|
|
|
TODAY at the Nationals: Sat 13th,
Day SEVEN
Steve Cubbins in Manchester |
|
Masters
Semis
|
Down to
the last four
An action-packed at Sportcity with the National Deaf
Championships, Masters semi-finals from noon and the men's and
women's semi-finals too ...
Jenny Duncalf bt Madeline Perry
11/8, 11/6, 5/11, 11/5 (47m)
Alison Waters bt Laura Massaro 10/12,
11/5, 11/5, 7/11, 11/8 (71m)
Nick Matthew bt Adrian Grant
11/6, 13/11, 11/5 (70m)
James Willstrop bt Daryl Selby
9/11, 11/6, 11/2, 11/5 (56m)
Malcolm on the Semis
Martin on the Masters
|
|
Jenny Duncalf
bt Madeline Perry
11/8, 11/6, 5/11, 11/5 (47m)
Duncalf looking strong
Defending champion Jenny Duncalf moved into a third Nationals
final with a convincing performance over Madeline Perry, who
lost out in the last four for the third time in four years.
The Irishwoman started well enough, 4/0 up in a flash with no
real rallies to speak of, but Duncalf soon put a stop to that,
winning the next point after a long rally, and continuing in
that vein, equalising at 6-all. Two more points for Perry took
her to 8/6 but five in a row for Duncalf closed out the game.
It was a similar tale in the second, Perry 3/0 up, Duncalf
levelling at 4-all and easing ahead to take it 11/6. It was
never easy, the rallies were competitive, both striking the ball
well and moving well, but the Englishwoman had the calmer aura,
was rushed that little bit less, and tended to come out on top
at the end.
In the third you thought 'here we go again' as Madeline went 3/1
up and Jenny came back to 4-all. But this time it was Madeline
who stepped it up, taking six points in a row from 5-all to pull
one back.
Jenny was quickly into the fourth, 4/0 up and although the
middle of the game was tough as Madeline fought back to as close
as 4/5, Jenny pulled clear with increasing authority and
confidence to reach another final.
 "Madders
hits the ball so well – she gets good pace on the ball. She’s
tough, quite a confident player. She’s a real handful.
"I had to get her out of her comfort zone so she couldn't hit
the ball like she can.
"Yes, it’s been going well for the last few months, I’ve struck
some good form. Let’s hope can continue the run. It feels great
to be in the final.
"It’s difficult not to think about getting to the final when
you’ve still got a few matches to go, but now I’m there, I can
relax a bit more and enjoy it – whoever I play."
 |
 |
|
Nick Matthew
bt Adrian Grant
11/6, 13/11, 11/5 (70m)
Matthew makes it 14
Defending champion Nick Matthew made it fourteen consecutive
Nationals' victories as he beat Adrian Grant in straight games
in a repeat of last year's final.
 For
two games the result was in the balance though, until Matthew
sped away with the third.
The opening was tough and tight, as you'd expect, but from 5-6
down Matthew won six fairly quick points to take the lead.
The second was crucial, and at times brutal. From 5-all this
time it was Grant who took the advantage, moving to 8/5 and 9/6.
Matthew recovered to 9-all, with Grant trying everything to win
the rallies, Matthew defending superbly. Grant made a despairing
dive for a dropshot, and required a five-minute break to stop
bleeding from his finger.
He came back on to earn game ball, but two errors gave Matthew a
chance at 11/10.
Matthew hit a loose shot down the middle, Grant waited for it to
pass his opponent, waited for it to come off the back wall, then
threw his eyes up to the skies when it bounced at ninety-degrees
off the door handle. "12/10, game to Matthew," said the ref.
Adrian slowly walked off court, but Nick stayed on, raised his
finger in a "L" shape and we realised he was offering to play a
let. Cue applause and a friendly grin from Adrian.
The gesture could have come back to bite Nick as Adrian glued a
drive to the wall to level it, but Nick took the next two points
to double his lead.
He was quickly up in the third, 9/1, and although Adrian pulled
a few back it was never going to be enough to stop the champion
moving into another final.
 "He
played well, it could easily have been one-all or even two-nil
to him, getting that second game was crucial. The ball was
really bouncy before the injury break - I've told him before to
stop diving! - then it was dead for a few rallies after it, it
took a bit of adjusting to.
"That was like a deciding game, then I got a good start in the
third which made it easier.
"That shot I hit was the worst I've hit in my life I think, down
the middle, into the door. I know he'd have done the same,
although I'd have like to win the game on the next point!
"It doesn't get any easier, there's lots of guys at or nearing
their peak, and I'm 30 next year I might not have too many
chances to perform in front of a crowd like this so I'm glad to
take them while I have the opportunity."
 |
 |
 |
 |
Alison Waters bt Laura Massaro 10/12,
11/5, 11/5, 7/11, 11/8 (71m)
Four in a row for Waters
Alison Waters moved into her fourth successive Nationals final,
but didn't Laura Massaro make her work for it, and it wasn't
until the very end that anyone could have predicted the winner.
It was a very serious match, both players determined to keep
their concentration, played out mostly at the back of the court
with long rallies punctuated by short periods where one or the
other got marginally on top.
 The
first was close all the way, Massaro taking it on her second
game ball with a determined 'Cmon'.
Waters struck back quickly, going 4/1 ahead in the second, and
although Massaro threatened to get back into it she faded in the
second half of the game as Waters pulled away.
She pulled away in the third too, from 5-all, but that was
because her opponent presented her with a series of loose shots
into the middle of the court, the type that Waters eats for
breakfast, and she duly feasted.
Laura looked disheartened toward the end of that game, but
shrugged it off to come bouncing back in the fourth, and a 5/0
lead was converted to take the match into a decider.
There was little to choose between them in the fifth, but Alison
managed to stay a point or two ahead, 5/3, 6/4, 7/5 and 8/6.
A dropshot and a glued drive brought Laura level, but Alison
controlled the next two rallies, forced loose shots and put them
away to move to match ball.
Alison bossed the final rally too, putting in a drop that was
just too tight, and another final appearance was in the bag.
 "I
knew she's had a tough match yesterday, but I wasn't going to
take today lightly. It was a tough game, we were both a bit
loose at times, maybe because we both wanted to win it so much.
"Sometimes matches like that become a bit of a scrap and it's a
question of digging out the win. I managed to do that today and
I'm so pleased to make the final again."
 |
 |
|
James Willstrop bt Daryl Selby
9/11, 11/6, 11/2, 11/5 (56m)
Willstrop wears down Daryl
Daryl Selby threatened to deny the Manchester crowd the "final
that everyone wants", as compere Andy Nickeas billed it after
the match, by taking a tough, tough 18-minute first game against
James Willstrop.
It bore comparisons to his first game with Peter Barker last
night, tough rallies, attritional at times, with the Essex man
winning it at the death, to a good many cheers, it has to be
said, the Pontefract section of the crowd for once quiet.
 The
second saw much of the same, punctuated by three or four
tremendous scrambling rallies that brought the crowd to noisy
arousal. From 6-all though it was all Willstrop as he finished
the game off with five winners.
That pattern continued in third, where Willstrop finished eight
of the first nine rallies with a variety of winners. Not the
reckless attacking the worked for Barker in last night's third
game, he worked the position first then applied the finishing
touch.
Even though he served out at 8/1 Daryl knew the game was up and
eased off for the next three points as James took the lead.
Daryl resisted at the start of the fourth, and led 5/2, but the
work he'd been doing and the pressure he'd been under had taken
its toll, and James closed out the last nine points with
something to spare.
 "The
first game was pretty brutal, but it was always going to be,
Daryl keeps getting everything back and makes you work hard for
every point.
"I had to stick with it and use all my skills to keep him at
bay, and everything I put in there paid dividends as the match
went on.
"If I can play a match like that after last week, that’s good
news. It was definitely looking a little ropey last Sunday, so
to come through it is a confidence-booster, after the injury.
"The level is very good, they're all hard games here, so it
wasn't cut and dried at all that Nick and I would get to the
final, but we always have heavy battles when we do play.
"It's quite a pleasure actually to be able to get up and play
these matches in front of such a massive crowd, and I'm really
looking forward to tomorrow's match ..."
 |
 |
|
 |
|
National Volunteer Awards
2010 |
|
