Challenger Events
Monte Carlo Classic: Whitlock and Turmel to Meet in Final
The top two seeds will face off in the Monte Carlo Classic final, after Emily Whitlock and Lucy Turmel came through contrasting semi-finals.
Playing Egypt’s Hana Moataz in the first semi-final, No.2 seed Turmel needed only three games to progress, though the 3-0 scoreline does not tell the full story.
After dominating the first two games, Turmel found herself 7-3 down in the third, prompting memories of the pair’s last encounter in New York.
On that occasion, at this year’s Tournament of Champions, Moataz overturned a two-game deficit to knock the English player out 3-2, but there would be no repeat here.
From 7-3 down, Turmel turned the tide back in her favour, winning eight of the next 10 points, letting out a huge roar in celebration after the stroke that handed her victory.
The second semi-final was the 22nd match to be played at this week’s tournament, and it became the first to go five games as Whitlock and Georgia Adderley went toe-to-toe in a back-and-forth battle that could have gone either way.
Whitlock had beaten the Scot 3-0 in each of their previous two encounters, and looked as though she might repeat the feat upon taking game one 11-7 here.
Adderley, though, ensured that would not be the case by winning game two 11-4, and while Whitlock cruised through game three 11-2, the No.6 seed hit back once again in the fourth.
She won it 11-8 to set up a decider, in which she was 7-3 up and just four points from an upset, but the Welsh No.2 showed her class in the deciding stages, edging eight of the last nine rallies to book her spot in the final.
Whitlock and Turmel will now meet for the third time on the PSA Tour, and the first since 2018, with the Monte Carlo Classic trophy on the line.
You can watch the final live here from 6pm GMT.
Results: Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt [6] Georgia Adderley (SCO) 3-2: 11-7, 4-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-8 (62m)
[2] Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt [4] Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (39m)
Draw: Women’s Final
[1] Emily Whitlock (WAL) v [2] Lucy Turmel (ENG)
