Lambert labours as Schnoor soars

ISABELL Schnoor continued her dominance of women’s squash in Namibia after winning The Namibian-sponsored Ladies Closed squash final 3-0 against Adri Lambert at the Wanderers on Saturday.

The final was the culmination of a day’s hard play featuring 16 ladies in the competition proper and 8 entrants in the beginners’ tournament. Once again, as was the case in last month’s Top 16 final, Schnoor came up against Lambert, and unfortunately for Lambert, the result was the same.
However, in spite of going down 3-11, 8-11, 4 -11, the games were closer than the score line reflected. Lambert chased down everything Schnoor had to offer until she eventually ran out of steam and the former Isle of Man representative used her experience to push the match beyond her opponent with some deft volleys and consistently deep forehand drives.
Schnoor, who was pleased at her performance in the final, must make room on her mantelpiece for yet another trophy. ‘Adri played a very good game but I was more focused than the last time we played in the top 16. I was more awake, more alert and more rested…maybe (coach) Conrad Kronberg’s lessons are paying o. ‘Everything was good until the last game against Isabell. It is tough playing her. She has so much experience, we can only learn from her.’
And although the runner-up today, Lambert, was determined that she would come back fighting, ‘I can practise more and then I’m going to get fit and then we’ll see. I will beat her sometime.’
Sponsor Gwen Lister was enthusiastic about the event being split into ‘advanced’ and ‘beginners” sections: ‘There were some good matches played and I think most of the women really enjoyed it. I really do see that there are more and more new people coming to play and I think it is very important to have tournaments that include those sort of people so that they don’t feel excluded and think only the strongest people can join in. I was very thrilled with that.’
She added that the Schnoor/ Lambert rivalry is nothing but good for the game in Namibia, as it has ‘started a good challenge among the women that will definitely improve the standard of squash in general’.
With both players set to represent Namibia in the upcoming Country Districts in South Africa, the rivalry will be on hold for the immediate future, but you can bet that this isn’t the last time these two will fight it out in a major squash final.
chrisbuckland@rocketmail.com