B&T Auckland Open SF: Unseeded Harrison Through, Chileshes To Meet Again

The finals of the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Open are set, with an unseeded player making it through to the last day of the competition, while a pair of siblings will meet in a final for the second straight week.

Lana Harrison came into the tournament unseeded, but the New Zealander has shone throughout the week at North Shore Squash Club, and she got the better of Maiden-Lee Coe in straight games to book her spot in the final, where she will face the tournament’s top seed.

Abbie Palmer will be her opponent, as the only seeded player not to fall by the wayside throughout the competition. The World No.163 overcame Malaysia’s Shasmithaa Nityanandan, the No.4 seed in the draw, to win in four games, despite losing a tie-break in the third. She won in 40 minutes, and will contest the final in Auckland with Harrison.

The men’s final will see a repeat of the final at the Barfoot & Thompson Panmure Open last weekend, with brothers Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe set to do battle once again. Older brother Lwamba, the top seed, defeated Malaysia’s Amir Amirul in straight games to make it through, while Temwa got the better of Duncan Lee, also in three, to advance.

The finals of the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Open will take place on Sunday, May 22 at the North Shore Squash Club, with the winners of the Challenger 5 and 3 level tournaments being crowned.

Men’s Semi-Final Results: Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Open
[1] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) bt Amir Amirul (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-2, 12-10 (35m)
[2] Temwa Chileshe (NZL) bt [5] Duncan Lee (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 (35m)

Men’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, May 22
[1] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) v [2] Temwa Chileshe (NZL)

Women’s Semi-Final Results: Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Open
[1] Abbie Palmer (NZL) bt [4] Shasmithaa Nityanandan (MAS) 3-1: 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-4 (40m)
Lana Harrison (NZL) bt Maiden-Lee Coe (NZL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (35m)

Women’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, May 22
[1] Abbie Palmer (NZL) v Lana Harrison (NZL)