2021 Australian Open – day nine wrap
After three blockbuster rounds on Sunday, just four men and four women remain in the hunt for the 2021 Australian Open singles titles and accompanying $12,500 cheques.
There was plenty of high-quality bowls on display across the Gold Coast on Sunday, with the singles round of 32, round of 16 and quarter-finals taking place, as well as the multi-disability and vision impaired events commencing their sectional rounds.
The men’s singles round of 32 produced some cracking contests, with three-time singles champion Aron Sherriff getting the better of Northern Irish international Gary Kelly.
Beenligh’s Dean McWhinney and Engadine’s David Ferguson fought it out in a thriller, with McWhinney winning out 21-20 to advance to the round of 16.
McWhinney ran into 2018 Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist Aaron Wilson next, with the Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist proving too strong.
VIEW FULL MEN’S & WOMEN’S SINGLES DRAWS AND RESULTS HERE
Wilson then got the job done against Jacob Nelson to book his spot in the semi-finals.
The 2013 singles champion will next encounter three-time winner and reigning titleholder Sherriff, who edged out 2009 singles winner Brett Wilkie in a quarter final-thriller, 21-18.
On the other side of the draw, another Jackaroo in Barrie Lester continued his dominant form, dropping just 17 shots in his three games on Sunday to also advance to the semi-finals.
The defending pairs winner will now face Tweed Heads’ Wayne Turley OAM in his semi-final, who managed to work over Sean Ingham 21-18 in his quarter-final contest.
The 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist wound back the clock, and is now within one win of the singles final and an elusive Australian Open title, having been a finalist on some four or five occasions.
Sherriff will face Wilson and Lester will take on Turley at Broadbeach on Thursday, ahead the men’s singles final on Friday.
Just like the men’s competition, the women’s singles competition produced plenty of excitement on Sunday.
Natasha Van Eldik faced some difficult competition, but wins over Jackie Field, Genevieve Delves and Kristina Krstic saw her progress to the semi finals.
She will take on Helensvale’s Amanda Haevecker who claimed wins over Sharon McReynolds, Di Viterale and Colleen Orr to face off against Van Eldik.
On the other side of the draw, Dawn Hayman edged out Chloe Stewart 21-16 in a blockbuster round of 32 clash, before falling short to Jessie Cottell.
Cottell would go on to lose to eventual semi-finalist Jamie-Lee Worsnop.
Worsnop snuck past 2015 singles champion Ellen Ryan 21-19 in the round of 16 on her road to the semis.
After a win over Bolivia Millerick yesterday, Rachel Davies continued her strong form into this morning, taking down Lynsey Clarke before suffering a loss to Kate Walker.
Walker went on to face a rampant Kelsey Cottrell, who after a narrow one-shot first round win, has not conceded more than 13 shots on her journey to the semis.
The women’s singles semi-finals will take place on on Wednesday, before the final on Thursday.
Eight men qualified for the knockout rounds of the multi-disability open men’s singles to start on Tuesday, with seven section winners and one next-best qualifier advancing.
Serena Bonnell (Broadbeach) and Kim Saunders (Invermay) ran undefeated through their sections of the multi-disability open women’s singles to advance to the final in their competition.
Charlie Tully (Helensvale) and Jeffrey McConnell (Cudgen Leagues) will meet in the vision-impaired open singles final after winning their respective sections on Sunday.
Tully won all three of his games, while McConnell worked his way through on shot difference, with three of the four players in section two recording two wins, including 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jake Fehlberg, who misses out.
VIEW FULL MULTI-DISABILITY & VISION IMPAIRED SECTION WINNERS, DRAWS & RESULTS HERE
The multi-disability men’s and women’s singles and vision-impaired singles finals will take place at Broadbeach on Thursday.
There’s plenty more action on display across the Gold Coast tomorrow, with men’s pairs and women’s fours knockout rounds commencing, as well as sectional competition for the over-60s men’s pairs and the multi-disability open pairs.
The 2021 Australian Open will be staged across the Gold Coast from June 12-25, courtesy of support from Tourism and Events Queensland and City of Gold Coast.
