NEW YORK — Olivia Blatchford experienced the ecstasy of victory and the agony of defeat all in one heart-wrenching match at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions squash tournament on Monday afternoon.
One moment the Wilton, Conn., native raised her arms in triumph and let out a big “oh yeah” when she thought she had won match point in the fourth game of her second-round match against Sarah-Jane Perry of England.
But, that was dashed when the referee ruled a “let” ball on the point. Perry went on to win that point and survive three more match points to win the fourth game and send the match into a fifth and decisive game.
Minutes later, Blatchford dejectedly walked off the glass-enclosed court under the ornate chandeliers of Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, a 7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 15-13, 11-7 loser to break down in tears with friends and her coach.
“It hurts when you get that close and lose,” said her coach Natalie Grainger, who has been the architect behind Blatchford’s huge jump in the world rankings to No. 13 in the world in the last 12 months. “This was heart-wrenching. She played well enough to win.
“Where she is in the rankings to move up sometimes you just need to be a little lucky to get that big win,” said Grainger.
For the opening two games it didn’t look like the spunky 24-year-old Blatchford was going to need any luck as she dominated the Englishwoman with her shot making.
But, Perry, number eight in the world, stiffened and would not go away, slowly turning the tide of the match.
Despite the disappointment, Grainger was still upbeat.
“She hung in there even after the fourth game,” said Grainger. “She will fight again.”