Gaultier, Laura emerge best

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Gaultier, Laura emerge best
Gregory Gaultier (left) scored a 11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 victory against Cameron Pilley.

Published: Sat 28 May 2016, 10:57 PM

Last updated: Sun 29 May 2016, 1:00 AM

Gregory Gaultier and Laura Massaro won the men's and women's titles in the third edition of the PSA World Series Finals on Saturday night.
The venue, next to the Buj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, saw Laura of England overcome a stiff challenge put up by Egypt's third seeded Raneem El Welily before winning 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5 in the summit clash of the women's event, while world number two Frenchman Gregory Gaultier had only to play at a lower gear for a 11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 victory over giantkiller Cameron Pilley of Australia in the men's title round.
"The efforts put in all these years especially for this tournament is all worth it in moments like this. Raneem was difficult to get past with her very effective style of play," said Laura during her on-court talk with the stage presenter.
Late on Friday night in the men's semis, Gaultier sent out Colombian world number five Miguel Angel Rodriguez and, Pilley shocked the pre-event favourite and world number one Mohamed Elshorbagy of Egypt, both matches finishing with 2-0 results.
Gaultier, who normally begins with forceful strokes from the word go, played a cool waiting game before taking advantage of Pilley's mistakes on the forehand to go ahead after a 15-minute long first set.
The second set saw Pilley tightening up quickly but the tactical superiority of Gaultier was evident once the five-point mark passed, and he went on to 8-5, 9-5 in no time.
The third set saw Pilley come out with better front court coverage to lead 6-4 when his opponent made a couple of rare mistakes. Pilley got on to 9-8 with forceful winners on the right corner in front. The point for 11 was a long wait for Pilley after he traded nearly 25 shots against a better organised Gaultier in one of the longest rallies of the match to reduce the lead (1-2).
In the women's action, set one was all about gauging the depth and touch of the returns as both hardly went for early kills in a bid to save energy in the best of five-set format final. There was hardly any early running or desperate long reach retrievals by Laura and Raneem.
Laura shot to 6-3 but Raneem soon came out with outstanding shots, looking relaxed and poised, and this did help as the Egyptian world number three went on to lead 7-6. The shot of the set was the disguised drop at the tin by Raneem with Laura going the opposite way for the Egyptian to lead 9-8. - moni@khaleejtimes.com

By Moni Mathews

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