Maiden Title For Lotte Eriksen In WSA Mackay Open
from Tour Media
November 6, 2012 - Debuting in her first WSA World Tour final, Lotte Eriksen clinched her first ever title after winning the Mackay Open in Queensland, Australia. The 25-year-old from Norway ended her 6-year wait for a title as she defeated Victoria Bell, also playing her maiden WSA final.
With both finalist granted byes through the first round, along with eight other top seeds, Eriksen made quick work defeating Selena Shaikh and Taylor Flavell in her opening two matches. No.8 seed Sally Skaarenborg then surprised onlookers by defeating top seed Christine Nunn in four games, to set up a semi-final clash with Eriksen. The Norwegian ended Skaarenborg’s run however, taking just 30-minutes to book herself into her first WSA final.
Her opponent Bell saw a similar result in her first match against Jacqueline Barnes, but the Englishwoman was made to work by her quarter-final opponent, fourth seed Zulhijjah Biniti Azan of Malaysia. She defeated the higher seed in four games, before facing second seed Cheyna Tucker in the semi-final. Bell fought back from two games down against the South African, and after drawing level to force the deciding game, the pair were locked at 9-9 in the fifth when Tucker was forced to concede the match due to injury.
The debuting finalist started the match nervously, with Eriksen claiming a quick first game to three points. Bell struck back in similar fashion, with her opponent able to claim just one point in the second game. As both players settled into the spectacle, the match evened out well with neither player able to gain significant advantage for too long. A narrow third game went in favour of the No.3 seed Eriksen, as the higher seed capitalised to clinch the tie-break 14-12. This gave her the upper-hand once more going into the fourth game, and Bell was unable to get a foothold back in the contest.
Eriksen closed out the victory in four games, to win her maiden WSA World Tour title in her first final.
Final:
[3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt [5] Victoria Bell (ENG) 11-3, 1-11, 14-12, 11-7
Semi-finals:
[3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt [8] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)
[5] Victoria Bell (ENG) bt [2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-9 ret. (45m)
Quarter-finals:
[8] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) bt [1] Christine Nunn (AUS) 11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
[3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt [11] Taylor Flavell (NZL) 11-6, 11-6, 11-2 (27m)
[5] Victoria Bell (ENG) bt [4] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 9-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-3 (33m)
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt [10] Samantha Davies (AUS) 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (45m)
2nd round:
[1] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [14] Carin Clonda (EST) 11-9, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) bt [15] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) 11-2, 11-6, 11-4
[3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt [9] Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-7
[11] Taylor Flavell (NZL) bt [6] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-6, 13-11, 11-8
[5] Victoria Bell (ENG) bt [13] Jacqueline Barnes (AUS) 11-3, 11-1, 11-9
[4] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) bt [12] Natalie Newton (AUS) 11-8, 11-4, 11-6
[10] Samantha Davies (AUS) bt [7] Larissa Huffer (AUS) 11-4, 12-10, 11-4
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt Tiffany Loss (AUS) 11-9, 11-2, 11-5
1st round:
[1] Christine Nunn (AUS) bye
[14] Carin Clonda (EST) bt Rebecca Baum (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
[8] Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) bye
[15] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt Teagan Ollett (AUS) 11-2, 11-4, 11-7
[3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bye
[9] Selena Shaikh (AUS) bye
[6] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bye
[11] Taylor Flavell (NZL) bt Samantha Calvert (AUS) 11-2, 11-6, 11-6
[13] Jacqueline Barnes (AUS) bt Rachel McDermott (AUS) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5
[5] Victoria Bell (ENG) bye
[12] Natalie Newton (AUS) bt Heather Pilley (AUS) 12-10, 11-7, 11-7
[4] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) bye
[10] Samantha Davies (AUS) bye
[7] Larissa Huffer (AUS) bye
Tiffany Loss (AUS) bt [16] Kristen Nightingale (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
[2] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bye
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