North Coast Open: Kelly Survives Scare From Zaman To Advance

On home soil, three Australians have safely navigated their way through to the second round of the Roberts & Morrow North Coast Open in Coffs Harbour.

The event is a qualifier for both the CIB PSA Women’s World Championship and the PSA Men’s World Championship later in the year.

Thursday saw the men’s draw get underway, with eight matches taking place in the first round, with home hope Mansoor Zaman almost causing a big upset.

Atticus Kelly needed five games to win his clash with Mansoor Zaman. The American won the first, but after a tight tie-break in the second, Zaman took the momentum.

The Australian then won the third as well, but Kelly fought back to win the final two games 11-3, 11-7, taking victory in the longest match of the day, at 57 minutes.

Elsewhere, wild card Jacob Ford took a two game lead over compatriot Rhys Dowling, allowing his fellow countryman just four points in the opening exchanges.

However, Dowling came fighting back, and won the last three games to book his spot in the last 16 of the tournament, and setting up a clash with Scotland’s Angus Gillams, who has won three of the last four tournaments he has entered.

The big surprise of the day came through Chang-Wook Woo. The World No.365 from South Korea knocked out Courtney West, who sits 95 places above the Korean in the World Rankings.

It took Woo just 27 minutes to dispatch the Aussie, winning 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 to set up a clash with the tournament’s No.3 seed, Addeen Idrakie, in the last 16.

Fellow Malaysian, Bryan Lim Tze Kang is safely through to the second round, after beating Jason Turner in straight games to set up a match with New Zealander, and No.6 seed, Lwamba Chileshe.

The women’s draw kicks off on Friday, with both the first round and quarter final action taking place at the Coffs Harbour Squash and Swim Centre.

No.1 seed Vanessa Chu gets her campaign underway against Anantana Prasertratanakul, while home favourite Sarah Cardwell, the No.2 seed, will face Malaysian youngster Aifa Azman in the first round.

Men’s First Round Results
Zac Millar (NZL) bt Benjamin Ratcliffe (AUS) 3-1: 7-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (30m)
Atticus Kelly (USA) bt Mansoor Zaman (AUS) 3-2: 11-7, 13-15, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 (57m)
Joel Arscott (AUS) bt David Turner (AUS) 3-1: 11-3, 11-4, 6-11, 11-0 (30m)
Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt [WC] Jacob Ford (AUS) 3-2: 2-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (43m)
Chang-Wook Woo (KOR) bt Courtney West (AUS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (27m)
Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS) bt Jason Turner (AUS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (27m)
Rohan Toole (AUS) bt Shahzad Khan (AUS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-1 (16m)
Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt Damon Macmillan (AUS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (17m)

Men’s Second Round Draw
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) v Zac Millar (NZL)
Atticus Kelly (USA) v [8] Thomas Calvert (AUS)
[5] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) v Joel Arscott (AUS)
Rhys Dowling (AUS) v [4] Angus Gillams (SCO)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) v Chang-Wook-Woo (KOR)
Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS) v [6] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL)
[7] Nicholas Calvert (AUS) v Rohan Toole (AUS)
Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) v [2] Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS)

Women’s First Round Draw
[1] Vanessa Chu (HKG) v Anantana Prasertratanakul (THA)
Katriona Allen (SCO) v [7] Colette Sultana (MLT)
[5] Chloe Mesic (FRA) v Maria Kalafatis (AUS)
Selena Shaikh (AUS) v [4] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS)
[3] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) v Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP)
[WC] Pilar Etchechoury (ARG) v [8] Georgia Adderley (SCO)
[6] Abbie Palmer (NZL) v Trace Johnson (AUS)
Aifa Azman (MAS) v [2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS)