North Coast Open SF: Australian Interest Into Both Finals

There will be home interest in both finals at the Costa North Coast Open in Coffs Harbour, Australia, after Rex Hedrick and Jessica Turnbull both made their way through to the finals after winning their respective last four contests on Saturday afternoon.

The first men’s semi-final guaranteed an unseeded player making it through to the finals of the Challenger 10 level tournament, with Australia’s Rex Hedrick and Indian Abhay Singh facing off. It was the home favourite, and the former top 50 player, that took control of the contest, and won out in straight games 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 to book his spot in yet another final on Tour.

He will now face the tournament’s No.3 seed, Malaysian Addeen Idrakie, after he got the better of Switzerland’s No.6 seed Yannick Wilhelmi. It was the pair’s first meeting on Tour and they were evenly matches, with the Malaysian taking the first on a tie-break, before Wilhelmi levelled the match after winning the second game. From there, though, Idrakie was able to wrestle the momentum back into his favour, winning both the third and fourth games to take the victory.

The surprise result in the women’s draw came in the all-Australian battle on Saturday, as World No.88 Jessica Turnbull defeated World No.75 Sarah Cardwell in a four-game battle. Coming into the match, the pair had a 5-5 record in their previous ten matches, but Turnbull, who took out the No.2 seed in the quarter finals, continued her great form to win once more, and advance to the final.

She will now face top seed Chan Sin Yuk in the final on Sunday afternoon, after the Hongkonger overpowered compatriot Cheng Nga Ching to win in straight games. Yuk, who sits inside the world’s top 40, is yet to drop a game in the tournament, and continued that with a 19-minute win over Ching in the semi-finals.

The finals of the Costa North Coast Open will take place on Sunday, August 22, with the winners of the Challenger 10 level competition being crowned at Coffs Harbour Squash & Swim Centre.

Men’s Semi-Final Results: Costa North Coast Open
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Abhay Singh (IND) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (43m)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt [6] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-1: 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (56m)

Men’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, August 21
Rex Hedrick (AUS) v [3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS)

Women’s Semi-Final Results: Costa North Coast Open
[1] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) bt [6] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-1, 11-5 (19m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-1: 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-2 (34m)

Women’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, August 21
[1] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)