Nicolette Fernandes and Mary Fung-A-Fat will go head-to-head in the second semi-final on Monday evening in the Women’s Singles at the ongoing Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, being held in Guyana.
Fernandes, who dispatched of Bermuda’s Susie Howells in straight sets in the Round-of-16 on Sunday, then topped countrywoman Larissa Wiltshire 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 at the Georgetown Club Courts.
Fung-A-Fat also made light work of Trinidad’s Charlotte Knaggs 11-4, 11-5, 11-8.
The colossal clash pits Guyana’s current professional best, Fung-A-Fat, against the golden star of Guyana’s squash in Fernandes, who is eyeing her sixth title. Their duel is scheduled for 19:30h.
2017 Caribbean Under-19 champion Taylor Fernandes will meet current Under-19 champion Barbadian Megan Best in the first semi-final at 18:00h.
Taylor defeated Amanda Haywood in the quarter-final 11-3, 3-11, 12-10, 11-9. In 2017, Taylor had defeated his said opponent to win her first Caribbean title.
Best, the number one seed, cruised to a 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 victory over Eilidh Brigdeman in her quarter-final.
In the Men’s division, 49-year-old Richard Chin upstaged Jamaica’s number two seed Bruce Borrows in a marathon clash which went 11-8, 13-11, 4-11, 11-7. Chin plays Cayman’s Cameron Stafford in the semi-final at 20:15h.
Jamaica’s Christopher Binnie and Joe Chapman of Cayman Islands clash in the other semi-final from 18:45h.
What happened Sunday
On Sunday, Guyana had mixed fortunes in the Men’s and Women’s Singles, with marque player Nicolette Fernandes steamrolling into the next round.
Fernandes, who is competing for Guyana, the first time since the Pan-American Championships in September 2018, knocked the wind out of Bermuda’s Susie Howells to win in straight sets 11-5, 11-1, 11-2.
The former world number 19 ranked player, showed little signs of rust with some well-placed shots which had Howells rushing from corner to corner.
Reflecting on the performance, the 36-year-old stated she was happy, but there is room for improvement, as she and number one seed Barbadian Megan Best head for the final clash. Should Fernandes win, it would be her sixth Senior Caribbean title.
Other Guyanese ladies making moves to the quarter-finals were Larissa Wiltshire, who topped Trinidad’s Marie-Claire Barcant 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.
Mary Fung-A-Fat topped Lara Conolly of the Cayman Islands 11-4, 11-9, 11-5. Likewise, Jodi Smith-Padmore of Barbados lost to Taylor Fernandes 5-11, 5-11, 6-11.
The Men’s division was where Guyana had a torrid time, with just 49-year-old Richard Chin making it into the quarter-final. Chin came from behind to defeat Barbadian Bryant Cumberbatch 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5.
Shomari Wiltshire squandered a two-set lead to go down 2-3 to Jamaican Julian Morrison. After winning impressively 11-8 and 13-11, Morrison came back like a man on a mission to win 3-11, 7-11, 9-11.
National champion Jason-Ray Kahlil went down to Bajan Khamal Cumberbatch 11-7, 3-11, 9-11, 7-11. The final of both categories will be held on Tuesday evening at the Georgetown Club.
