Charles Sharpes
beat top seed James Snell in a high energy five set
encounter. Snell showed few ill effects from his 5-set win
over Kuwaiti Ammar Al-Tamimi the previous evening and took
the first game stepping positively onto the ball and
searching out opportunities to volley. However, Sharpes
gradually started to control the T and took the second.
Snell wasn’t done and got a good start in third to once
again edge ahead. Some high octane rallies at the start of
the fourth saw it evenly balanced at 4-3 but Sharpes seemed
less affected by the corner to corner coverage and Snell
started to tire falling behind his younger opponent despite
his best efforts to push up the court. The decider was a one
way affair with Sharpes racing to 6-0 and never looking back
in closing it out 11/3.
Early Nada
Elkalawaay had demonstrated why she is already a force to be
reckoned with on the women’s tour even at the tender age of
just 15 by defeating top seed Rachel Wilmot to in straight
games. Both players had progressed to the final without
dropping a game so a close encounter was anticipated and the
first game didn’t disappoint. After 20 minutes of clean
striking from both players, working each other hard
particularly across the back of the court it was the young
Egyptian who sneaked it 12/10 at the second attempt. This
seemed to boost her confidence, and at the same time deflate
Wilmott’s and Elkalawaay took the second 11/5 before easing
to 10/1 in the third, winning the title on the third match
point.
|