Auckland Open RD1: Defending Champ Harrison Causes Seeding Upset

Lana Harrison, the women’s winner of this tournament in 2022, caused a seeding upset on the opening day of this year’s Barfoot & Thompson Auckland/Oceania Open.

Harrison was unseeded for last year’s event, and came through to take the title. She is unseeded once again this time round, and started her week with a win over No.5 seed Anne Leakey. Harrison won in straight games, dropping just five points after an 11-8 opening game scoreline.

Elsewhere, Australia’s Alex Haydon, the tournaments’s top seed, made sure there would be non-Kiwi representation in the last eight. She is joined by seven New Zealanders, of whom Harrison is among them. Winona-Jo Joyce, Ella Lash and Abbie Palmer, the rest of the top four seeds, are all through.

In the men’s event, home hopes Mason Smales and William Donnelly both took opening day victories. Donnelly got the better of compatriot Allan Bailey, in a match that saw three games go to 12-10. Meanwhile, Smales downed one of four wildcards, Apa Fatialofa, to advance to the last 16.

Hong Kong’s Lam Shing Fung won the only match to go the distance on Thursday. He came from 2-1 down to defeat Australia’s Tate Zak Norris, and joins compatriot Ho Ka Hei in advancing to the second round of the men’s Challenger 5 level competition. 

The second day of the tournament will be played on Friday, May 19 at the North Shore Squash Club in Auckland, New Zealand. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

Action from the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland/Oceania Open will be streamed live on the Squash Auckland Facebook page. 

Men’s First Round Results: Barfoot & Thompson Auckland/Oceania Open
Jaejin Yoo (KOR) bt Dylan Molinaro (AUS) 3-1: 12-10, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6
Ho Ka Hei (HKG) bt Glenn Templeton (NZL) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-5
Benjamin Ratcliffe (AUS) bt [WC] Oliver Dunbar (NZL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-2
Mason Smales (NZL) bt [WC] Apa Fatialofa (NZL) 3-1: 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 11-1
Wailok To (HKG) bt [WC] Flynn Venmore (NZL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
William Donnelly (NZL) bt Allan Bailey (NZL) 3-1: 11-3, 10-12, 12-10, 12-10
Naoki Hayashi (JPN) bt [WC] Freddie Jameson (NZL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-5
Lam Shing Fung (HKG) bt Tate Zak Norris (AUS) 3-2: 11-7, 13-15, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8

Men’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Friday, May 19
[1] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) v Jaejin Yoo (KOR)
Ho Ka Hei (HKG) v [6] Anthony Lepper (NZL)
[8] Elijah Thomas (NZL) v Benjamin Ratcliffe (AUS)
Mason Smales (NZL) v [3] Joseph White (AUS)
[4] Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) v Wailok To (HKG)
William Donnelly (NZL) v [5] Tomotaka Endo (JPN)
[7] Andes Ling (HKG) v Naoki Hayashi (JPN)
Lam Shing Fung (HKG) v [2] Temwa Chileshe (NZL)

Women’s First Round Results: Barfoot & Thompson Auckland/Oceania Open
[1] Alex Haydon (AUS) bt Lisa Ashton (NZL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-4
Holly Shuja (NZL) bt [8] Anabel Romero Gemmell (NZL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
[6] Sophie Hodges (NZL) bt Mackenzie Tait (NZL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-2
[3] Ella Lash (NZL) bt Tyler Duberly (NZL) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
[4] Abbie Palmer (NZL) bt Annmarie Holst (NZL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-3
[7] Maiden-Lee Coe (NZL) bt Kayti Griffen (NZL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
Lana Harrison (NZL) bt [5] Anne Leakey (NZL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-1, 11-4
[2] Winona-Jo Joyce (NZL) bt Charlotte Galloway (NZL) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7

Women’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Friday, May 19
[1] Alex Haydon (AUS) v Holly Shuja (NZL)
[6] Sophie Hodges (NZL) v [3] Ella Lash (NZL)
[4] Abbie Palmer (NZL) v [7] Maiden-Lee Coe (NZL)
Lana Harrison (NZL) v [2] Winona-Jo Joyce (NZL)