Central Open 2004
18-20 June, Hamilton, New Zealand, $5k 
 

20-Jun-04:

Final:
[1] Tamsyn Leevey (NZ) bt [2] Dianne Desira (Aus) 9/7, 9/6, 9/1
 
Leevey collects another Title
Gary Denvir reports

New Zealand's Tamsyn Leevey picked up her second WISPA  tour title in the space of seven days.

The world number 31 took the Central Open in Palmerston North, just a week after winning the Taranaki Open in New Plymouth.

The top seed proved too strong for Australia's Dianne Desira in the final, beating the second seed in straight games in just 32 minutes. Leevey started slowly but fought back strongly to take the first game 9/7. After an even battle early in the second, the kiwi again produced the better finish to win 9/6. Leevey then stepped up a gear, romping to a 9/1 victory in the third.

Leevey says she's thrilled to pick up another title, and that experience has played a significant role in the win.

"I haven't felt particularly confident about my game this week, but I knew if I hung in there I'd be okay. I felt I had the edge over the rest of the field after winning in New Plymouth, and that's the way it's turned out".

The WISPA Tour now heads north for the Hamilton Open next weekend.

Leevey will lose her top seed status for the event, with fellow kiwi and world number 14 Shelley Kitchen also playing.

Leevey says she'd like nothing better than to meet Kitchen in the final. "I've enjoyed the last couple of weeks, but it's a far more exciting challenge to meet a top 20 ranked player".
 

 

WISPA in
New Zealand
 

Final:
1. Tamsyn Leevey (NZ) bt 2. Dianne Desira (Aus)  9/7 9/6 9/1.

Semi-Finals:
1. Tamsyn Leevey (NZ) bt 3. Kasey Brown (Aus)  9/3 9/1 10/9
2. Dianne Desira (Aus) bt 4. Jaclyn Hawkes (NZ)  9/7 1/9 9/6 5/9 9/1

Quarterfinals:
1. Tamsyn Leevey (NZ) bt 10. Lim Yoke Wah (Mas)  10/9 9/0 9/6
3. Kasey Brown (Aus) bt 5. Aisling Blake (Ire)  6/9 9/1 9/1 9/1
4. Jaclyn Hawkes (NZ) bt 9. Louise Crome (NZ)  9/6 9/7 10/8
2. Dianne Desira (Aus) bt 7. Kylie Lindsay (NZ)  9/3 9/1 9/3

Second Round:
1. Tamsyn Leevey (NZ) bt Kerry Wickett (NZ)  6/9 9/2 9/4 9/2
10. Lim Yoke Wah (Mas) bt 11. Priscilla Wildsmith (NZ)  9/3 9/2 10/9
3. Kasey Brown (Aus) bt 15. Rebecca Hawkes (NZ)  9/2 9/3 9/1
5. Aisling Blake (Ire) bt 12. Joelle King (NZ)  10/8 9/4 9/1
9. Louise Crome (NZ) bt Jackie Laurenson (NZ)  9/2 9/1 9/1
4. Jaclyn Hawkes (NZ) bt Isabelle Tweedle (Eng)  8/10 6/9 9/2 9/1 9/6
7. Kylie Lindsay (NZ) bt 13. Daniela Schumann (Ger) 9/2 9/6 9/3
2. Dianne Desira (Aus) bt 14. Delia Arnold (Mas)  9/0 9/3 9/2

First Round:
1. Tamsyn Leevey (NZ)...BYE
Kerry Wickett (NZ) bt 16. Lisa Gray (Aus) 9/4 10/8 9/1
10. Lim Yoke Wah (Mas) bt Amy Alison (NZ) 9/5 8/10 9/6 9/1
11. Priscilla Wildsmith (NZ) bt Danielle Nant (NZ) 8/10 9/5 9/4 9/4
3. Kasey Brown (Aus) ...BYE
15. Rebecca Hawkes (NZ)...BYE
5. Aisling Blake (Ire)...BYE
12. Joelle King (NZ) bt Paula Edwards (NZ) 9/2 7/9 9/2 10/8
Jackie Laurenson (NZ) bt Skye Millar (Aus) 9/2 9/0 5/9 9/2
9. Louise Crome (NZ) bt Sharyn Flynn (NZ) 9/1 9/1 9/0
Isabelle Tweedle (Eng) bt Amanda Cranston (NZ) 9/1 9/0 9/3
4. Jaclyn Hawkes (NZ)....BYE
13. Daniela Schumann (Ger) bt Alison Wilson (NZ) 9/0 9/2 9/2
7. Kylie Lindsay (NZ) bt Sam Jack (NZ) 9/3 9/2 9/4
14. Delia Arnold (Mas) bt Kylie Doherty (Aus) 2/9 9/5 9/6 9/0
2. Dianne Desira (Aus)...BYE

Leevey on Target
for another Title
Gary Denvir reports

New Zealand's Tamsyn Leevey remains on target for her second WISPA women's world squash tour title in two weeks, after reaching the semifinals of the Central Open in Palmerston North.

The world number 31 survived a slow start in her second round clash against fellow kiwi Kerry Wickett, bouncing back from a 9/6 loss in the opening game to take the next three 9/2 9/4 9/2. However, Leevey had no such problem in the quarterfinals, accounting for Malaysia's Lim Yoke Wah in three.

Leevey will meet Australian third seed Kasey Brown in the semifinals. Brown went through after beating Ireland's Aisling Blake in four.

Second seeded Australian Dianne Desira looks to be the biggest threat to Leevey's prospects of another title. Desira has dropped just 12 points in two matches on her way into the last four, where she will meet fourth seeded kiwi Jaclyn Hawkes.

Seeds Fare Well on First Day
 Gary Denvir reports
No major upsets in the opening round of the WISPA Tour's Central Open in Palmerston North. Australian 16th seed Lisa Gray is the only seeded player to suffer a first up loss, going down in straight games to New Zealand's Kerry Wickett.

Wickett will now face top seed Tamsyn Leevey in the second round. Leevey has had the night off, with the top five seeds all given byes. Waikato teenager Joelle King has continued her winning ways, beating fellow kiwi Paula Edwards in four.

And ninth seed Louise Crome looks to be in good form, sending Sharyn Flynn packing with a 9/1 9/1 9/0 victory.