Fernandes and Lust Set Up Granite Open Final Meeting

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Guyana’s Nicolette Fernandes and England’s Victoria Lust will compete for their first PSA World Tour titles of 2016 in the final of the Slaight Music and Roundtable Capital Granite Open, PSA W25 event after they managed victories over Dipika Pallikal and Fiona Moverley, respectively.

Fernandes went behind early on in the opening game of her fixture with last year’s runner-up Pallikal and found herself a game ball down. Some fantastic counter drops and cross court winners soon saw the World No.28 overturn Pallikal’s lead though to seize a one-game advantage.

A brief blood break disrupted play in the second but the battle soon resumed with some frantic attacking play from both players. Fernandes eventually got the better of the Indian No.2 with an extremely hard-fought 12-10, 11-9, 11-9 victory to move through to the final, where she will fight for a first PSA World Tour title since 2012.

“I just thought that was a beautiful, clean game of squash,” said Fernandes.

“We train so hard to play games like that. Squash prevailed, you know. I was just happy that I played well.

“Now I need to regroup and start again tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Lust halted the fine form of compatriot Moverley who had already caused a storm early on in the event when she eliminated former World No.2 Jenny Duncalf and seventh seed Samantha Teran. Moverley took the opener and seemed poised to continue her spectacular run but an assured display from Lust saw the World No.21 up the consistency of her shots to take the win in four games.

Results – Semi-Final: Slaight Music and Roundtable Capital Granite Open 2016
[4] Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-1: 5-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (41m)
[6] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-9 (62m)

Draw – Final
[4] Victoria Lust (ENG) v [6] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)