Pallikal, playing her ninth match in 10 days, looked too tired and foot-weary as she lost 4-11 3-11 3-11 in 25 minutes while playing the biggest match of her career in Venderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, on Thursday night.
Pallikal had created a flutter when she became the first Indian ever to reach the summit clash of a Silver event after clinching a three-set thriller against New Zealand`s Jaclyn Hawkes in the semifinals on Wednesday.
The final match-up was billed as a test of experience versus youth as 33-year-old Grinham, four-time former World Open finalist, and 20-year-old Chennai sensation Pallikal were out there to stamp their supremacy over each other in the USD 27,000 WISPA silver event.
But second seed Grinham taught her opponent a lesson about court coverage and strength. A mother of 19-month-old son, Grinham caught the seventh seed young sensation off guard and off balance for most part of the match.
The title triumph was Grinham`s third and biggest of her achievements since giving a birth to a baby boy. The former world No 2 seemed relentless in picking up every offensive effort that Pallikal threw at her.
"Dipika is quite handy with the racquet and she volleys quite well, so I made sure not to put the ball where she could easily reach it," said Grinham. She used length and width to keep Pallikal out of the middle of court. Her cross-court drop from the front left wall proved especially effective.
"I just did not have any strngth left in my legs," said Pallikal, India`s top ranked squash female player.