WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Central Squash Open, Palmerston North, New Zealand

2nd round:
[1] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt Kerry Wickett (NZL) 6-9, 9-2, 9-4, 9-2
[8] Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) bt Priscilla Wildsmith (NZL) 9-3, 9-2, 10-9
[3] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Rebecca Hawkes (NZL) 9-2, 9-3, 9-1
[5] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Joelle King (NZL) 10-8, 9-4, 9-1
[7] Louise Crome (NZL) bt Jackie Laurenson (NZL) 9-2, 9-1, 9-1
[4] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) 8-10, 6-9, 9-2, 9-1, 9-6
[6] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt Daniela Schumann (GER) 9-2, 9-6, 9-3
[2] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 9-0, 9-3, 9-2
Quarter-finals:
[1] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [8] Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 10-9, 9-0, 9-6
[3] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [5] Aisling Blake (IRL) 6-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-1
[4] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [7] Louise Crome (NZL) 9-6, 9-7, 10-8
[2] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt [6] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 9-3, 9-1, 9-3
Semi-finals:
[1] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [3] Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-3, 9-1, 10-9
[2] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt [4] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-7, 1-9, 9-6, 5-9, 9-1
Final:
[1] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [2] Dianne Desira (AUS) 9-7, 9-6, 9-1

Leevey Scores Second Title In Seven Days

New Zealand's Tamsyn Leevey has picked up her second women's WISPA World Tour squash title on home soil in the space of seven days.

The world number 31 from Wellington has captured the Central Open title in Palmerston North, just a week after winning the Taranaki Open in New Plymouth.

The top seed proved too good for Australia's Dianne Desira in the final, beating the second seed in straight games in just 32 minutes.  Leevey started slowly but fought back strongly to take the first game 9-7.  After an even battle early in the second, the kiwi again produced the better finish to win 9-6.  Leevey then stepped up a gear, romping to a 9-1 victory in the third.

Leevey says she's thrilled to pick up another title, adding that experience has played a significant role in the win:  "I haven't felt particularly confident about my game this week, but I knew if I hung in there I'd be okay.  I felt I had the edge over the rest of the field after winning in New Plymouth, and that's the way it's turned out."

The WISPA Tour now heads north for the Hamilton Open next weekend.  Tamsyn Leevey, however, will lose her top seed status for the event, with fellow kiwi and world number 14 Shelley Kitchen also playing.  Leevey says she'd like nothing better than to meet Kitchen in the final.  "I've enjoyed the last couple of weeks, but it's a far more exciting challenge to meet a top 20 ranked player."