Beachill & Grinham Lift US Open Titles
Lee Beachill and Natalie Grinham were each stretched for more than an hour in the finals of the US Open Squash Championships before ultimately lifting the trophies at the Murr Center at Harvard University in Boston – the third-seeded Englishman successfully defending the title he won last year at the Boston Symphony Hall for the first time, and top seed Grinham becoming the first Australian winner of the women's crown since Michelle Martin in 1998.
Since becoming world No1 last year immediately after winning the US Open title, Beachill has – by his own standards – had a disappointing year. After spending most of 2005 in second place in the world rankings, the 27-year-old from Pontefract in Yorkshire slumped to five this month – and was determined to re-establish his world authority in Boston.
But after taking the opening game in the final against second seed David Palmer, Beachill fell behind in the match as the Australian opened up a 2/1 lead.
This was the spur the England number one needed – and Beachill took the fourth game in a mere five minutes and 45 seconds, dropping just a single point in the process.
It was anyone’s title in the fifth and deciding game. It was neck-and-neck until eight-all – then Beachill surged ahead to take the match, and the title for the second year in a row, in an 11-7 9-11 8-11 11-1 11-8 scoreline.
The triumph took Beachill 84 minutes – and gives the Englishman his first PSA Tour title of the year, but the 14th of his career.
The women's final provided Natalie Grinham a similar confidence-restoring opportunity. Since hitting a career-high world No3 at the beginning of the year, the Netherlands-based Queenslander has failed to achieve her seeding in five of the seven WISPA World Tour events she played in up until October.
Then the 27-year-old from Toowoomba's fortunes changed – and the younger Grinham sister reached the final of both the British Open and Carol Weymuller Open in New York.
But it was third time lucky for Natalie in Boston as she defeated England's second seed Vicky Botwright 9-7 9-10 9-3 9-4 in 61 minutes to secure her first WISPA title since winning the Queensland Open in August last year.
“I relaxed a bit in the second, but was able to get my focus back and take the match,” said the delighted Australian afterwards. By her own admission, this is Grinham’s most prestigious title to date.
RESULTS: US Open Squash Championships, Murr Centre, Harvard University, Boston, USA
Men's Final:
[3] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [2] David Palmer (AUS) 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-1, 11-8 (84m)
Women's Final:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-7, 9-10, 9-3, 9-4 (61m)