Sydenham News
www.sydenhamsquash.co.uk
| BRIDGWATER’S teenage squash star
Emma Chorley reached the final of the British Under-19 Championship
for the first time at Bishops Stortford last month. The 18-year-old member of Sydenham Squash Club, who is the England No 6 in her age-group, was seeded fourth for the championship. In the quarter-final, she beat fifth seed Gemma Davies 9/3, 9/0, 9/2 in just 21 minutes. Her semi-final opponent was No 2 seed Deon Saffery, recent winner of the British U-17 title. After 73 pulsating minutes, Emma won 10/8, 4/9, 9/10, 10/8, 10/9. Saffery appeared to have the match sewn up when with match point at 8-1 in the fourth set, but Emma fought back to win it. She led 5-0 in the final set, then Saffery fought back to achieve another match point, only for the Bridgwater girl to hit a fine, winning shot. She said afterwards: "When I was 8-1 down in the fourth, I thought it was all over, but I didn't want to lose 9/1, and just wanted to pick up a few more points. In the fifth, I was shaking on every match ball. I thought my knees were going to give way on me!" Her final opponent was top seed and England U-19 No 2 Rachel Willmott, a player against whom Emma had never taken a set. She won the first and the standard of play was excellent, but Willmott's experience and strength earned her the next three sets and the title. Emma was presented with her runner-up prize by former world No 1 Peter Nicol. Building on her success, Emma received an unexpected call to make her debut for Wolverhamp-ton the following Tuesday evening in England's top club division, the Premier League, which attracts some of the best professional players in the world. As the only woman, her team-mates included Anthony Ricketts (world No 4) and Alex Gough (No 19) and their opponents were league leaders Edgbaston Priory, a team full of world-ranked stars. In front of a sell-out crowd, Emma played world No 5 Vicky Botwright. Although her opponent won in straight sets, Emma acquitted herself extremely well and Wolverhampton have snapped her up for the rest of the season. This week, she was with her Millfield School squad playing in the Welsh U-19 Open at Cardiff. Next week, she leads the Somerset ladies’ squad in the Southern Regional Final at Norwich, Somerset having qualified as champions from the South-West division. Somerset had not reached this stage for a number of years and success has been achieved with a very young squad, including another promising local Annabelle O'Donnell who also plays at the Sydenham club. Emma Chorley is accompanied on her travels by her No 1 fan and chauffeur — her mum. (Extract from the Bridgwater Mercury) |
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British Junior Open 2006
played at the Abbeydale Park Squash Club
3rd, 4th & 5th January
Somerset's
Emma Chorley took 11th place in
the under Girl's Under 19 section.
First Round - final 32
Emma beat Rosie
Hamilton (Bucks) 9/3 9/0 9/7
Second Round Last 16
Emma lost to Lina
El Tannir (Egypt) 2/9 1/9 3/9
Lina was the eventual winner of the open
Third Round
Emma was awarded a
w/o against Maria Toor Pakey (Pakistan)
Fourth Round
Emma lost to
Leonie Holt (Warwick) 9/5 7/9 4/9 3/9
11th/12th Playoff
Emma beat Sapphire
Sutcliffe (York) 9/5 9/3 9/5
Click HERE
for full results