2, 9-7, 7-9, 7-9, 9-5 (75m)

Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Joelle King (NZL) 9-5, 10-8, 9-0 (40m)

Vicky Hynes (ENG) bt Laura Mylotte (IRL) 6-9, 10-8, 7-9, 9-7, 9-0 (61m)

Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt Celia Allamargot (FRA) 10-8, 10-8, 8-10, 9-1 (56m)

Vicky Vanquishes Local Hopes
In Irish Open Qualifiers

Irish hopeful and world number 45 Laura Mylotte suffered a surprise defeat to crash out of the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open at the final qualifying stage of the WISPA World Tour squash event in Dublin. Up against England's Vicky Hynes, the 32-year-old from Galway carried a weight of expectation in front of her home crowd at the Fitzwilliam Club. The pair could not be separated for most of the match and it was destined for a deciding fifth game.

However it was Hynes who proved the stronger and coasted through the final game to record a 6-9, 10-8, 7-9, 9-7, 9-0 in 61 minutes. England's Fiona Moverley, Malaysia's Delia Arnold and Hong Kong's Elise Ng also won their final qualifying matches to earn a much sought after place in the main draw.

In the men's $25,000 PSA Tour event qualifying finals, Welshman Rob Sutherland defeated New Zealander Joshua Greenfield 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 to set up a first round clash with compatriot Alex Gough, the title-holder and fourth seed.

Sutherland is joined in the main draw by fellow qualifiers Romain Tenant of France, Englishman Tom Richards and Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan.

Scotland's John White, the world number 15, is top seed in the men's event and faces Frenchman Julien Balbo in the opening round.

In the women's draw Ireland's Madeline Perry will start as number four seed as she attempts to win her fourth successive Irish Open title. Now world number 14, Perry is up against it this year after dropping down the rankings recently. English pair Vicky Botwright and Alison Waters, seeded one and two, respectively, head up a strong field in this year's event.

Men's 1st round line-up:

[1] John White (SCO) v Julien Balbo (FRA)

[5] Julian Illingworth (USA) v [Q] Tom Richards (ENG)

[4] Alex Gough (WAL) v [Q] Rob Sutherland (WAL)

[7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) v Arthur Gaskin (IRL)

[8] Liam Kenny (IRL) v Jonathan Harford (ENG)

[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [Q] Romain Tenant (FRA)

[6] Kashif Shuja (NZL) v Stacey Ross (ENG)

[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) v [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)

Women's 1st round line-up:

[1] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Aisling Blake (IRL)

[8] Samantha Teran (MEX) v Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)

[3] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Elise Ng (HKG)

[7] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v [Q] Fiona Moverley (ENG)

[5] Annelize Naude (NED) v [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS)

[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Sarah Kippax (ENG)

[6] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) v Lauren Briggs (ENG)

[2] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Q] Vicky Hynes (ENG)