London Open : Top seeds Moverley & Willstrop triumph

Finals

[1] Fiona Moverley (Eng) 3-1 Sabrina Sobhy (Usa)    8/11, 19/17, 11/9, 13/11 (49m)
[1] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-0 [2] Zahed Salem (Egy)    11/9, 11/7, 11/7 (50m)

Top seeds triumph in London

Malolm Willstrop reports

The finals of the London Open more than lived up to the occasion.

Top seeded Fiona Moverley faced the talented 9/16 seed Sabrina Sobhy from USA and they provided some speechless squash. Sobhy won the first game 11/9 and, sticking the ball with authority, threatened to lead 2.0. It was Moverley, though, who won a monumental second game 19/17.

Sobhy led again in the third, but Moverley took the game 11/9 aided by some quality backhand drops. Moverley took the fourth and the title again 13/11. it had been a quality match played in the best of spirit.

Following the women’s final was no easy matter, but James Willstrop and Zahed Saleem gave the crowd plenty to enjoy.

Willstrop, who has looked in a good form throughout the Championship, won the first two well contested games, finishing strongly in both games, 11/9, 11/7. Maintaining pace and accuracy be soon led 5-0 in the third and although Salem recovered, Willstrop won the third and the title 11/7.

Willstrop and Moverley expressed their thanks to sponsors, to the Cumberland club and to Zubair Jahan Khan, Obaid Jahan Khan and his team for all their effort in providing such a successful tournament. It was great to see the Legendary Squash player Hiddy Jahan, former world number two and Zubair’s brother, who watched the great finals.