Latest update April 3rd, 2026 12:35 AM
Nicolette Fernandes battles Khalil for female title tomorrow
Guinness Nat’l Senior Squash C/ships…
By Sean Devers
Kaieteur News – With 15 years of experience in the Pro Squash (2003-2017), a Gold Medalist at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games in Colombia, being the 2012 Women’s champion in T&T and capturing her sixth title at Senior CASA in 2019 in Guyana, are among her on-Court achievements, Nicolette Fernandes has the pedigree of a Champion.
Fernandes will battle Khalil in tomorrow’s Final.
Fernandes became Guyana’s first female to win both the women’s and men’s titles in 2010 the same year she took the 2010 Sports Woman of year award.
Tomorrow from 1:PM at the Georgetown Club, the super-fit Fernandes, who turns 39 in June, will be favoured take this year’s Women’s title in the Guinness National Senior Squash Championships when she comes up against defending Champion, the feisty 29-year-old Ashley Khalil.
Khalil, who won a Silver and two Bronze Medals at Senior Caribbean Championships, two Bronze Medals at the South American Games and five Bronze Medals at CAC Games, won the title the time the tournament in 2019 before the pandemic began.
On the occasion, Ashley and her Jason-Roy became the first Guyanese siblings to win both titles but tomorrow she will have to play her best Squash if she hopes to retain her crown.
Defending Champion Ashley Khalil (left) beat Taylor 3-1 in the semi-finals on Wednesday night. (Sean Devers photo)
Nicolette Fernandes (foreground) beat Gabrielle Fraser the first Semi-final. (Sean Devers photo)
Larissa Wiltshire (left) beat Ashley DeGroot 3-2. (Sean Devers Photo)
The fully vaccinated spectators should be in for a squash treat since whoever emerges victorious, a pulsating contest is anticipated.
In her Semi-final on Wednesday evening, Nicolette beat 25-year-old Gabriella Fraser 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 but the scores were not a true reflection of the quality and competitiveness show by Fraser.
Despite the almost 14-year age gap, it was Nicolette who looked the fitter of two as the Canadian-born Guyana demonstrated excellent court craft, skill and speed.
But the much younger Fraser had her moments and fought some long rallies and remained competitive until the third and final game when fatigue began to affect her shots, especially her backhand drives.
Fernandes used her vast experience to good effect and executed several audacious shots, playing with finesse and tact, working the ball into difficult areas on the wall.
Fraser fought ‘tooth and nail’ and looked her best in the second game but clinical drop shots from Fernandes tested her fitness and stamina as Fraser sprinted from front to back of the Court but just not reach the ball.
The fitness level of Fernandes should be an example for the younger players and many would never know that in 2007, four years after her professional debut, she suffered a knee injury which kept her out of action for 23 months.In the other Semi-final Khalil faced Taylor Fernandes, whom she had teamed up with to win bronze in Women’s Doubles action on day five of the Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC Games) in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Long rallies were the feature in the first game and Khalil and Fernandes both played entertaining squash as they pushed each other.
Fernandes maybe, inspired the performance of her illustrious cousin in the first semi-final, beat the 2007 Junior Sports Woman of the year, 12-10 in the first game.
But Khalil, who represented Guyana in Badminton, raced to 9-2 lead in the second as Fernandes, with no pressure on her, hit the ball down to hear the frustrating sound of rubber kissing tin as she gifted Khalil points.
Fernandes, looking bigger and stronger than when squash was last played, counter-attacked to two consecutive points before Khalil closed off the game 11-4.
With the score at 1-all, the 23-year-old Fernandes, who had an eight-year run competing in the junior national and Caribbean championships, put the pressure on the defending Champion with good backhand drives and lengthy rallies before losing 11-8.
In the fourth and deciding game, Fernandes, the 2017 Caribbean U-19 Champion again pushed Khalil, winning some good points with clever shots but in the end it was Khalil who prevailed 12-10, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 with mixed explosive drives and deft drop shots.
In the other Women’s game on Wednesday night Larissa Wiltshire defeated Ashley DeGroot 3-2 in another energy-sapping encounter.
The third place Play-off will commence at 12: 30 PM and precede the final.
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