Badrinauth and Jeffrey retain squash titles
Guyana Chronicle
July 7, 2003
SHAWN Badrinauth and Denise Jeffrey successfully defended their crowns in the Broadband Wireless National Squash Championships at the Georgetown Club.
The tournament, which concluded yesterday afternoon, was almost a replica of last year’s finals.
In the men’s singles final, Badrinauth defeated Robert Fernandes 3-1.
Badrinauth who recently returned home victorious from the Barbados open, and second place in the St Lucian open, lost the first game 9-6. In the second game of the best of five the defending champion was down 2-0 but a pep talk to himself did the trick.
After that it was sheer class as Badrinauth played with strength and showed his athletic abilities with some diving shots.
The champion won three straight games 9-5, 9-4 and 9-1.
In the women’s singles finals it was a clash of the sisters, but unlike Saturday’s match-up between the Williams sisters in the Wimbledon finals, the younger was not victorious; Denise Jeffrey defeated her sister Kathy Shuffler 3-2.
Shuffler came out full of energy and dazzled the small crowd at the Georgetown Club; with her repertoire of shots that won her the first game 9-2. Jeffrey was however still confident and she stuck with her game plan, winning game two 9-3. In game three, Shuffler came out once again with that spark in her eyes but even though she did win, her elder sister made her work very hard, thus decreasing her energy level.
In games four and five Jeffrey got her second win while her little sister was showing signs of exhaustion. She won both games 9-5 and 9-3.
On Saturday night Jeffrey and Shuffler defeated their nieces Andrea and Kristina King 3-0 in the semifinals. The men were also dominant as Badrinauth won over Julian Chin 3-0 while Fernandes crushed Regan Pollard 3-0.
The Senior National Championship is the last local tournament before Guyana’s team heads to Barbados for the Senior Caribbean Championships, which will be played August 21-30.
The Guyana contingent will be known by July 15. It was disclosed that during this time that 2001 Male Caribbean Champion Luke Fraser will also state his availability for the championships.
Number one women’s player, Nicolette Fernandes has already indicated that she will most likely participate.
Prior to the Barbados seniors, Guyana will be the host of the Junior Caribbean Championships July 18-26.
Over 100 participants from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Bahamas will take part in the competition.