BERWYN, Philadelphia, CMC – Guyana’s squash star Nicolette Fernandes eliminated a pair of seeded players before losing at the semi-final stage of the Liberty Bell Open this past weekend.
Fernandes lost her semi-final match Saturday to American Olivia Blatchford in straight games at the US$6,700 Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) world tour event at the Berwyn Squash & Fitness Club.
In a surprise all-American final Amanda Sobhy emerged triumphant when she beat Blatchford in Sunday’s final.
Fernandes, currently ranked 70th in the world, upstaged fifth seed Amelia Pittock and third seed Miranda Ranieri en route to the semis.
Australian Pittock, rated No.65 in the World, battled for five games with Fernandes in the first round before the Caribbean ace completed a 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 victory.
Against Canada’s World No.51 Ranieri in the quarter-finals, Fernandes won 11-9, 8-11, 14-12, 15-13.
The seventh seed Olivia Blatchford outgunned Fernandes 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 in the semi-finals before losing to Sobhy in the final.
Sobhy won the final 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 to register her first ever WISPA world tour victory.
