The first round saw the top four seeds receive byes whilst there were other major upsets for the seeds. Liu Tsz-Ling had to withstand a spirited challenge from Australia’s Jane Kennedy whilst Selena Shaikh took four games to beat compatriot Natalie Newton. All the other first round matches were won in straight games.

The second round was comfortable for the top seeds, although fourth seed Sarah Cardwell and Czech second seed Olga Ertlova both took four games to beat Hong Kong’s Karmen Siu and Australia’s Aimee Slater respectively. Maggy Marshall was the only seed to lose as Megan Craig won a close opening game before easing to victory.

Quarter finals day saw Australian interest end after some tough battles. Number one seed Melody Francis, winner of four WISPA titles this year, surprisingly lost in the closest match of the day to Craig. Little separated the players throughout the match and it was Craig who was able to convert the vital points to take the deciding game on a tie break. Former North Coast Open winner Samantha Davies found Carmen Lee too strong in the end. Davies took the first two games before the third seed fought back to win in five games. Tsz-ling made it two Hong Kong’s players in the semi final beating Cardwell in four games. Tamika Saxby produced some wonderful winners but couldn’t break the consistency of Ertlova, losing in straight games.

The last day of the tournament featured both the semi finals and the final. Megan Craig continued with the good form that saw her beat Francis in the quarter final, coming from two games to one down to defeat third seed Carmen Lee. Hong Kong interest was kept alive though as Tsz-Ling beat second seed Ertlova in four close games. Ertlova won the opening game comfortably before Tsz-Ling began to find her range, the crucial third game tie break went to Tsz-Ling and she held onto her lead in the fourth to move into her first final.

The final between Craig and Tsz-Ling would not have been many people’s bets before the start of the tournament but the crowd were not disappointed as both players put on a display of high quality squash. Both players were seeking their first WISPA title and it was the Hong Kong girl who built up a two game lead. Craig, a finalist earlier this year in Australia, didn’t give up and started to produce some great winners and after some well constructed points she levelled the match at two games all. The deciding game was tough with little separating the two but it was Craig who faltered first, her previous two five setters taking their toll. Tsz-Ling took her opportunity and closed out the match 11-7 to secure her first WISPA title.

Results:

Final
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Megan Craig (NZL) 11/6 11/7 9/11 4/11 11/7 (42m)

Semi Final
Megan Craig (NZL) bt [3] Carmen Lee (HKG) 9/11 11/8 7/11 11/2 11/8 (38m)
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [2] Olga Ertlova (CZE) 4/11 11/6 15/13 11/8 (42m)

Quarter Final
Megan Craig (NZL) bt [1] Melody Francis (AUS) 10/12 14/12 5/11 11/8 13/11 (55m)
[3] Carmen Lee (HKG) bt Samantha Davies (AUS) 8/11 5/11 11/6 11/8 11/5 (38m)
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [4] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11/5 11/7 7/11 11/5 (28m)
[2] Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt Tamika Saxby (AUS) 11/7 11/7 11/7 (34m)

2nd Round
[1] Melody Francis (AUS) bt Grace McErvale (AUS) 11/4 11/4 11/5 (19m)
Megan Craig (NZL) bt Maggy Marshall (AUS) 14/12 11/4 11/5 (21m)
[3] Carmen Lee (HKG) bt Larissa Huffer (AUS) 11/5 11/8 11/7 (24m)
Samantha Davies (AUS) bt Christine Nunn (AUS) 11/7 11/3 11/0 (20m)
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Zoe Petrovansky (AUS) 11/4 11/7 11/3 (18m)
[4] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Karmen Siu (HKG) 11/6 11/4 8/11 11/8 (32m)
Tamika Saxby (AUS) bt Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11/2 11/3 11/2 (13m)
[2] Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt Aimee Slater (AUS) 11/9 11/3 5/11 11/6 (37m)

1st Round
[1] Melody Francis bye
Grace McErvale (AUS) bt Renelle Karwalski (AUS) 11/5 11/6 11/5 (20m)
Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt Iritana Gray (AUS) 11/3 11/5 11/5 (19m)
Megan Craig (NZL) bt Moana Gray (AUS) 11/3 11/7 11/8 (22m)
[3] Carmen Lee (HKG) bye
Larissa Huffer (AUS) bt Jessica Turnball (AUS) 11/8 11/7 11/5 (22m)
Samantha Davies (AUS) bt Nicole Stoneham (AUS) 11/2 11/3 11/4 (19m)
Christine Nunn (AUS) bt Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) 11/2 11/4 13/11 (17m)
Zoe Petrovansky (AUS) bt Natalie Sutter (AUS) 11/5 11/2 11/2 (18m)
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Jane Kennedy (AUS) 12/10 11/9 11/7 (43m)
Karmen Siu (HKG) bt Carin Clonda (EST) 11/5 11/2 11/4 (11m)
[4] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bye
Selena Shaikh (AUS) bt Natalie Newton (AUS) 11/9 11/2 7/11 11/8 (37m)
Tamika Saxby (AUS) bt Rachael Gibson (AUS) 11/0 11/6 11/4 (13m)
Aimee Slatter (AUS) bt Jennifer Brown (AUS) 11/4 11/4 11/9 (21m)
[2] Olga Ertlova (CZE) bye

Lorna Jane

Now ranked 13 in the world, Donna is the latest in a long line of top class sportswomen who have represented Australia on the world squash scene. The 24-year-old from Yamba in northern New South Wales was a member of the Australian team that won the Women’s World Teams Championships last December. She also won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year, and last month claimed her sixth title on the women’s professional tour when she took out the Indian Challenger in Chennai.

Donna, a keen surfer who also played hockey, touch football and athletics when she was growing up, says she is delighted to be part of the Lorna Jane team. “I love Lorna Jane’s ‘active living’ message, and I’m excited to be involved with a brand that is as driven as I am,” Donna said. “But I especially love the fact that I can be wearing an Australian brand when I’m competing overseas — a lot of the international players are always asking me what the brand is and where they can get it. “I have always hoped to be an inspiration to others, just like the female athletes who inspired me when I was growing up, and I am excited that Lorna Jane can help me do this in a bigger and better way.”

Lorna Jane was founded in 1989 when Lorna Jane Clarkson started the business in a small studio on the top floor of a fitness centre. Her inspiration? To make activewear that made women look and feel great. Shortly after, friends and gym members took notice of her unique designs and the request for orders began. Demand grew rapidly and the positive momentum quickly led to the very first Lorna Jane concept store opening in 1990. Since then, Lorna Jane has flourished into a multi-million dollar active brand with signature stores throughout Australia and overseas.

A brand that truly represents where fashion meets sport, Lorna Jane is a company focused on motivating women to achieve their best life through Active Living.

Men’s 1st round:

[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bye
Chris Lloyd (NZL) bt Rohan Toole (AUS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 (19m)
Luke Sims (AUS) bt Omar Kheiralla (EGY) 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 (42m)
[5] Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Timothy Manning (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 16-14 (52m)
[8] Sunil Seth (AUS) bt Bryce Redman (NZL) 11-3, 11-9, 13-11 (45m)
Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt Geoffrey Salmon (AUS) 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 (14m)
Michael Badenhorst (AUS) bt Matthew Bridle (AUS) 11-8, 10-12, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11 (52m)
[3] Chris Truswell (ENG) bt Wesley Cusick (AUS) 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 (20m)
[4] Josh Cardwell (AUS) bt Trae Menzies (AUS) 11-3, 11-2, 11-2 (24m)
Joshua Southwell-Nobbs (AUS) bt Bradley Williams (AUS) 12-10, 11-5, 11-8 (34m)
Courtney West (AUS) bt Dylan Swanson (NZL) 11-4, 15-13, 11-5 (30m)
[6] Basem Makram (EGY) bt Thomas Calvert (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (17m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt [7] Jamie Mcervale (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (21m)
Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) bt Sam Fife (AUS) 11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-2 (23m)
Joseph Watts (NZL) bt Ben Marschall (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (17m)
[2] Tyler Hamilton (CAN) bt Joshua Stack-Masula (AUS) 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 (15m)

2nd round:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-2, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6 (38m)
[5] Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Luke Sims (AUS) 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (25m)
Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt [8] Sunil Seth (AUS) 11-5, 5-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-3 (67m)
[3] Chris Truswell (ENG) bt Michael Badenhorst (AUS) 11-5, 11-2, 11-2 (15m)
[4] Josh Cardwell (AUS) bt Joshua Southwell-Nobbs (AUS) 11-0, 11-7, 11-9 (31m)
[6] Basem Makram (EGY) bt Courtney West (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 (26m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 (22m)
[2] Tyler Hamilton (CAN) bt Joseph Watts (NZL) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (22m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [5] Sebastian Weenink (NED) 11-3, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6 (50m)
[3] Chris Truswell (ENG) bt Lance Beddoes (NZL) 12-10, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)
[6] Basem Makram (EGY) bt [4] Josh Cardwell (AUS) 12-10, 12-10, 8-11, 2-11, 11-6 (71m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt [2] Tyler Hamilton (CAN) 9-11, 11-9, 12-14, 11-5, 11-5 (61m)

Semi-finals:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [3] Chris Truswell (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 1-11, 11-7 (38m)
[6] Basem Makram (EGY) bt Paul Coll (NZL) 13-11, 11-3, 12-10 (39m)

Final:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [6] Basem Makram (EGY) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 (24m)

Women’s 1st round:
Vanessa Pickerd (AUS) bt [12] Nicole Stoneham (AUS) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (19m)
Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [10] Jennifer Brown (AUS) 11-8, 12-10, 11-6 (24m)
Shana Smith (AUS) bt [11] Emily Stack-Masula (AUS) 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 (16m)
[15] Laura McCredie (AUS) bt Veronique Eldridge-Smith (AUS) 2-11, 11-1, 13-11, 11-9 (29m)

2nd round:
[1] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [13] Tiffany Loss (AUS) 11-2, 11-1, 11-4 (15m)
Vanessa Pickerd (AUS) bt [8] Grace Mcervale (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (26m)
[4] Samantha Davies (AUS) bt [16] Natalie Newton (AUS) 11-0, 11-7, 11-7 (16m)
Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [5] Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (24m)
[7] Challen Stowell (AUS) bt Shana Smith (AUS) 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
[3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [14] Iritana Gray (AUS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-1 (17m)
[6] Bethany Brazier (AUS) bt [15] Laura McCredie (AUS) 11-1, 11-4, 11-1 (13m)
[2] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [9] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 (16m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt Vanessa Pickerd (AUS) 11-0, 11-7, 11-6 (17m)
[4] Samantha Davies (AUS) bt Christine Nunn (AUS) 15-13, 11-8, 11-4 (20m)
[3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [7] Challen Stowell (AUS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (20m)
[2] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [6] Bethany Brazier (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (16m)

Semi-finals:
[1] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [4] Samantha Davies (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (23m)
[2] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 6-11, 11-3, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8 (57m)

Final:
[1] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [2] Melody Francis (AUS) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 (26m)

Mike Corren & Lisa Camilleri

Top-seeded Australian Mike Corren and Lisa Camilleri picked up where they left off last year when they took out their respective finals at the ACT Open squash championships today in Canberra, Australia.

South Australian Corren downed Egyptian Basem Makram 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event, while Queensland’s Camilleri was too good for Melbourne’s Melody Francis, winning the women’s WISPA World Tour Tour 4 event climax 11-6, 11-6, 11-3.

Both Corren and Camilleri were serial winners in Australian tournaments in 2010, Corren claiming eight titles during the year and Camilleri nine. And they showed no signs of easing off in 2011 as they wrapped up their matches at Woden Squash Centre in straight games. Camilleri, 28, was playing her first tournament of the year and said she had taken a while to settle into the match.

“I was a bit nervous at the start – a little bit too excited,” she said.  “But my coach Vicki Cardwell came down at the end of the first game and told me to slow down, but it took me a game and half to settle down.”

Camilleri said she had been suffering a stomach bug over the past few days and didn’t want to stay on court for too long.

“Melody has become a lot steadier over the past 12 months and looks to keep the rallies going, so I tried to volley everything.  I was really focused in getting off in three games.”

The title was Camilleri’s 16th of her career, while Corren chalked up title number 33 with his win.

“At the end of last year I made some changes and sorted some health problems out,” said 37-year-old Corren. For the last month I’ve felt like a new person and my movement has become so much better.”

Corren said Makram looked fatigued after fighting his way through some tough matches to make the final – and he made sure he took full advantage.

He said it was refreshing so many international players had come to Australia for the tour.

“Every guy I played here was different (from last year),” he said.  “I was the only Australian in the last four so I thought to myself ‘I don’t want these overseas guys coming here and winning our tournaments’.

“But it’s good for the younger guys to see different players and different styles of play.”

Corren now heads to Brisbane, where he is the fourth seed at the Hibiscus Gardens Open, while Camilleri has a two week break before the Westerfolds JDP tournament, where she is once again the top seed.

Vicki Cardwell and me at Westerfolds

It’s 2010 and I’m here in Melbourne having a fantastic summer of training and experiencing the happenings in Melbourne city. As you know this is the best time of the year to be here and what better way to spend it than training with former World Champions who happen to live here!

First week—I was training with former World Champion and 4-time British Open Champion, Vicki Cardwell at her club in Westerfolds. Her son Josh and daughter Sarah are in the squash circuit and I had a chance to get on court with Josh while training with other players working with her. She shared a lot of her experience while she was competing and it was great that she was willing to work with me.

Sarah Fitz-Gerald and me at the Kooyong Classic Tennis

After a week with Vicki, I was back in MSAC and Moorabbin following up my training with Sarah Fitz-Gerald, 5-time World Champion and 2-time British Open Champion. This is my fourth summer in Melbourne now and Sarah is always so welcoming. We’ve been working together with another squash player from South Africa, Cheyna Tucker while training with the group of players Sarah gets together for us. I always look forward to her experience—it’s a treat to be on the same court as her.

While I’m mainly here for Squash, another great part of being here in the summer would have to be the tennis events! Sarah was invited to a President’s Lunch at the Kooyong Club while the Kooyong Classic tennis tournament was going on and another squash friend of hers got tickets for us to watch the Australian Open tennis. We saw nearly all the top players at Kooyong and witnessed Rafael Nadal doing the opening match for the evening at the Rod Laver Arena. We had another squash friend of ours who plays a major role in the World Squash Federation and a loyal Hong Kong squash representative, Heather Deayton, join us to enjoy the tennis action at the Australian Open. The atmosphere is awesome that is why I always try my best to go every year.

Sarah, Cheyna and me at the Kooyong Club

Heather, Sarah, Cheyna and me at the Rod Laver Arena

As summer flew by, I met a lot of new people, took comfort with familiar faces and came across plenty of activities—all lined up to keep this city vibrant during the summer. I am looking forward to more training that is come during my stay here til the end of the month.

G’day to all from Down Under!