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22/08/2009 The seeds tumbled in key quarterfinals at the Inspire.Net New Zealand Squash Championships in Palmerston North this morning.
Sixteen-year-old Megan Craig, the 11th seed, upset the third seed Kylie Lindsay (Matamata) in a five-game thriller at the SquashGym this morning. |
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Craig, a member of the New Zealand junior team that played in the world championships in India earlier this month, came from 2-1 down to win the last two games 12-10 and 13-11 for the best win of her young career.
Craig (Blenheim) said she was thrilled with her efforts today, beating a player more than 70 spots above her in world rankings.
That was my best win ever. I didn't expect to get in the top four at senior nationals, Craig said.
I played last year and I was 26th seed. It was pretty awesome. I was pleased because I was down in the fourth. The key was keeping my head and think about where I was putting it.
At the other end of the spectrum, experienced Aucklander George Crosby ended the run of second seed Josh Greenfield, the local Palmerston North hope, in four games in the men's quarterfinal.
Crosby, who has taken up the game seriously again since returning to the country a year ago, beat Greenfield 11-6 11-6 7-11 12-10 to secure a semifinal spot for just the third time in his long career.
I was happy. I haven't played him (Greenfield) for eight or nine years. I'm very happy to make the semifinals. The last time was back in 2002, so it's a fair while ago.
My fitness has come back a lot, said Crosby who returned to New Zealand last year after working in London. I've had more time to play a bit more in the last year and I am really enjoying it. I would rate this definitely as one of my better wins.
The sixth seed Oliver Johnson (Dunedin) also upset proceedings when he accounted for the third seed Graeme Wilson (Auckland) in four games.
The other quarterfinals went to script with top seed Jaclyn Hawkes, second seed Joelle King and fourth seed Tamsyn Leevey safely through in the women's quarterfinals. In the men, top seed Kashif Shuja also qualified easily for the semifinal while fifth seed Alex Grayson (Auckland) progressed in straight games over fourth seed Evan Williams (Wellington).
In tonight's semifinals world number 16 Hawkes takes on Leevey and world number 39 King plays Craig in the women.
Defending champion Shuja plays Grayson in one semifinal while Crosby plays Johnston in the other.
Quarterfinal results:
Men: [1] Kashif Shuja (Auckland) beat [8] Scott Gardiner (Christchurch)
[5] Alex Grayson (Auckland)beat [4] Evan Williams (Wellington)
[6] Oliver Johnston ((Dunedin) beat [3] Graeme Wilson (Auckland) 11-9 11-5 7-11 11-8; [7] George Crosby (Auckland) beat [2] Josh Greenfield (Palmerston North) 11-6 11-6 7-11 12-10.
Women: [1] Jaclyn Hawkes (Auckland) beat [8] Amanda Landers-Murphy (Auckland)11-5 11-2 11-5 (20 mins); [4] Tamsyn Leevey (Wellington) beat [5] Lana Harrison (Auckland) 10-12 11-6 11-2 11-7 (31 mins); [11] Megan Craig (Blenheim) beat [3] Kylie Lindsay (Matamata) 9-11 11-7 6-11 12-10 13-11 (45 mins); [2] Joelle King (Hamilton) beat [7] Jackie Laurenson(Auckland) 11-2 11-0 11-4 (20 mins).
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