Fernandes beats Teran to advance to next round in Hong Kong

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Nicolette Fernandes

Guyana’s national squash player Nicolette Fernandes topped world number 15 Samantha Teran to make it past the first round of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open on Tuesday at the Cultural Centre, Hong Kong.
Fernandes, currently ranked at number 60 after a career best ranking of 27 in 2007, got pass Choi Uen Shanog Hong Kong and Lucie Fialova of Czech Republic with 3-0 wins to make it pass the first qualifying round and qualifying finals respectively for the tournament.
Facing Teran, who was ranked 11 in May, 2010, proved a challenging task for the overseas-based Fernandes. Losing a close first set to the Mexican that ended 10-12, Fernandes rebounded to win two sets straight at 11-9 and 11-8 respectively.
Teran then displayed why she was ranked the world number 15 when she dispatched Fernandes easily to win the fourth set at 11-5.
Fernandes rebounded again with some superb form in the fifth set to hold off the Mexican’s fightback winning at 11-6, and sealing her progression to the second round in the match that lasted 78 minutes.
Meanwhile, Fernandes will face an uphill battle going up against world number 11 Natalie Grinham from the Netherlands, whose highest ranking was number two in 2007.

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