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Stunning Nicolette Fernandes continues to amaze at World Open
– upsets former world number one Rachael Grinham
Representing her country, her region, her family and herself, world number 48 Nicolette Fernandes has done so with distinction and yielded unprecedented success so far at the Women’s World Squash Open 2012 in the Cayman Islands.
Nicolette Fernandes in action. (SquashSite)
Fernandes fought her way out of the qualifying round and in her latest match yesterday, the four-time senior Caribbean champion toppled the number 16 seed of the tournament. Phenomenally, Fernandes came back from 0-2 against Australia’s former world number one Rachael Grinham who is currently ranked number 16th in the world.
The win was Fernandes’ third of the tournament and she has now advanced to the second round of the main draw. Grinham is a former World Open champion and held the world number rank in 2004 for 14 months.
Grinham won the first two games in the gruelling first round match 11/3, and 11/6 as it looked like the end for Fernandes, but the 29-year-old Guyanese fighter managed to stay alive. Fernandes pulled off a stunning 12/10 win in the third, dominated the fourth 11/5 and stole the fifth and final game 11/9 for what may be viewed as the upset of the tournament.
In her second match of the tournament in the qualifying round, Fernandes upset Misaki Kobayashi of Japan who is currently ranked 42nd in the world.
That match was reported as being the match of the tournament by the official tournament site, (www.worldopensquash.com) lasting 83 minutes with long rallies for nearly every point. Fernandes had prevailed 6/11, 12/10, 9/11, 13/11, 11/9 to qualify for the main draw where she took out Grinham.
Fernandes, along with Mary Fung-A-Fat and Ashley DeGroot benefited from wildcard spots to compete in the tournament this year based on their performances at the respective Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Caribbean Championships. The three Guyanese ladies had to battle in the qualifying round for a chance to make it to the main draw of the tournament but only Fernandes succeeded. In her opening match of the tournament, Fernandes comfortably dispatched world number 44 ranked Coline Aumard of France 11/6, 11/1 and 11/4.
DeGroot got a chance to go up against world number 29 Sarah Jane Perry and lost in three games 11/3, 11/7, 11/3. After a first round walkover win, Fung-A-Fat was humbled by world number 27 Lauren Briggs of England.
In an interview on the tournament website, Fung-A-Fat said, “It’s completely different playing at this level compared to what I’m used to. It’s very serious and accurate. I see now what I have to do and how much training I have to put in to get to that level, challenge accepted.”
Nicolette will continue to compete in the second round of the tournament in hopes of creating more upsets wins at the world most prestigious women’s squash tournament.
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