World number 26th ranked Nicolette Fernandes and junior national champ Nyron Joseph claimed the Female and Male senior titles when the Digicel/ Guyana Squash Asso-ciation Senior National Championships concluded yesterday at the Georgetown Club Squash Facility.
In the female finale, Fernandes downed Ashley Khalil in straight sets 3-0. Clinching the opening set 11/7, Fernandes would survive a late surge by Khalil to take a 2-0 lead in the second set, winning by a 15/13 margin. She would then clinch the title in the third set as she won 11/5.
On the other hand, Nyron Joseph overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Jason Ray Khalil by a 3-2 score line. Khalil raced ahead in the fixture as he won the first set emphatically 11/1. He would seize further control of the fixture, clinching the second set 11/5.
However the momentum in the fixture would change as Joseph won the third game 12/10. He would then level the matchup in the fourth set, winning by a 13/11 margin. The come-from-behind win would then be realized in the final set as Joseph won 11/8.
In the third place playoff of the female section, Akeila Wilshire downed Ashley DeGroot 4/11, 11/5, 11/8 and 12/10. Similarly clinching the third position in the men’s section was Regan Pollard who defeated Peter Michael DeGroot 11/6, 11/8/ 11/8.
In the Veteran’s 35-49 and Over 50 divisions, Alwyn Callender clinched both crowns while Medhi Ramdhani and Tariq Williams secured the second and third positions respectively in the 35-49 category.
Clinching the silver and bronze positions in the Over-50 category were Joe Mekdeci and Pedro Towers respectively.
In other results, Rebecca Low edged Makeda Harding 11/3, 5/11, 10/12, 11/8 and 11/9 while Adam Alves crushed Anthony Islam 11/7, 11/1 and 11/9 and Joshua Abdool edged Jonathan Hohenkirk 15/13, 8/11, 12/10 and 11/2.
Deje Dias crushed Alec Melville 11/7, 11/6 and 11/7 while Larissa Wiltshire overcame Taylor Fernandes 11/8, 8/11, 11/5 and 11/3.
On Saturday at the same venue, Fernandes dismissed Ashley DeGroot in straight sets 12/10, 11/3, 11/3 in the semi-final round while Khalil overcame Akeila Wiltshire in the second semi-final 11/7, 10/12, 11/3, 7/11, 11/4 to clinch her berth in the finale.
On the male side, Joseph downed Pollard in straight sets 11/8, 11/6, 11/6 during their semi-final affair while similarly Jason Ray-Khalil made light work of Peter Michael DeGroot in straight games 11/2, 11/0, 11/0 in their second semi-final.
In the other results, Callender crushed Medhi Ramdhani 11/3, 11/2, 11/7 while Abdool dismissed Alves 11/8, 11/9, 11/8, Hohenkirk defeated Islam 11/4, 13/11, 11/7 and Dias defeated Robert Fernandes via walkover.
