Defending
champion Zac Alexander made it 11 months unbeaten on the PSA World
Tour after retaining his title at the NSW Squash Open Championships,
PSA M5 tournament to lift his sixth successive Tour title - while
his compatriot, Tamika Saxby, lifted her third title in a row after
triumphing in the Women’s event in Sydney.
A fine display of strength from Alexander saw him power to the final
without dropping a single game, where he came up against surprise
finalist Aaron Frankcomb, who battled through qualifying to reach
the main draw.
Frankcomb then went on to defeat two seeded players en route to the
showpiece finale, including second seed Rhys Dowling, who succumbed
to injury during their encounter.
Alexander had the better of the final encounter as a series of
free-flowing rallies between two home players entertained a
captivated crowd at the Elanora Squash Centre.
After securing straightforward victories in the opening two games,
27-year-old Alexander narrowly saw off the intentions of his
opponent in a tightly-contested third game to secure an 11-6, 11-7,
11-9 win which sees the World No.93 extend his unbeaten run to 26
matches, in addition to claiming the 20th PSA World Tour title of
his career.
Saxby, meanwhile, followed up her victory at last month’s Sandgate
Open by defeating fellow Australian Lisa Camilleri in straight games
to win the Women’s crown.
The talented 23-year-old played with poise and maturity against an
opponent 10 years her senior as she rattled off a number of
perfectly executed winners to build up a succession of points.
Saxby took the lead in a one-sided first game and remained
consistent in games two and three to wrap up the victory with an
11-3, 11-5, 11-8 scoreline which has yielded her third PSA World
Tour title of 2016.
Last year’s winner Zac Alexander extended his superb unbeaten run to
24 matches after dispatching fellow Australian Iain Tennant in the
quarter-final stage of the NSW Squash Open Championships, PSA M5
tournament.
Alexander, who beat Scotland’s Douglas Kempsell in last year’s
final, followed up his first round victory against Mohamed Saeed
with an immaculate display against Tennant that saw him take it
11-6, 11-3, 11-5.
The World No.93 has won five PSA World Tour events on the bounce and
will go up against compatriot Matthew Karwalski for a place in a
sixth successive final.
Rhys Dowling is also into the semi-final after he defeated
Switzerland’s Luca Wilhelmi. Both players competed in a fast-paced
encounter which drew thunderous applause from spectators at the
Elanora Squash Centre and it was Dowling who eventually saw out the
win in straight games with 11-9 victories in each.
Qualifier Aaron Frankcomb completes the semi-final Australian
quartet after he saw off India’s Sandeep Ramachandran and he will
pit his wits against Dowling next.
Meanwhile, the Women’s event saw second seed Lisa Camilleri defeat
Hong Kong’s Ho Tze-Lok to reach the semi-final, where she will face
Norway’s Lotte Eriksen after she came through in four to beat
Lakeesha Rarere.
Tamika Saxby, who won the Sandgate Open last month, will do battle
with New Zealand’s Emma Millar in other semi-final after they
overcame Danielle Fourie and number one seed Lee Ka Yi,
respectively.
