New Zealand's Megan Craig is WSA Player of the Month
by Nathan Clarke

1ST JUL 2015 - New Zealander Megan Craig has picked up the PSA Women’s Player of the Month award for June 2015 after a spell of four weeks on home soil in which she reeled off a succession of fine performances on the women’s tour.

Craig began the month at the Fitzherbert Rowe Manawatu Lawyers NZ International Classic where she reached the semi-final stage before bowing out to eventual tournament champion Joey Chan in a performance that set the platform for the 22-year-old to push on just a week later at the Squashways Canterbury International Open 2015.

Seeded second for the event Craig was ruthless as she dispatched Yura Choi, Hwayeong Eum and Eleanor Epke in straight game wins to reach the final against top seeded Siyoli Waters – ranked almost 20 places above Craig on the World Rankings.

But Craig produced an inspired performance on home-soil, coming through a titanic five game thriller with South African Waters to claim the trophy, the ninth of her career, in what was her first ever tournament victory on home soil.

“I am delighted to win a WSA tournament at home,” exclaimed Craig after the win.

Seven days later and she found herself competing for silverware once again at the Invercargill Licensing Trust NZ Southern Open, having bested Waters in the second consecutive tournament – this time coming through another brutal five-game thriller at the semi-final stage to secure a place against Japanese star Misaki Kobayashi in the title-decider.

After storming out of the blocks to take the opening game 11-6, Craig looked on course to seal an impressive home-double, but the efforts of overcoming Waters the previous day began to take its toll and Kobayashi pounced to take the match 3-1 and deny Craig a second consecutive title.