In a rematch of last year’s semifinal showdown in the men’s draw, Arjoon overcame a 2-1 deficit in games by playing phenomenal shots down the stretch to defeat Fernandes once again.
Arjoon had already virtually retained his title in the men’s draw after disposing of Jason Ray Khalil in the semifinal Saturday night. This was because Fernandes had only been competing in the men’s category for the experience and not for a prize or position like the other competitors.
But the finale was far from practice as the two best players in the tournament squared off in a gripping five-game thriller that had the near-capacity crowd at the Georgetown Club on the edge of their seats. Arjoon prevailed 11/7 in the first game which he claimed by playing more aggressively and by going for kill shots.
Fernandes won the next two games 15/13 and 11/9 as she changed strategy and put the defending champion on the defensive. Realizing how deadly Arjoon was with shots in the air from the first game, Fernandes played long shots and kept the 19 year-old Franklin and Marshall Freshman in the backcourt. With the ball in her court, Fernandes was better able to choreograph her winners and utilized her genius in shot selection rather than going for risky shots. In the third game, Fernandes’ intensity increased, her accuracy was impeccable and she was unstoppable even against Arjoon’s best efforts.
The brick wall
Entering the fourth game Fernandes looked poised to overpower Arjoon with the momentum and a 2-1 lead in the closely contested encounter but she just could not close it out.
“I got tired,” Fernandes told Stabroek Sports following the game. “It’s not easy playing these men you know,” the former world number 27 ranked Women’s International Squash Association (WISPA) player added.
The 29-year old reigning Caribbean women’s champion said that she was so fatigued in the fourth game that she felt as though she hit a brick wall. With her legs feeling heavier Fernandes could not run after some of the superbly placed returns of Arjoon which she had been retrieving earlier in the match. Arjoon noticed and increased his aggression taking the ball earlier and punishing Fernandes, whose mobility had diminished greatly at this point.
In the fifth and final game, Fernandes confessed that she gave Arjoon too many shots in the air which gave him the opportunity to go for kill shots. Arjoon took full advantage of the opportunity and flawless dispatched winners to close out the dramatic encounter.
A few moments later, Fernanda returned to the court and defeated national under 19 champion Mary Fung-A-Fat in straight games to retain her national women’s title. Fernandes secured yet another women’s title with ease 11/2, 11/6, 12/10. Ashley Khalil placed third in the women’s category while Ashley deGroot placed fourth. Fifth place finisher and former national women’s champion Keisha Jeffrey won the women’s Classic Plate while her twin sister Kayla was the runner up.
Twenty three-year old Jamal Callendar gained revenged by defeating national under 19 champion Jason Ray Khalil who had defeated him last year. Callendar, who is based in New York, took second place in the men’s category while Khalil placed third and Deje Dias who defeated Nyron Joseph 2/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/7, fourth. Fifth place earned the 15-year-old Joseph the Men’s Classic Plate while Steven Xavier was the runner up. Nicholas Narain won the men’s plate with Joshua Abdool the runner up in that consolation category.
