Top seeds take
Australian Open finals

Top seeds Dan Jenson and Natalie Grinham have claimed the Australian Open titles with victories over Cameron Pilley and Amelia Pittock in the finals in Adelaide.

Jenson, winning his second National title in a row, immediately set his sights on a hat-trick next year.

"It was pretty tough out there, it was great to come back after losing that opening game, and I'll be back next year to look for my third Australian Open victory," the 29-year-old told Australia's Seven News.

"There was a little bit more pressure on me this year as I was No.1 seed and hopefully this will be the springboard to moving back into the world's top 10.

"I really hope that this time next year I will be in that position, and realistically I've only got a couple of years left at the top."

Grinham claimed her first Australian title after losing out in the last three finals to Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

"This is one I've always wanted to win, especially after losing the last three finals, it's a fantastic feeling to have finally achieved this," she said.
 

• Reports

Dan Jenson

Men's Final:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt [2] Cameron Pilley (AUS)  4-15, 15-5, 15-8, 15-5

Women's Final:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [2] Amelia Pittock (AUS) 9-0, 9-0, 9-4


Men's Semi-finals:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt [4] Raj Nanda (AUS)  15-11, 15-12, 15-6
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [9] Simon Carruthers (AUS)  15-8, 15-11, 15-12

Women's Semi-finals:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [4] Dianne Desira (AUS)  9-2, 9-4, 9-1
[2] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [3] Heidi Mather (AUS)  9-2, 9-4, 9-7

Men's Quarter-finals:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt [6] Jason Mudge (AUS)  15-4, 15-8, 15-9
[4] Raj Nanda (AUS) bt [7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)  15-9, 15-6, 10-15, 15-12
[9] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt [3] Cameron White (AUS)  17-16, 14-17, 15-11, 15-11
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [12] Craig Rowland (AUS)  15-8, 10-15, 10-15, 15-4, 15-9

Women's Quarter-finals:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Kasey Brown (AUS)  9-1, 9-0, 9-0
[4] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt [5] Melissa Martin (AUS)  9-1, 9-3, 9-3
[3] Heidi Mather (AUS) bt [6] Karen Kronemeyer (NED)  9-7, 9-5, 9-2
[2] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [7] Amanda Hopps (AUS)  9-1, 9-1, 9-5

2nd round:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt [11] Bradley Hindle (AUS) 15-12, 15-6, 8-15, 15-9
[6] Jason Mudge (AUS) bt [14] James Stout (BER) 15-8, 7-15, 15-11, 15-10
[4] Raj Nanda (AUS) bt [10] Paul Davis (AUS) 15-5, 15-6, 15-10
[7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Takehide Hota (JPN) 15-6, 15-4, 15-5
[9] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt [5] Timothy Manning (AUS) 6-15, 15-9, 15-13, 15-4
[3] Cameron White (AUS) bt Steve Finitsis (AUS) 15-9, 15-9, 15-6
[12] Craig Rowland (AUS) bt [8] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 8-15, 15-4, 15-7, 17-16
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt James Rogers (AUS) 15-6, 15-6, 15-11

Men's 1st round:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bye
[11] Bradley Hindle (AUS) bt Christopher Lark (AUS) 15-4, 15-8, 15-4
[6] Jason Mudge (AUS) bye
[14] James Stout (BER) bt Jason Groves (AUS) 15-9, 15-5, 15-6
[4] Raj Nanda (AUS) bye
[10] Paul Davis (AUS) bt Ben Reece (AUS) 15-2, 15-10, 15-6
[7] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Joseph Desira (AUS) 15-3, 15-5, 15-5
Takehide Hota (JPN) bt [16] Scott Huffer (AUS) 15-6, 15-9, 15-8
[9] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt Darren Crowther (AUS) 15-11, 15-9, 15-7
[5] Timothy Manning (AUS) bye
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [15] Kirby Sinclair (AUS) 15-10, 17-16, 13-15, 15-9
[3] Cameron White (AUS) bye
[12] Craig Rowland (AUS) bt Faisal Riaz (PAK) 15-1, 10-0 ret.
[8] Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Bradley Freeme (AUS) 11-15, 15-12, 15-10, 15-9
James Rogers (AUS) bt [13] Tom Hoevenaars (NED) 15-9, 15-5, 15-8
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bye

Women's 1st round:
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Rachel Smith (AUS) 9-2, 9-0, 9-0
[8] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-6, 9-4, 9-6
[5] Melissa Martin (AUS) bt Mami Nishio (JPN) 9-5, 9-1, 9-2
[4] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt [Q] Sue Davis (AUS) 9-1, 9-0, 9-3
[3] Heidi Mather (AUS) bt [Q] Daniela Schumann (GER) 9-1, 9-2, 9-3
[6] Karen Kronemeyer (NED) bt Danielle Davis (AUS) 7-9, 7-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-4
[7] Amanda Hopps (AUS) bt Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 9-3, 1-9, 9-4, 9-6
[2] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [Q] Laura Keating (AUS) 10-9, 9-3, 9-3

Qualifying finals:
Rachel Smith (AUS) bt Wendy Crowther (AUS) 9-2, 9-2, 9-0
Sue Davis (AUS) bt Skye Millar (AUS) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1
Daniela Schumann (GER) bt Kimberley Bessell (AUS) 9-2, 9-3, 9-4
Laura Keating (AUS) bt Kylie Doherty (AUS) 9-1, 9-6, 9-4

 
Jenson set to defend Australian title

Former world number five Dan Jenson suffered a back injury in which put him out of the game for most of 2000 and 2001. Then, having started a comeback in 2002 it was a knee injury that kept him out of action for another six months.

But he came back again, and shortly after won his first Australian Open title,  beating Paul Price in the final, and is set to defend the title this week at the same venue, but this time as top seed.

"I'm happy with the way I am playing," he said. "I have had no injury problems in the past 12 months, a few niggles but no problems like previous years. "I'm reasonably confident. I'd like to think I can get through to the final but I will need to be on my game."

Jenson has risen in the rankings, more slowly than he would have liked, and stands just outside the top twenty, at number 21.

"There are a bunch of guys in the top 16 who I used to beat before the injuries," he said. "If I get myself physically stronger there is no reason I can't beat them. "I have to manage myself. At 20-21 you can train and play and not think about it. Now when I play a hard game it takes a couple of days to get over it."

New South Welshman Cameron Pilley is seeded to meet Jenson in the final on Sunday. A former Victorian, Queensland and West Australian Open winner, Pilley beat Jenson in straight games in last month's Papua New Guinea International in Port Moresby.

In the women's event  world No.5 Natalie Grinham, runner-up to Sarah Fitz-Gerald in the past three finals, is the top seed and hot favourite.. Grinham, the younger sister of newly-crowned world No.1 Rachael, has already won the Dutch Open this year and was a semi-finalist at last week's Brunei International. Amelia Pittock is the second seed.