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Landers-Murphy Wins First Title At New South Wales Open
New Zealand's
Amanda Landers-Murphy collected her first WISPA title at the Tour 4 New South
Wales Open in Sydney this week, having to get past three high ranked players in
the process.
The 20 year
old from Rotorua had shown her potential throughout the Australian circuit,
reaching three semi finals in a row before making her first tour final
appearance at the South Australian Open in June, losing out in four close games
to Melody Francis.
The draw
featured several players who had already won titles throughout the Aussie
circuit and others who had shown promise and were looking to end their time down
under in style. However, with seven tournaments already played in the last two
months by many of these players in Australia, the New South Wales Open would
show that Landers-Murphy had the legs to be the last woman standing.
Scotland's
Lisa Aitken was one of those who had gradually improved throughout the events
but unfortunately for her she ran into Landers-Murphy in the second round.
Landers-Murphy edged a tight opener before running away to a straight game win.
The rest of the second round saw all the top names go through fairly
comfortably, with Maggy Marshall the only seed not making it into the quarter
finals, losing to Korea's Ahn Eun Chan in straight games.
The quarter
final saw Landers-Murphy upset her no.1 seeded compatriot Kylie Lindsay as well
as some epic encounters. Landers-Murphy repeated her quarter final win over
Lindsay from the South Australian Open last month to stun the top seed once
more, again in four games. Melody Francis followed her into the semi final with
a straight game win over Wales' Deon Saffery. The last two tournament winners
made the semi final line up, both coming through in five games. Tasmanian Open
champion Samantha Cornett held off the challenge of second seed Song Sun-Mi,
while Queensland Open champion Siyoli Waters made it two Koreans sent home,
edging Chan 12-10 in the fifth.
The first semi
final saw Cornett upset the home supporters by ending Francis' run. The two had
never met before on the tour and it was Cornett who used her rangy and powerful
strokes to come through in four games. Landers-Murphy looked down and out
against Waters, going two games down to the South African. The young kiwi showed
her determination though and gradually turned the match around, grinding Waters
down and easing to victory in the final game.
The final saw
a showdown between the two 20 year-olds. Cornett, already with two tour titles
this year and more big match experience would have been considered by many the
favourite. Landers-Murphy had other ideas. She showed no signs of tiredness
after her semi final win and managed to sneak into a two game lead. Cornett hit
back in the third and looked to be turning the match around. However it was the
Canadian who looked faltered and Landers-Murphy raced away with the fourth game
to claim her maiden WISPA title.
Landers-Murphy
will now mix it with the top girls as she looks ahead to the Australian Open
next week.
Final:
[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) 11/7 15/13 4/11
11/2 (33m)
Semi
Finals:
[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [4] Siyoli Waters (RSA) 6/11 9/11 11/8 11/6
11/4 (38m)
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [3] Melody Francis (AUS) 11/8 11/6 5/11 11/6 (31m)
Quarter
Finals:
[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11/6 5/11 11/5 11/7
(25m)
[4] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [9] Ahn Eun Chan (KOR) 12/10 8/11 11/8 10/12 12/10
(57m)[3] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [8] Deon Saffery (WAL) 11/9 11/8 11/4 (28m)
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [2] Song Sun-Mi (9/11 11/9 11/5 7/11 11/6 (39m)
2nd
Round:
[1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt Jane Kennedy (AUS) 11/6 11/7 11/8 (26m)
[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [10] Lisa Aitken (SCO) 13/11 11/6 11/0 (18m)
[4] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [13] Moana Gray (AUS) 11/4 11/3 11/5 (19m)
[9] Ahn Eun Chan (KOR) bt [6] Maggy Marshall (AUS) 11/6 11/5 11/5 (23m)
[8] Deon Saffrey (WAL) bt Cigany Sierveld (NED) 9/11 11/7 11/8 11/9 (24m)
[3] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [11] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) 11/9 11/4 11/9 (24m)
[5[ Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [16] Carin Clonda (EST) 11/2 11/4 11/5 (18m)
[2] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt Sarah Nelson (AUS) 11/8 11/5 12/10 (20m)
1st
Round:
[1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bye
Jane Kennedy (AUS) bt [15] Bine Malund Lind (DEN) 10/12 6/11 11/7 11/2 11/6
(44m)[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bye
[10] Lisa Aitken (SCO) bye
[4] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bye
[13] Moana Gray (AUS) bt Bae Eun Chan (KOR) 11/8 11/9 11/7 (28m)
[6] Maggy Marshall (AUS) bye
[9] Ahn Eun Chan (KOR) bye
Cigany Sierveld (NED) bt [12] Christine Nunn (AUS) 9/11 11/8 11/6 11/6 (27m)
[8] Deon Saffery (WAL) bye
[11] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) bye
[3] Melody Francis (AUS) bye
[16] Carin Clonda (EST) bye
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bye
Sarah Nelson (AUS) bt [14] Laura Mccredie (AUS) 11/6 11/3 11/9 (23m)
[2] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bye
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