Power & Kawy Triumph In Rye

12 Jan 2005

After securing only one PSA Tour title in 2004, Canada's Jonathon Power kicked off the New Year in fine style by winning the men's trophy in the Marsh & McLennan Apawamis Open in Rye, USA.

Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy claimed the women's title after a five-game victory over England's Vicky Botwright.

Second seed Power, the 30-year-old former world No1 from Montreal, had reached the final against Egypt's Karim Darwish, the No1 seed and defending champion, without dropping a game.

But after a lengthy tie-break in the opener, it was Darwish that took the lead. Power fought back, however, and won the next three games to take the 34th PSA title of his career in a 10-11 11-5 11-10 11-2 scoreline.

In the women's final, top seed Kawy twice fell behind against Botwright, the No2 seed. But the 19-year-old world junior champion from Cairo maintained the pressure to pull off a 5-9 9-1 2-9 9-7 9-5 victory to earn the second WISPA World Tour title of her career - almost exactly a year after securing the first.

Men's final:
[2] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt [1] Karim Darwish (EGY) 10-11 (4-6), 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2

Women's final:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 5-9, 9-1, 2-9, 9-7, 9-5