Briggs bags Artemis title
29th January 2012Top seed Lauren Briggs claimed victory in the Artemis Edinburgh Open with a straight-games win over second seed Orla Noom in the final of the WSA $5k event at Edinburgh Sporting Club.
Unlike he earlier matches this weekend, Briggs came out firing on all cylinders from the word go, attacking strongly and keeping the pace high. Noom struggled to come to terms with it, subsiding 11/3 in pretty quick time.
The Dutchwoman found her footing from the start of the second though, slowing the pace effectively and finding some winners of her own. Briggs still led though, but never by much and when Noom levelled at 9-all with a backhand volley drop we had a real contest. It was Briggs who took the next two point though, both with winners driven deep, for a two-game advantage.
An early 3/0 lead for Orla in the third didn't last long as the top seed took seven points in a row to move within sight of the title. Another fightback from Orla made it 9/7, but a dropshot from Lauren with Orla stranded at the back brought up match balls 10/7.
A lob that dies at the back saved one, but a trademark drive deep into the back corner consigned Orla to a second successive runners-up spot, and the title was heading down to London.
"I went on with the intention of taking the game to her and put as much pace into it as possible. I got a good start, volleying when I could and putting her under a lot of pressures.
"In the second and third she got used to it, and slowed the pace a lot. You always have to be alert against her, she can turn her intensity on at any time and hit some good winners out of the blue, then her confidence really grows.
"It's good to be back playing tournaments again," said Briggs, "even better that after four matches my body is still in one piece! I'm off to Winnipeg tomorrow, it will be even colder than here !!"
"She didn't let me in at all in the beginning," admitted Noom, "so I tried to relax and slow it down as much as I could. I got into it but I wasn't moving as well a I would have liked, and in the end she was just too steady and too fast today.
"I guess I'll have to come back next year to see if I can make it third time lucky!"