Tomlinson and Lee Lift Victorian Open Titles from PSA Media August 8, 2016
- Millie Tomlinson and Joe Lee triumphed in Melbourne to capture the
2016 Victorian Open, PSA W10 & M10 titles, respectively at the
Mulgrave Country Club, with Tomlinson claiming the biggest win of her
career against World No.19 Dipika Pallikal Karthik in the Women’s final.
Tomlinson has been in stunning form throughout 2016, winning four PSA
World Tour titles in addition to building up a 16-match unbeaten run
that came to an end in last month’s Bendigo International to Egyptian
teenager Hana Ramadan.
But the 24-year-old Englishwoman bounced back in style, exacting
revenge over Ramadan in the first round before seeing off South
Africa’s Siyoli Waters and sixth seed Mayar Hany to set up a final
fixture with Pallikal Karthik, who dropped just a single game, against
Megan Craig in the last eight, en route to the final.
Pallikal Karthik made a strong start to the encounter, controlling the
early rallies to take a one-game lead. An improved showing from
Tomlinson in the second saw the World No.44 battle back to level the
scores and both players then took a game each to set up a climactic
fifth game decider.
The title looked to be heading in Indian No.2 Pallikal Karthik’s
direction after she went 5-0 and then 9-5 up, but a virtuoso fightback
from Tomlinson saw her take six points in succession to close out a
highly entertaining 6-11, 11-4, 3-11, 11-7, 11-9 victory to win her
maiden W10 crown.
“It was definitely a difficult final,” said Tomlinson.
“After the first game, I didn’t think I was ever going to win it, but
I’m glad that I stayed strong mentally and stayed focused. I think in
the first game especially I was overthinking it a bit, so I got a bit
nervous and that just made everything fall apart. I think you’ve just
got to go back to basics, and make sure you’re getting your length and
when you have got your opportunity, you take it in.”
The Men’s final saw top seed Lee go head-to-head with long-term friend
and home hope Rex Hedrick after they achieved respective wins over
Indian duo Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu and Kush Kumar in the semi-final
stage.
Lee, the World No.52, came out on top of a number of long, patient
rallies in the opening game to go ahead for the loss of just a solitary
point before Hedrick started working his way back into the match in the
second game.
However, a hamstring injury sustained by Hedrick after a gruelling
rally at 8-4 down saw the number two seed unable to continue, handing
Lee his first PSA World Tour title in over two years.
“Of course it’s never the way that you want to win, especially against a good friend like Rex, but I’ll take it,” Lee said.
“I’ve had my share of bad luck along the way as well, so you have got
to take it and move on. It’s not nice to be injured, we’ve all been
there. I think he has had more than his fair share of trouble with his
hamstrings, so hopefully it is nothing too serious and he can be back
on court [at the Australian Open] tomorrow, which might be a bit tough
for him.
“Hopefully he is doing everything he can to be involved next week, but
he has looked after me extremely well this week. He has literally done
everything for me and I have been staying with his parents, so he
deserves a bit better to be honest.”
Result – Final: Men’s Victorian Open 2016
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [2] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 3-0: 11-1, 8-4 ret. (28m)
