RESULTS: A1 Homes Women's New Zealand Squash Open, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
Qualifying finals:
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)
Joelle King (NZL) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (46m)
Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-5 (34m)
Line Hansen (DEN) bt Melody Francis (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (27m)
Men's New Zealand Classic, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
Qualifying finals:
Leo Au (HKG) bt Cheng Yao Huang (TPE) 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5 (45m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Hon Fung Wong (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (28m)
Jacob Alexander (AUS) bt Luke Forster (AUS) 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (30m)
Evan Williams (NZL) bt Peter Taylor (AUS) 11-4, 14-12, 5-11, 11-8 (55m)
Kiwi Joelle King showed her fighting spirit to come from two games down to qualify for the main draw of the A1 Homes New Zealand Women’s Squash Open at Bayfair in Mount Maunganui in New Zealand today (Wednesday).
The 20-year-old from Hamilton is the lowest-ranked of four players to win through from qualifying and will take her place in her first-ever WISPA World Tour Gold main draw, which has attracted seven of the world’s top 10 vying for the $55,000 prize fund.
World No39 King overcame talented Australian left-hander Donna Urquhart, ranked eight places higher in the world, eventually prevailing 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 after 46 minutes.
She joins world number 23 Engy Kheirallah (Egypt), world 38 Lisa Camilleri (Australia) and world 28 Line Hansen (Denmark) as the four qualifiers into the main draw.
King made a tentative start as Urquhart dominated the opening two games. The kiwi, who won the Australian Open last month, found better length and dominated the rallies to win the next two games to force the match into the deciding fifth game.
Both players fought strongly with the lead changing hands six times in the decider before being tied at 9-9. King dug deep to win the final two points for victory.
"It’s great to make it into a main draw of a tournament of this level," said King, who now meets Australia's former world number one Rachael Grinham, the third seed, in the first round. "I really struggled early on. I was really nervous playing at home in front of friends and family.
"I was very tentative and just did not see the ball well at all right through. So to come back and win is pretty special. To win over a player as good as Donna when you are not playing well gives me real confidence.
"I know I will need to step up tomorrow in the first round and will need to play a lot better."
Earlier Kheirallah was impressive in despatching Hong Kong's world number 37 Joey Chan in straight games 11-8 11-7 11-8.
The 27-year-old from the squash-mad city of Cairo said she was pleased with her performance after struggling with lack of recent tournament play and jet lag. Her last tournament was in June.
"I felt much better today. I struggled yesterday and did not feel that good. It is a long flight from Cairo. And I have not been in a big tournament for a little while. This is my first Gold Star this year."
Camilleri was made to work hard against Kylie Lindsay, the three-time New Zealand junior champion who is now based in the squash stronghold of Halifax in northern England. The young kiwi came from two games down to claim the third game but was beaten 11-9 11-4 10-12 11-5.
Hansen was too classy for talented young Australian Melody Francis, winning in straight games 11-6 11-9 11-9.
There is a further New Zealander in the main draw for the New Zealand Men’s Classic, the $10,000 PSA World Tour event. Evan Williams, from Wellington, won through in his second round match to join the other qualifiers Leo Au (HGK) and Australians Rex Hedrick and Jacob Alexander in the main draw starting tomorrow.
The key match tomorrow pits New Zealand’s Jaclyn Hawkes, world number 15, against the top seed and world number two Natalie Grainger (USA) - while top-ranked Kiwi Shelley Kitchen meets a tough first-up opponent in Hong Kong’s Annie Au.
Updated Women's 1st round line-up:
[1] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)
[6] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Kasey Brown (AUS)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Joelle King (NZL)
[5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [Q] Lisa Camilleri (AUS)
[7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Annie Au (HKG)
[4] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) v [Q] Line Hansen (DEN)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Rebecca Chiu (HKG)
Updated Men's 1st round line-up:
[1] Kashif Shuja (NZL) v Alex Grayson (NZL)
[8] Anson Kwong (HKG) v [Q] Jacob Alexander (AUS)
[3] Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [Q] Leo Au (HKG)
[5] Zac Alexander (AUS) v Nathan Stevenson (AUS)
[7] Justin Beard (AUS) v Wai Hang Wong (HKG)
[4] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) v [Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS)
[6] Joshua Greenfield (NZL) v [Q] Evan Williams (NZL)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) v Graeme Wilson (NZL)