Megan topples top seed in Melbourne

Megan Craig has beaten world number 20 Delia Arnold at the Victorian Open in Melbourne

A stunning victory for rising New Zealand squash star Megan Craig.

The unseeded Kiwi is through to the third round of the Victorian Open in Melbourne, after a surprise win over world number 20 Delia Arnold from Malaysia.

Craig is ranked 51 places lower than Arnold, but showed no signs of being intimidated as she battled to an 11-9, 10-12, 12-10, 14-12 victory in a grueling 72 minute encounter.  The 19-year-old will now face unseeded Korean Song Sun-Mi in the quarterfinals.

Fellow Kiwis Kylie Lindsay and Amanda Landers-Murphy are also through to the last eight.  Fourth seeded Lindsay downed Korean qualifier Yu Ra Choi 11-7, 11-7, 12-10 and fifth seeded Landers Murphy thumped Canadian Alix Younger 11-7, 11-9, 11-1.

Meanwhile, Campbell Grayson is safely through to the quarters in the men's draw.  The second seed was too good for Frenchman Florent Pontiere, winning 11-4, 11-7, 11-3.  Sixth seed Kashif Shuja is also through to the last eight, but only after a hard fought five game victory over fellow Kiwi Paul Coll.  Shuja had to dig deep to overcome some stern resistance from the promising 20-year-old, twice coming from a game down to win 3-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6.

Results...
Women
Round Two
Megan Craig (NZL) def 1)Delia Arnold (MAS) 11-9, 10-12, 12-10, 14-12 (72 mins)
Song Sun-Mi (KOR) def 7)Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-0 (28 mins)
3)Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) def Holly Naughton (CAN) 12-10, 11-8, 11-1 (28 mins)
Deon Saffery (WAL) def 8)Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (32 mins)
Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) def 6)Tamika Saxby (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 13-11 (38 mins)
4)Kylie Lindsay (NZL) def Q)Yu Ra Choi (KOR) 11-7, 11-7, 12-10 (28 mins)
5)Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) def Alix Younger (CAN) 11-7, 11-9, 11-1 (22 mins)
2)Melody Francis (AUS) def Carmen Lee (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 4-11, 11-4 (40 mins)

Men
Round Two
1)Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) def Evan Williams (NZL) 13-11, 11-3, 11-7 (46 mins)
8)Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) def Patrick Meischer (SUI) 11-9, 21-19, 11-9 (55 mins)
7)Aqeel Rehman (AUT) def Q)Chris Tasker-Grindley (ENG) 11-7, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10 (60 mins)
4)Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) def Q)Greg Lobban (SCO) 11-1, 11-8, 4-11, 12-10 (40 mins)
3)Matthew Karwalski (AUS) def Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 12-10, 11-5, 11-5 (27 mins)
6)Kashif Shuja (NZL) def Paul Coll (NZL) 3-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6 (68 mins)
5)Rex Hedrick (AUS) def Q)Cameron White (AUS) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (54 mins)
2)Campbell Grayson (NZL) def Florent Pontiere (FRA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (37 mins)


Full tournament site...http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/victorianopen2012.htm