Gibraltar Squash Open 2021 Semi Final report

Gibraltar Open PSA Women’s Semi Final
Anna Kimberley (3)(ENG) vs Alison Thomson (2)(SCO)
The first women’s semi-final of the day was between the 2 and 3 seeds. The first game started off with points being exchanged to 9-9. The first game ball went to Thomson and was converted taking the game 11-9.
Thomson took an early lead in the second game and powered through to a 10-2 first game ball, converting the second one to take the game 11-3 and a 2-0 lead.
Thomson kept taking point after point in the third game building a 9-0 lead before Kimberley got on the scoreboard. Thomson eventually taking the game and match 11-1.

Gibraltar Open PSA Men’s Semi Final
Simon Herbert (ENG) vs Nick Wall (2)(ENG)
Simon Herbert came to court looking to claim another seed having already knocked out the second and eighth seeds. Second seed Nick Wall looked like the toughest challenge yet. The first game started evenly, but Wall started to creep ahead building a 9-6 lead. Herbert saved the first two game balls 10-7, 10-8 but Wall converted the third to take the first game 11-9.
The second game saw Wall again build up again a strong lead, moving quickly from 5-4 to 9-4 and converting his first game ball to take the game 11-5 and a 2-0 lead.
An exchange of points early in the third game to 5-5 looked like it could go either way. However, Wall strung together a set of points to get his first match point. Another trademark cross-court nick from Herbert saved the first one, but Wall won the second to book his place in the final.
Gibraltar Open PSA Women’s Semi-Final
Tessa Ter Sluis (1)(NED) vs Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP)
The second Women’s semi-final was between top seed Tessa Ter Sluis and Marta Dominguez Fernandez who had already claimed the scalps of two seeds. The first game started with both players swapping points to 5-5, when Dominguez Fernandez edged an 8-5 lead. Ter Sluis recovered to 8-8, but Dominguez Fernandez replied by getting the next three points to take the game 11-8.
Dominguez Fernandez came out of the blocks quickly to take a 7-0 lead. Ter Sluis pulled back 4 points,but Dominguez Fernandez got her first game ball 10-4. Ter Sluis saved three game balls but Dominguez Fernandez won the fourth to take the game and a 2-0 lead.
Dominguez Fernandez took a strong lead in the third game, getting her first game ball 10-1. Ter Sluis tried to come back but relentless ball retrieval from Dominguez Fernandez allowed her to take the game (11-3) and the match.

Gibraltar Open PSA Men’s Semi Final
Miles Jenkins (5)(ENG) vs Ivan Perez (6)(ESP)
With both players so closely ranked in both seeding and world ranking this game promised a real battle. The first game was characterised by long rallies, each trying to get their opponent out of position. With both players showing such excellent retrieval skills this meant exhausting long rallies. Jenkins edged ahead to get the game 11-7.
Jenkins built a 6-3 lead in the second game but Perez recovered to level at 6-6 and continued to get his own 3 point lead 9-6. Jenkins recovered to get game balls at 10-9, 11-10. Perez returned with game balls at 12-11 and 13-12, converting the last one to level the game 1-1.
Jenkins started the third in excellent form linking point after point after point to win the game 11-0.
Perez came back into the game in the fourth taking a 5-3 lead. This lead was extended to get the first game ball for Perez at 10-6. Jenkins recovered all of the game points to level the game 10-10 and get the first match ball 11-10. Perez came back again winning the next three points to take the game 13-11.
Perez worked a 7-3 lead in the deciding game. Jenkins recovered to 7-7 only for Perez to put together a string of points to get match ball at 10-8. Perez won at the first time of asking and progressed to the final