2021 Australian Open – day ten wrap

by Val Febbo on June 21, 2021

The men’s pairs draw is down to the last 16 while the women’s fours field is down to the final four teams, in addition to three other discipline’s sectional rounds commencing at the 2021 Australian Open today.

Pairs defending champions Ray Pearse and Aron Sherriff were ousted in an epic contest by Queensland duo Gary Pearson and Cohen Litfin, who prevailed 17-15.

Other credentialed combatants Aaron Teys and Gary Kelly also had their hopes dashed, eliminated by the NSW’s Andrew Swan and Matthew Long-Swan.

The Long-Swan duo would ultimately fall by the same margin to Kevin Anderson and Matt Lucas, who have safely secured passage into the final 16.

The second round proved to be a stumbling block for a number of highly fancied pairs, with Barrie Lester and Corey Wedlock also falling at the hurdle, with Daniel and Max Scanlan proving too strong in their 19-11 victory.

The superstar team of Jackaroos duo Ben Twist and Aaron Wilson remain in the pairs draw, claiming their three encounters of the day, while Matt Johnstone and Cody Packer have also booked their place for the next scheduled matches taking place tomorrow.

The women’s fours action was a tantalising thought from the outset with some enthralling battles from poised throughout of the day, with Samantha Ferguson, Lynsey Clarke, Anne Johns and Kelsey Cottrell holding off a strong challenge by a fiercely skipped team by 2005 women’s pairs winner Maria Rigby in a 13-12 win.

One of the casualties of the opening round was the New Zealand Blackjack skipped Katelyn Inch outfit that fell to Laraine Mazurek, Chris Keep, Claire Kelly and Bronwyn McPherson 11-10.

The round of 16 commenced and the high rollers sailed through, withstanding the big scalps of Cassandra Millerick, Jessie Cottell, Dee-Anne Robertson and Bolivia Millerick, who succumbed to a Sharon Cavanagh skipped South Australian quartet 11-10.

As the quarter-finals began, two titanic tussles featuring a plethora of Jackaroos pitted off against each other.

The highly fancied foursome of Sarah Boddington, Genevieve Delves, Dawn Hayman and Natasha Van Eldik took aim against the young-gun brigade of Jamie-Lee Worsnop, Brianna Smith, Ellen Ryan and Kristina Krstic.

The battle was fierce and tight, with Krstic and company proving just too strong in their 16-14 victory.

For another place in the semi-finals, it was Ferguson, Clarke, Johns and Cottrell against Jessica SrisamruaybaiSerena MatthewsClaire Turley and Chloe Stewart.

It was the former and three of the 2019 fours champions who ensured that their campaign would remain alive after a comprehensive 22-10 win.

In the bowlers with a disability pairs, Para-Sport 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Tony Bonnell emerged through his section with Serena Bonnell.

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.