Natalie Grinham

Last updated

Natalie Grinham
Natalie Grinham cropped.jpg
Full nameNatalie Marie Grinham [1]
CountryFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (until February 2008)
Residence Almere, Netherlands
Born (1978-03-16) 16 March 1978 (age 46)
Toowoomba, Australia
Height155 cm (5 ft 1 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Turned Pro1995
Retired2014
PlaysRight Handed
Coached byAllistair McCaw
Racquet used Dunlop
Women's singles
Highest rankingNo. 2 (February, 2007)
Title(s)15
Tour final(s)36
World Open F (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009)
Medal record
Women's squash
Representing Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2004 Kuala Lumpur Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2006 Belfast Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2007 Madrid Singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2005 Hong Kong Singles
World Team Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Odense Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2004 Amsterdam Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2000 Sheffield Team
World Doubles Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2004 ChennaiDoubles
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2006 Melbourne Singles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2006 MelbourneDoubles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2006 MelbourneMixed doubles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2002 Manchester Doubles
Representing Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Amsterdam Singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2011 Rotterdam Singles
World Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Kaohsiung Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Cali Singles
Last updated: 12 April 2022.

Natalie Marie Grinham (born 16 March 1978 in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian former professional squash player. During her career, she has won three Commonwealth Games Gold Medals, and finished runner-up at both the World Open and the British Open. She reached the World No. 2 ranking in 2007. She represented Australia in international squash competitions up to 2006. She is married to the Dutch squash player Tommy Berden, and took up Dutch citizenship in February 2008. Both Tommy and Natalie became the first husband and wife team to win a joint championship in squash after winning the respective trophies at the inaugural edition of the Tranzparanz Open in June 2006 which was held in Almere, Netherlands. [2]

Contents

Natalie's older sister Rachael Grinham is also one of the world's leading professional squash players.

Squash career

Grinham's most significant tournament victory to date came at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, where she represented Australia. She defeated World No. 1 Nicol David in the semi-finals, before going on to beat her sister Rachael in the women's singles final 2–9, 9–6, 9–1, 9–6 to claim the gold medal. She then went on to claim two more gold medals in the doubles competitions – partnering Rachael in the women's doubles, and Joe Kneipp in the mixed doubles. Natalie and Rachael had previously won a women's doubles bronze medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The sisters also won the women's doubles title at the 2004 World Doubles Squash Championships.

Grinham has finished runner-up at the World Open three times. In 2004, she lost in the final to Vanessa Atkinson 9–1, 9–1, 9–5; in 2006 she lost to Nicol David 1–9, 9–7, 3–9, 9–5, 9–2; and in 2007 she lost to sister Rachael 9–4, 10–8, 9–2. She was runner-up at the British Open in 2005, losing in the final to Nicol David 9–6, 9–7, 9–6.

Grinham is married to the Dutch squash player Tommy Berden and has lived in the Netherlands since 1999. She became a Dutch citizen in February 2008. She last represented Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Under the World Squash Federation's current rules, players must wait for three years before becoming eligible to represent a different country. Accordingly, she has represented the Netherlands from 2009 onwards. [3]

Grinham gave birth to her first child in May 2010. She however made a quick comeback to the game winning the Women's Atwater Cup in Canada, upsetting third seed Joelle King in the final of the WISPA World Tour Silver 20 event in March 2011, less than a year after the birth of her son. [4]

World Open

Finals: 4 (0 title, 4 runner-up)

OutcomeYearLocationOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up 2004 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Flag of the Netherlands.svg Vanessa Atkinson 9–1, 9–1, 9–5
Runner-up 2006 Belfast, Northern Ireland Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 1–9, 9–7, 3–9, 9–5, 9–2
Runner-up 2007 Madrid, Spain Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rachael Grinham 9–4, 10–8, 9–2
Runner-up 2009 Amsterdam, Netherlands Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 3–11, 11–6, 11–3, 11–8

Major World Series final appearances

British Open: 1 finals (0 title, 1 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2005 Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 9–6, 9–7, 9–6

Hong Kong Open: 1 final (0 title, 1 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2007 Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 9–3, 9–5, 10–8

Qatar Classic: 2 finals (0 title, 2 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2006(/07) Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 9–7, 2–9, 9–7, 9–2
Runner-up2008 Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 11–7, 11–3, 11–9

Malaysian Open: 1 final (0 title, 1 runner-up)

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2008 Flag of Malaysia.svg Nicol David 11–1, 11–4, 11–6

Rivalries

Natalie Grinham in action Natalie Grinham 2.jpg
Natalie Grinham in action

Natalie vs. Nicol David

Natalie Grinham and Nicol David have a long rivalry history. They have met 30 times during their careers, with Nicol leading their overall head-to-head series 23–7. Nicol is Natalie's most frequent opponent on tour. 16 of their matches have been in tournament finals, including two in the World Open tournament. The World Open 2006 final between Natalie and Nicol is dubbed to be one of the greatest in the Women's World Open history. [5]

See also

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References

  1. "Australian women biographical entry". Womenaustralia.info. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  2. Info, Squash. "Squash Info | Berden & Grinham Record First Husband & Wife Win | Squash". www.squashinfo.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. Natalie goes Dutch
  4. "Grinham Back on Winner's Podium in Montreal". WorldSquash.org.
  5. "Nicol David fights to the death for her second World Open title". Squashtalk.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2010.