TENNIS/Irish Women's Open: Sweden's Helena Norfeldt (19), despite being 459 places lower in the world rankings, ousted Ireland's last remaining player, Cork's Elsa O'Riain 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, in the semi-finals of the Ellesse Irish Women's Open championship at Castleknock yesterday. Pat Roche reports.
The Cork player's game betrayed her at vital stages to allow Norfeldt to break twice in the final set after O'Riain was a break up at 4-1. O'Riain looked odds on to win the title from the number three-seeded position following the defeat of Yvonne Doyle and the withdrawal of top seed Kelly Liggan.
Significantly, it was Norfeldt who ended Doyle's hopes in the quarter-finals. Unseeded, the Swede won for the second time this week after losing the opening set. She meets compatriate Jenny Lindstrom in today's final.
The first semi-final gave yet another example of a better world ranking being no guarantee for success. Lindstrom crushed the challenge of number four seed, Karina Jacobsgaard, with consumate ease despite being 177 places worse off than her Danish opponent.
Both players braved the dreary, wet conditions and played out their one-hour match in a drizzle with Lindstrom, who has dropped only one set so far, coming through 6-2, 6-1.
RESULTS: Singles, semi-finals: J Lindstrom (Swe) bt K Jacobsgaard (Den) 6-2 6-1; H Norfeldt (Swe) bt E O'Riain 3-6 6-2 6-4.
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