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20/04/2010 - Top seed Tamsyn Leevey from Wellington took out the DWYERtech Services Palmerston North Women's Open title in style yesterday crushing Megan Craig from Blenheim in 3 straight games. |
Leevey proved too classy for the no. 3 ranked NZ Junior Craig dominating from the outset and never taking her foot off the throttle. The match played in front of a good crowd at SquashGym lasted little more than 15 minutes. Leevey is on the comeback trail after having represented NZ at previous Commonwealth games and World Championships.
‘My goals this year are to make the Commonwealth games team to go to India and then the team for the World Teams Championships to be hosted in Palmerston North', Leevey said. Tamsyn also alluded to enjoying coming to Palmerston North to play and has been doing so for a number of years.
Local junior star Danielle Fourie beat Rebecca Barnett (Wellington) to take third place after being beaten by Megan Craig on Saturday in the semi finals.
In the Men's Open, two local players Ant McLeod and Joseph Watts did battle in the final. McLeod (top seed) and Watts (second seed) were predicted to make it through. Watts cruised through to the final beating another local Tom Nash in the semi finals in three straight. McLeod had a harder semi final taking five sets to beat Mike Martin from Waikato.
This was always going to be a close match between two fierce competitors, particularly with McLeod known for his on court physicality. Both players were in last year's SquashGym team that won the NZ Club Champs (Cousins Shield).
In a tight match Watts defeated the higher seeded McLeod 3 games to 1. Watts has been training with NZ Squad members in Auckland over the past two weeks and said, ‘it was great to get back on my home courts and play in front of family and friends'.
Overall there were 150 entries in this year's tournament making it one of the biggest Palmerston North Opens in recent times. With DWYERtech Services on board as sponsor for another two years the tournament has a bright future.
Photo: Joseph Watts on his way to winning the men's title.
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