Kiwis Impress in Adelaide

The young Kiwi contingent in Adelaide has made a strong start to the South Australia Open PSA/WSA event.

The South Australia Open follows on from the Barossa Valley Open played on the weekend.  Amanda Landers-Murphy, who won the Barossa Valley Open and is again seeded top, made a strong start to the event by beating Bae Chan Mi of Korea 11-4 12-10 11-4.

Several of the World Junior Girls Squad - in Adelaide for senior professional experience ahead of the World Junior Girls Championships in Poland next month - also performed strongly.  Ellie Epke, Hayley Hughes and Abbie Palmer are all through to the second round - Hayley and Abbie pulling off victories in five sets.  After winning through to the second round at Barossa Valley, Juee Bhide was forced to qualify for this event, which she duly achieved defeating Australian Sharmaine Mills 12-10 11-7 11-4.  However up against strong Australian opposition, both Juee and Jacinta Matson were beaten in straight games in the opening round of the Championship event.

On the men's side there were three New Zealanders in qualifying.  Unfortunately two of them drew each other, with Ben Grindrod defeating Andrew Ellis in five games.  Chris van der Salm had a smoother path to the main draw, defeating Australian TJ French in straight games.  Grindrod's reward was another all-Kiwi match-up with Lance Beddoes, which Beddoes won 10-12 11-9 11-7 11-7.  van der Salm unluckily drew third seed James Huang from Taiwan, and was beaten 11-6 11-2 11-2.  The other Kiwi in the main draw, Joseph Watts, was convincing in his 11-5 11-9 11-1 win over Australian Dominic Benacquista.