Australian
cousins Cameron Pilley and Donna Lobban struck double Doubles gold on
the final day of action in the WSF World Doubles Squash Championships as
hosts Australia claimed eight medals across the three events at the
Carrara Squash Centre on the Gold Coast.
Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly defended their world title, again claiming gold
in the men's event with victory over fellow Australians Zac Alexander
and Rex Hedrick.
Cuskelly and Pilley set the tone early racing to a lead in the first
game and taking it convincingly 11-5. In the second, Alexander and
Hedrick fought hard with Cuskelly taking issue with a number of
refereeing decisions. The experienced duo from New South Wales managed
to prevail in the second to secure a second straight world championship
title.
"That second game was very much 50-50 and could have been anyone's but
very happy that we pulled back that deficit at the end of the last one,"
Pilley said after the medal ceremony (pictured below).
Cuskelly added: "They had us a little nervous at the end but they played
some good squash - we're just happy to have got the job done."
Pilley partnered Lobban to take gold in the mixed decider as well
(pictured below). The combination, which was victorious at the 2018
Commonwealth Games, again proved too strong against compatriots Ethan
Eyles and Christine Nunn, winning 11-5, 11-8.
17-year-old Eyles, making his Australian senior debut, was impressive in
the final against his more experienced opponents.
Nunn added to her silver medal in the mixed and Lobban to her gold, with
the pair teaming to win gold in the women's doubles event.
The experienced duo, who were partnered for the first time in this
tournament, were pushed by fellow Australians Sarah Cardwell and Jessica
Turnbull.
Lobban and Nunn claimed a tight first game 11-9 and were up 2-0 in the
second game before a heavy collision between Nunn and Cardwell sent the
latter to the floor. Cardwell hit her head in the fall, but was cleared
by medical staff and was able to resume the match.
Lobban and Nunn stayed composed despite the delay in play and went on to
win the second 11-4.
"I'm really happy with how we played and stayed focus throughout the
tournament," Nunn (pictured below at the medal ceremony) said.
"It's been a good week and we've been able to build on every match."
The two said their immediate concern after the match was for the health
of their team-mate (Cardwell) but were elated with the result.
Victorian pair Taylor Flavell and Selena Shaikh ensured an Australian
clean sweep of the medals, defeating Colombian sisters Maria Tovar and
Laura Tovar in the 3rd-place play-off in the Pool 11-6 11-8.
World Doubles images courtesy of Craig Stewart,
Brisbane Sports Photography
RESULTS: WSF World Doubles Squash Championships, Gold Coast, Australia
Men's semi-finals: [1] Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [3] Andrés Herrera &
Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 11-5, 11-7 (23m)
[2] Zac Alexander & Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [5] Jean-Pierre Brits & Christo
Potgieter (RSA)
11-9, 11-4 (35m) Women's 4th Pool round: [2] Sarah Cardwell & Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [3] Laura Tovar &
Maria Tovar (COL)
11-8, 5-11, 11-5 (26m)
[4] Taylor Flavell & Selena Shaikh (AUS) bt [5] Jemyca Aribado & Aysah
Dalida (PHI)
11-7, 11-6 (18m) Mixed semi-finals: [1] Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [3] Alex Haydon & Zac
Alexander (AUS)
11-7, 11-9 (18m)
[4] Christine Nunn & Ethan Eyles (AUS) bt [2] Catalina Pelaez & Matias
Knudsen (COL)
11-10, 11-6 (24m)
Hosts
Australia are guaranteed gold medals in all competitions after
dominating day four of the WSF World Doubles Squash Championships at the
Carrara Squash Centre on the Gold Coast.
In the men's competition, defending world champions Cameron Pilley and
Ryan Cuskelly overpowered their Colombian opponents Andrés Herrera and
Juan Camilo Vargas to have another shot at gold.
The pair from New South Wales won the match 11-5 11-7 and will face a
challenge from second-seeded compatriots Zac Alexander and Rex Hedrick
in the final.
"I thought we played really well, we probably lost a bit of
concentration in the second where the ball got a little bit dead after
the first game, but overall very confident," Cuskelly said.
Pilley added: "We haven't played together since the Commonwealth Games
over a year ago so we are getting better with each match and getting
more confident."
Alexander and Hedrick were pushed by gritty South African duo
Jean-Pierre Brits and Christo Potgieter (all pictured above), with the
Australians eventually winning 11-9 11-4.
"They (the South African pair) have looked dangerous the whole time and
they've had some good results, so we knew it was going to be tough and a
bit tricky but we thought we'd stick to our guns and do what we do
well," Hedrick said.
Partner Alexander added: "For us as a team it is getting through the
first couple of points at the start of the game and the other boys (Cuskelly
and Pilley) are so strong and attacking and are pretty much top 20 in
the world still so we are the underdogs for sure."
With no bronze medal playoff at the WSF World Doubles, both the
Colombian duo and the South African pair will take home bronze.
Pilley will have a shot at a second gold in the championships when he
pairs with cousin Donna Lobban in the mixed doubles final. Pilley and
Lobban, the defending Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold medallists,
won through against Alexander and 17-year-old South Australian Alex
Haydon 11-9 11-7.
"It is nice to not play your absolute best and still come off with a
two-nil win so we will take that," Lobban (pictured below) said.
"We thought our Aussie team-mates played really well today and it was a
good game, so yeah we're happy to be in the final."
Making his senior Australian debut at the tournament, Ethan Eyles (also
17-years-old) will play off in the gold medal match with his partner
Christine Nunn. Eyles and Nunn tamed their more experienced opponents,
Catalina Pelaez and Matias Knudsen of Colombia, 11-10 11-6.
Australia will take gold in the women's doubles competition as well,
with the final round robin match between Lobban/Nunn and Sarah
Cardwell/Jessica Turnbull to determine the final position.
Cardwell and Turnbull are guaranteed a silver medal at worst on the
final day, after defeating Colombian sisters Laura and Maria Tovar 11-8
5-11 11-5 in what was day four's tightest match.
The Colombian pair will be looking to stop an Australian clean sweep of
medals, when they play Taylor Flavell and Selena Shaikh on the final
day. The Victorian pair, who are making their national team debut in the
tournament, defeated Jemyca Aribado and Aysah Dalidah of the Philippines
11-7 11-6 on the penultimate day to give themselves a shot at world
championship bronze.
FINAL DAY SCHEDULE
Women's pool match (gold medal playoff) Donna Lobban & Christine Nunn (AUS) v Sarah Cardwell & Jessica
Turnbull (AUS)
Men's Final: [1] Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [2] Zac Alexander & Rex
Hedrick (AUS)
Mixed Final: [1] Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [4] Christine Nunn & Ethan
Eyles (AUS)
World Doubles images courtesy of Craig Stewart, Brisbane Sports
Photography
World Doubles images courtesy of Craig Stewart, Brisbane Sports
Photography
Mixed Pool A: [1] Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [4] Christine Nunn &
Ethan Eyles (AUS) 11-4, 11-5 (11m) Pool B [2] Catalina Pelaez & Matias Knudsen (COL) bt [7] Aysah Dalida &
Reymark Begornia (PHI) 11-3, 11-9 (19m)
[3] Alex Haydon & Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [6] Colette Sultana & Kijan
Sultana (MLT)
11-5, 11-7 (12m)
Host nation Australia will head into the knockout stage of the WSF World
Doubles Squash
Championships at the Carrara Squash Centre as gold medal favourites
after the top seeds charged into all semi-finals.
In the mixed doubles competition, reigning Commonwealth Games gold
medallists Donna Lobban and Cameron Pilley cruised through the pool
phase to finish undefeated.
The cousins from Yamba in New South Wales (pictured in action above)
defeated fellow Australian's Christine Nunn and Ethan Eyles 11-4 11-5 to
top pool A. Nunn and Eyles, who are teaming for the first time, will
also progress to the semi-finals where they'll face a tough matchup
against Colombian pairing Catalina Pelaez and Matias Knudsen.
The second-seeded Colombians have impressed throughout the tournament,
finishing undefeated at the top of Pool B. 17-year-old South Australian
Alex Haydon will also feature in the semi-finals alongside partner Zac
Alexander, with the duo finishing second in the pool (only losing to
Colombia).
Pilley is also chasing gold in the men's draw, where he is again yet to
be beaten, this time with partner Ryan Cuskelly. The pair from New South
Wales, who are defending champions in the event, defeated Australian
siblings Nick and Tom Calvert to lock up top spot in Pool A.
"It was a pretty good match, it was tight early but as experienced
campaigners we managed to get our way through and we're happy to be
through to the semis," Cuskelly said.
The Calvert brothers faced a morning matchup against South Africa's
Jean-Pierre Brits and Christo Potgieter which effectively decided the
other semi-finalist from the pool. The gritty South Africans prevailed
11-1 11-4 to finish second behind Pilley and Cuskelly. The South African
pair have self-funded their trip and have provided some of the most
entertaining matches of the tournament so far.
Brits and Potgieter will have to overcome the second seed Australian
pairing of Zac Alexander (pictured below) and Rex Hedrick, who also
cruised through their pool undefeated. Colombian pair Andrés Herrera and
Juan Camilo Vargas will also progress to the semi-finals.
"We are excited to have made the semis and it was great to play against
Zac and Rex and I think we played ok," said Vargas.
"Tomorrow will be a good match against Pilley and Cuskelly and we'll
give it everything."
In the women's round robin competition, Australia is on track to claim
both gold and silver with Donna Lobban/Christine Nunn (top) and Sarah
Cardwell/Jessica Turnbull (second) topping the pool. Colombian sisters
Maria and Laura Tovar continue to sit in the bronze medal position and
will face the second placed Australians on day four.
World Doubles images courtesy of Craig Stewart,
Brisbane Sports Photography
Men's Event
Pool A [1] Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
11-3, 7-11, 11-5 (30m)
[5] Jean-Pierre Brits & Christo Potgieter (RSA)
[4] Nicholas Calvert & Thomas Calvert (AUS)
11-9, 11-5 (39m)
[9] Robert Garcia & David Pelino (PHI)
Pool B [2] Zac Alexander & Rex Hedrick (AUS)
11-7, 11-9 (17m)
[6] Darren Chan & Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS)
Mixed Doubles:
Pool A [1] Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
11-5, 11-9 (16m)
[5] Jemyca Aribado & Robert Garcia (PHI)
Pool B [2] Catalina Pelaez & Matias Knudsen (COL)
11-1, 11-2 (13m)
[6] Colette Sultana & Kijan Sultana (MLT)
[3] Alex Haydon & Zac Alexander (AUS)
11-6, 11-9 (17m)
[7] Aysah Dalida & Reymark Begornia (PHI)
The Australian Doubles Open held at Carrara Squash Centre over the
weekend saw a record 47 teams competing in a total of 120 matches.
The weekend was thoroughly enjoyed by players and spectators alike, with
plenty of exciting doubles action and even a few upsets.
Experience proved valuable particularly in the Women's Doubles event
where Rachael Grinham and Melissa Martin were too strong for their much
younger opponents, winning the final over third seeds Christine Nunn and
Taylor Flavell in straight games 11-8, 11-8 (19 mins).
The Men's Doubles event saw numerous upsets right throughout the draw
but ultimately the top seeds Zac Alexander and Thomas Calvert took the
title defeating fifth seeds Rhys Dowling and Alex Eustace in a tightly
contested two games 11-8, 11-9 (30 mins).
The crowd were treated to another exciting match to finish off the
tournament with the Mixed Doubles final. Again experience won through
with Rachael Grinham completing the double by claiming the Mixed Doubles
title with partner Jordan Till who has now won this title back after
first claiming it in 2017. Grinham and Till saw off a strong fight from
2018 Commonwealth Games Mixed Doubles Gold Medalist Donna Lobban and
youthful partner Gregory Chan 11-5, 8-11, 11-8 (30 mins).
Women's Doubles Placings: Gold - Rachael Grinham/ Melissa Martin
Silver - Christine Nunn/ Taylor Flavell
Bronze - Sarah Cardwell/ Selena Shaikh
Men's Doubles Placings: Gold - Zac Alexander/ Thomas Calvert
Silver - Rhys Dowling/ Alex Eustace
Bronze - Brad Freeme/ Nathan Turnbull
Mixed Doubles Placings: Gold - Rachael Grinham/ Jordan Till
Silver - Donna Lobban/ Gregory Chan
Bronze - Sarah Cardwell/ Ethan Eyles
A Grade Doubles Placings: Gold - Martin Collins/ Aidan Rowston
Silver - Heather Pilley/ Miles Till
Bronze - Clay Canty/ Lachlan Woodforth
Australia are seeded win all three gold medals in the 2019 WSF World
Doubles Squash Championships next month on home soil - 15 years after
becoming the first country to achieve the triple in the 2004
championships in India.
The sixth World Doubles Championships will take place in Queensland next
month at the new Carrara Squash Centre in Gold Coast, from 17-21 June.
"World Doubles Squash is growing in importance and significance
internationally," said David Mandel, President of Squash Australia. "It
is now part of the next Asian Games, the Pan Pacific and of course the
Commonwealth Games. It is bringing a new audience of spectators to our
sport, as we saw at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. And
Australia is and has been a major supporter of this form of our sport,
for many years."
Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley are seeded to retain the Men's title they
won in the 2017 championships in England. Pilley, a former world No.11,
is predicted for double gold success in Carrara where he and cousin
Donna Lobban are also favourites in the Mixed Doubles.
The 36-year-old from Yamba in New South Wales is a three-time
Commonwealth Games Doubles gold medallist - winning the Mixed title in
2018 with Lobban (then Donna Urquhart) and in 2010 with Kasey Brown, and
the Men's Doubles gold in 2014 with David Palmer.
Left-hander Donna Lobban pairs up with Christine Nunn in the Women's
Doubles, in which they are the top seeds. Lobban will be keen to go one
better than her Women's World Doubles success in 2016 when she and
Rachael Grinham finished as silver medallists.
Medal success is predicted for Colombia for the first time in the
event's 22-year history. Catalina Pelaez - twice a Pan American Doubles
gold medallist - & Ronald Palomino are No.2 seeds in the Mixed
competition, while Andrés Herrera & Juan Camilo and sisters Laura Tovar
& Maria Tovar are seeded to win Bronze in the Men's & Women's events,
respectively.
World stage minnows Malta are also expected to shine in Carrara where
Bradley Hindle & Kijan Sultana are No.7 seeds in the Men's event and
Colette Sultana & Bradley Hindle are sixth Mixed seeds.
The full seeding and Pools for the 2019 championships is as follows:
Men's Doubles: Pool A
1 Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
4 Nicholas Calvert & Thomas Calvert (AUS)
5 Jean-Pierre Brits & Christo Potgieter (RSA)
8 Madison Eggert & Thomas King (CAN)
9 Robert Andrew Garcia & David Pelino (PHI)
Pool B
2 Zac Alexander & Rex Hedrick (AUS)
3 Andrés Herrera & Juan Camilo Vargas (COL)
6 Darren Chan & Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS)
7 Bradley Hindle & Kijan Sultana (MLT)
10 Ravindu Laksiri & Shamil Wakeel (SRI)
*Withdrawn: Diego Elias & Alonso Escudero (PER)
Mixed Doubles: Pool A
1 Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
4 Christine Nunn & Ethan Eyles (AUS)
5 Jemyca Aribado & Robert Andrew Garcia (PHI)
Pool B
2 Catalina Pelaez & Ronald Palomino (COL)
3 Alex Haydon & Zac Alexander (AUS)
6 Colette Sultana & Bradley Hindle (MLT)
7 Aysah Dalida & Reymark Begornia (PHI)
Women's Doubles: One Pool
1 Donna Lobban & Christine Nunn (AUS)
2 Sarah Cardwell & Jessica Turnbull (AUS)
3 Laura Tovar & Maria Tovar (COL)
4 Taylor Flavell & Selena Shaikh (AUS)
5 Jemyca Aribado & Aysah Dalida (PHI)
