CIMB Malaysian Open 2005
 
Semi Finals
Rachael Grinham lost to Nicol David    9/6, 6/9, 9/3, 3/9, 9/7
Natalie Grinham lost to Vanessa Atkinson    9/0, 5/9, 9/5, 3/9, 4/9
   


Photo by Alex Wan
www.alexwan.net
 

Rach went on after me which I was happy about. I hate to watch Rach play before me as I get so nervous that I almost have no energy left for my own match. This match was a great  match to watch. Nicol always plays well in Malaysia  and it's very difficult to beat her on home soil. Especially when in between the games you have to think, am I at a squash match or a football match, as you hear the crowd chanting rhymes like....It's ok...It's alright...come on  Nicol...fight fight fight! But with all the chanting and cheering Rach still seemed to stay focused and play some great squash, which unfortunately she lost very closely 9-7 in the 5th.


 Today in my match I felt that I played better then the previous two matches, and although it's not the best that I can play I was happy with a Semi Final place as I didn't expect to make it this far after being ill for 14 days prior to the event. After my match a young girl came and gave me a picture that she drew, I thought it was so sweet that I thought I would put it on the website so everyone can view it.

 


click here

Quarter Finals
Rachael Grinham bt Lind Elriani    9/7, 9/10, 9.4, 9.4
Natalie Grinham bt Annelize Naude    9/5, 9/4, 10/8

Rachael's match with Linda was close in the first 2 games and then Rachael took control and looked quite comfortable in the 3rd and 4th games. Linda had beaten Rach in the first tournament of this year... but now they've met 4 times this year with Rach winning  the last 3 occasions.

My match with Annelize was 3-0 although it lasted quite a long time. There were a lot of decisions to be made from  interference, and the referee was, to say it nicely "not the best" which was the reason for the match taking as long as it did. Again not a great match by me but I'm happy to get through it with a win.

 


Photo by Alex Wan
 www.alexwan.net


















Photo by Alex Wan
 www.alexwan.net

1st Round
Rachael Grinham bt Sharon Wee    9/0, 9/2, 9/1
Natalie Grinham bt Rebecca Chiu    9/4, 9/6, 9/3

First rounds are always difficult when you haven't played a tournament in a while. Before her match Rach seemed a little nervous and anxious, but she settled in quite quickly and won her match 3-0.  Sharon has improved quite a bit since being in Belgium with Shaun Moxham.
 
Me on the other hand... I got off to quite a slow start. I had to play Rebecca Chiu, who had just won a tournament only 2 weeks before against Shelley Kitchen. So I was a little nervous as I can't remember the last time I played Rebecca in a tournament. It wasn't until I was 4-0 down in the second game that I actually started to focus consistently. Rebecca's a good little player so I was happy to finish with 3-0 win although I didn't feel either of us played the best that we can.

 
 
MALAYSIAN WOMEN'S OPEN 2005
BUKIT JALIL, KUALA LUMPUR
US$31,000		 WED 27/07
ROUND 1		 THU 28/07
Q-FINALS 		FRI 29/07
S-FINALS 		SAT 30/07
FINAL
RACHAEL GRINHAM (AUS)                   (1) GRINHAM
9/0, 9/2, 9/1		 GRINHAM
9/7, 9/10, 9/4, 9/4		 DAVID
6/9, 9/6, 3/9, 9/3, 9/7		 DAVID
3/9, 9/3, 1/9, 9/1, 9/4
SHARON WEE (MAS)
LINDA ELRIANI (ENG)                           (5) ELRIANI
9/5, 9/1, 9/1
TAMSYN LEEVEY
NICOL DAVID (MAS)                              (3) DAVID
9/5, 9/5, 9/6		 DAVID
9/6, 9/0, 9/1
PAMELA NIMMO (SCO)  
SHELLEY KITCHEN (NZL)                     (7)  KITCHEN
9/1, 9/1, 9/5
LATASHA KHAN (USA) 
SAMANTHA TERAN NAUDE
9/0, 9/6, 9/4		 GRINHAM
9/5, 9/4, 10/8		 ATKINSON
0/9, 9/5, 5/9, 9/3, 9/4
ANNELIZE NAUDE (NED)                         (8)
REBECCA CHIU (HKG) GRINHAM
9/4, 9/6, 9/3
NATALIE GRINHAM (AUS)                    (4)
TEGWEN MALIK ABDEL KAWY
10/9, 5/9, 9/6, 9/3		 ATKINSON
1/9, 3/9, 9/7, 9/2, 9/7
OMNEYA ABDEL KAWY (EGY)             (6)
MELISSA MARTIN  ATKINSON
8/10, 9/2, 9/7, 9/1
VANESSA ATKINSON (NED)                (2)