The top seeds Shawn Badrinath and Karen Meakins both looked in terrific form in their respective semi-finals as action continued in the Playfair Ltd. / Federal Bookmakers Barbados Squash Open on Friday night, June 23rd at the Barbados Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church.
Meakins, a six-time Barbados Open Champion, and the best player in Barbados this decade was too good for Jenny Armstrong who battled away gamely but lost in straight games 9/1 9/3 9/3. In the ladies final Meakins will face 16 year old Victoria Lust from England. Lust defeated in straight games the #2 seed Sonia Perkins who unfortunately twisted her ankle when leading 5/3 up in the second game. Perkins bravely tried to continue but eventually had to retire when 2/4 down in the third.
The two Men’s semi-finals were a complete contrast. First the top seeded Guyanese, Shawn Badrinath, demolished Steve Smith the #4 seed from Jamaica 9/1 9/3 9/3 in 25 minutes of non stop attacking play. Badrinath started at a frenetic pace and used his full array of drops, volleys and punishing boasts to totally dominate the front court and never allowed the stylish Smith any time to settle into a rhythm. It was an awesome display by Badrinath who will be the overwhelming favourite to lift the coveted Barbados Open trophy for the fifth successive time. In the final will be the top local player this decade, Gavin Cumberbatch who gained a measure of revenge with a straight games victory over his long time friend and rival, Shawn Simpson, who had beaten him in two of their last three meetings, including in this year?s Men’s national final. Powerful drives and incredible retrieving were the order of the day in this 48 minute match, the longest of the night. All three games were very close but in each one Cumberbatch managed to find a way to win the last two points to triumph 9/7 9/6 9/7.
In the ladies plate final, Carla Jackson fought back from 0-2 down to defeat former junior champion Tracy Roett in five games while in the Men’s B plate final David Lewis overcame the tricky Orson Simpson 3-1. In the Men’s A 5/8th place semi-finals Colin Ramasra (Trinidad) beat Nigel Griffith 3-2 after being 0-2 down and Shane Slater (St. Vincent) continued to impress by overcoming Frenchman, Fabien Magne in straight games.
Full results from Day 5 on June 23rd are as follows (all players from Barbados unless stated otherwise):
Ladies Semi-final: #1 Karen Meakins defeated #5 Jenny Armstrong 9/1 9/3 9/3
Ladies Semi-final: #4 Victoria Lust defeated #2 Sonia Perkins 9/0 9/5 4/2 (retired)
Ladies Plate Final (9th Place): Carla Jackson defeated Tracy Roett 6/9 4/9 9/2 9/5 9/2
Men’s A Semi-final: #1 Shawn Badrinath (Guyana) defeated #4 Steve Smith (Jamaica) 9/1 9/3 9/4
Men’s A Semi-final: #2 Gavin Cumberbatch defeated Shawn Simpson 9/7 9/6 9/7
Men’s A 5/8th Semi-final: Colin Ramasra (Trinidad) defeated Nigel Griffith 2/9 1/9 9/3 9/2 9/6
Men’s A 5/8th Semi-final: Shane Slater (St. Vincent) defeated Fabien Magne (France) 9/2 9/7 9/3
Men’s B Plate Final: David Lewis defeated Orson Simpson 9/2 9/5 0/9 9/2
All finals will be contested between noon and 5:30 p.m. this afternoon (Saturday) June 24th at the BSC [427-7913]. The trophy presentation ceremony will be held at the BSC on Saturday evening at the conclusion of the last scheduled match, the Men’s final. The ladies final will be between six-time B?dos Open champion Karen Meakins and the English teenager, Victoria Lust, the current British Under-17 champion. The men’s final will see a repeat of the 2001 and 2002 finals between the top seed and defending champion Shawn Badrinath (Guyana) and the top local player Gavin Cumberbatch.
