GUYANA’S world-renowned squash sensation Nicolette Fernandes pranced into the second round (last 16) of the main draw at the Women’s Squash Association’s (WSA) 29th Women’s World Championships in Penang, Malaysia, on Tuesday.To get there, Fernandes once again completed an emphatic come-from-behind win against former world number one Rachael Grinham of Australia (4-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7). Grinham, who won the Women’s World Title in 2007, won the first two games of the gripping encounter 11-4, 11-6. Fernandes found herself in perilous, but familiar circumstances against the current world number 15, but unleashed her aggressive side, her inner ‘lion’, to take control of the match.
Fernandes, who is currently ranked 20th in the world, was interviewed following her match and had this to say about her unbelievable comeback.
“The game changer, you guys will probably laugh, but I told myself to go in there and be a lion. I was too passive before and I needed to be more in it and be an animal on court.” Fernandes said according to Thatsquashthing.tumblr.com.
Utilising her animal instincts, Fernandes captured the third game 12-10 before completing the dramatic victory with stunning back-to-back wins in the fourth and fifth games 11-8 and 11-7. The match lasted an hour and three minutes.
Fernandes had previously defeated the former world champion Grinham in December 2012 in the first round of the main draw of the Women’s World Squash Open in Cayman Islands. Coincidentally, Fernandes had lost the first two games and strangely enough, she had also won the third game by the score 12/10. Fernandes was ranked 48th in the world at that time.
The 37year-old Grinham had been celebrating a milestone as she made her debut at the World Championships 20 years ago.
In the second round of the main draw (last 16), Fernandes will face France’s 24-year-old, six-time national champion Camille Serme today.
Serme is currently ranked number six in the world and has played Fernandes a few times in the past. The two met at the Kuala Lumpur Open in Malaysia, March 2013 and Serme had prevailed in straight games. (Kiev Chesney)