2010 WUC Squash Update: Pool Stage sets up Intense Final Round

MELBOURNE – Great Britain, Canada, Hong Kong and the USA have advanced through the group stage of the teams competition after a hotly contested day on the courts.

The British juggernaut still hasn’t dropped a game and will face their rivals from across the pond, the USA this evening with the winner to progress to the gold medal match.

The Americans went through after surviving a close shave against the host country, where Aussie Luke Sims pushed Chris Hanson to five sets and Melody Francis accounted for Kristen Lang.

Hong Kong and Canada will play for the other for a spot in the gold medal match.

The Canadians made it through on the strength of a victory over South Africa despite the best efforts of South Africa’s Christo Potgeiter who beat Fredrick Reid 3-0.

The contingent from Hong Kong also saw off its share of troubles on the way to the final; Austrian Brigit Coufal took Shin Nga Leung to five sets and American Alex Domenic defeated Ho Fa Chiu 3-1 to end their undefeated run in the teams event.

In other action from the final pool round South Africa took down Singapore 3-0, the highlight being the five game thriller between Senada Haput and Nicole Chua Wen Ya, the marathon third game ending 16-14 in Wen Ya’s favor.

The most thrilling fixture of the pool stage was between Australia and Austria, which came down to the final two points.

Australia’s Sam Brown and Austria’s Daniel Haider both won their matches 3-1 setting up a decisive women’s rubber between Australian Melody Francis and Austrian Brigit Coufal.

They split the first four games and were at 10-10 in the fifth before the Aussie captured the final two points to win the game, the match and the fixture.

Australia, Austria, Singapore and South Africa will begin a round robin this evening to decide places 5-8.

(Source: Sarah Wordsworth, AUS Marketing and Media Coordinator)