Liu Retains South Australian Title
by Howard Harding

May 18, 2015 - For the second year in a row, Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling put paid to a home winner of the Women's South Australian Open title when she beat Australian Sarah Cardwell in the final of the WSA Challenger 5 squash event at Next Generation Health & Racquet Club in Adelaide.
 
The 23-year-old defending champion reached her 11th WSA World Tour final after surviving a tough semi-final test – fighting back from two games down to overcome third-seeded Australian Christine Nunn.

Cardwell, the second seed from Melbourne, was also taken the full distance in the other semi where she recovered from 2/1 down to see off Queenslander Lakeesha Rarere, the No.4 seed.

The final marked Liu and Cardwell’s fourth Tour meeting on Australian soil.  But world No.59 Cardwell was unable to level their head-to-head record as world No.50 Liu powered through to an 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 victory in just 28 minutes.

The win marks Liu’s second Tour title of the year – and the seventh of her career.

RESULTS:         Women's South Australian Open, Adelaide, Australia

1st round:

[1] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Lauren Aspinall (AUS)                           11-0, 11-5, 11-4 (15m)

[6] Selena Shaikh (AUS) bt Alison Skinner (AUS)                         11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (19m)

[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt Madeleine Gill (USA)                       11-9, 11-8, 11-9 (35m)

[3] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt Alexia Clonda (EST)                          11-2, 11-0, 11-2 (11m)

[4] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt Moana Gray (AUS)                         11-4, 11-5, 11-9 (20m)

[8] Samantha Calvert (AUS) bt Lauren McInerney (AUS)             11-5, 11-3, 11-9 (17m)

[7] Natalie Newton (AUS) bt Alex Haydon (AUS)                          11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (18m)

[2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Stephanie Wighton (AUS)                 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-7 (38m)

    Quarter-finals:

[1] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [6] Selena Shaikh (AUS)                       11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (22m)

[3] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)                11-1, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 (38m)

[4] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt [8] Samantha Calvert (AUS)          11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (17m)

[2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [7] Natalie Newton (AUS)                 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 (27m)

    Semi-finals:

[1] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [3] Christine Nunn (AUS)                      7-11, 2-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 (50m)

[2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [4] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS)               11-3, 9-11, 12-14, 11-5, 11-7 (51m)

    Final:

[1] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS)                      11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (28m)