R1 : [10] Joshna Chinappa (Ind) 3-1 Julianne Courtice (Eng) 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10 (50m)
This was a match I think that refs will review to try and see why Joshna was so unhappy about in the last two games. If the first two games were pretty forward decision wise, with some great squash from both, Joshna hitting very hard and deep while Jules was finding an beautiful backhand drop shot again and again, the trouble for the Indian started when she kept asking for lets, but getting again and again refusals from centre ref John Massarella: 4 no lets in the 3rd, 3 in the 4th. To be noticed that she got 8 strokes during the match.
Basically, the ref told Joshna again and again that she was not going to the ball, but to her opponent, and sometimes also that the ball was too far. The India definitely didn’t didn’t agree with that interpretation of the game, and she got more and more frustrated.
Apart from that, it was a good game, both girls very respectful of each other, Jules making an average of 4 errors per game, which is logical when you think of her high percentage squash style. But really disputed games, 10m first game, 7, then 14 and 13 for the last one… Nice contrasting style of play, making the game extremely entertaining.
Julianne
It’s a bit of a tricky time, we don’t really get the preparation for matches we would like probably, and there are so few tournaments, with a couple of months in between, you want to make the best out of it really. You are trying to come on court relaxed, with a clear head, feeling comfortable, but it’s not easy.
It’s about trying to make each match a stepping stone, and not worry too much about the gap between each stepping stone. So back to work, regroup, and come back hopefully in a couple of months. But this crisis is somehow taking a high percentage of career time away from us…
Joshna
“There were a lot of long rallies and it was very physical,”
“But that’s what I expected coming in, Julianne is a tough player and a couple of games could have really gone her way as well and I should have definitely capitalised on that first game. She played well throughout the whole match and I found that I was playing well more in patches than for longer points consistently. You have to deal with that and try to come out on top, no matter how you’re playing.
“I think it’s so great that the PSA has come together to really support us. A lot of sports haven’t even started and we have at least played three tournaments, I think it’s amazing that PSA has kept us safe. Initially when I first came, my parents were worried but obviously the feedback from the other girls at Manchester were that it was great and a lot of testing. I’m so glad to be a part of the tour again. You just keep training and when the opportunity comes you fly out.”
