Finals Set for ILT Southern Open PSA

Megan Craig keeps kiwis hopes alive of a title win at the ILT Southern Open PSA.

Just when it seemed the semi-finals of the ILT & CTOS NZ Southern Open PSA Women’s Event would see the two top seeds through to the final as expected, New Zealand’s Megan Craig seeded fourth put a different plan into action. After an intense five sets which seemed to be a replay of last week in Christchurch, Craig has made it through to the final where she will meet second seed Misaki Kobayashi.

With Waters having narrowly claimed the first set, Craig took an early lead in the second and successfully fended off a comeback from Waters to tie the score at 1 all. Deep into the third set and Craig held game-ball when a forced error saw Waters awarded a stroke to even the scores again. An irretrievable crosscourt drop gave Waters game-ball and she sealed the set with another winning crosscourt drop. Each set was open for either player to take, with the exception of the fourth in which Craig gained a large lead that Waters was unable to claw back.  The fifth set saw Waters gain the early lead, with Craig chasing her down every step of the way. Just as it seemed Waters would claim victory with match-ball, Craig again turned the tables and took the next 5 points to secure her a spot in tomorrows final.

In the earlier match Misaki Kobayashi began very strongly, although a determined Amanda Landers-Murphy ensured that it wasn’t all one-sided. The first set saw Kobayashi with a comfortable lead until Landers-Murphy made a strong come back, with Kobayashi just taking the set 11-9. The second set had Landers-Murphy much more in control of play, closing out the set 11-6. The third set was yet another shift around as Kobayashi seized control and reversed the scores from set two, followed by a tightly contested fourth set that saw both players hitting the ball deep, looking to put the other out of position and set up opportunity to play a winning shot. Landers-Murphy was absorbing the pressure applied by Kobayashi well until late in the set when a run of errors gave Kobayashi a two point buffer that she was then able to hammer home her advantage and take the match.

The ILT & CTOS NZ Southern Open PSA semi-finals saw the end of the dream run being enjoyed by young New Zealand players Lance Beddoes and Paul Coll.

After causing upsets in the first two rounds, Beddoes’ charge was brought to an abrupt end by Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip in today’s first semi-final. Yip was very dominant throughout the match, pushing the pace and forcing errors from Beddoes who looked as though his previous two five set marathons had taken a greater toll than Yip had been taxed in his three set matches.

Likewise, Coll was outplayed by a very assertive Kandra, who seemed to defy the impossible in returning balls from everywhere on the court. A combination of errors with some superb shot play by Kandra saw Coll outclassed in the first set. However he regrouped well to pose a serious threat in the second, equalizing to create a tie-break and holding game-ball before Kandra again applied pressure, forcing the errors and securing the set. The third set saw Kandra stake a huge lead before Coll again regrouped and played with the speed, agility and accuracy seen in his previous two matches. Despite holding off two match-balls by forcing errors from Kandra, Coll was unable to take the set and Kandra moves through to tomorrow’s final to face Tsz Fung Yip (HKG).

Southern Open PSA Finals - To be streamed here

Sunday 1.30pm (2) Misaki Kobayashi (JAP) vs (4) Megan Craig (NZ)

Sunday 2.30pm Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) vs (2) Raphael Kandra (GER)

Full Results Women's Draws:

(2) Misaki Kobayashi (JAP) bt (3) Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZ) 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 (42 minutes)

(4) Megan Craig (NZ) bt (1) Siyoli Waters (RSA) 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2, 12-10 (52 minutes)

Full Results Men's Draw:

Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt Lance Beddoes (NZ) 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (33 minutes)

(2) Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Paul Coll (NZ) 11-1, 13-11, 11-9 (37 minutes)