Heavy hitters hunted at Indoors
A handful of the tournament’s top seeds were unable to progress past the first round at Tweed Heads Bowls Club today. The opening day of the $30,000 Australian Indoor Championships has proven to be a burial ground for some of the sport’s marquee players, with a handful of the tournament’s top seeds unable to progress past the first round at Tweed Heads Bowls Club today.
Reigning Australian Open champion and second-seed Lisa Phillips was among the high profile heavy hitters bundled out of contention early, with the 20 year-old dropping her rubber in straight sets to 16 year-old up-and-comer Jamie-Lee Worsnop, from St Johns Park in NSW.
Former Australian squad member Sarah Boddington, 21, also exited the event prematurely after encountering Manly’s Maria Rigby, who advanced courtesy of a straight sets 12-9, 11-5 victory, while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sharyn Renshaw fell to Bev Baker 8-5, 9-4.
In the men’s draw, it wasn’t a case of home-ground advantage for Tweed Heads bowls coordinator Paul Girdler, who stumbled in last year’s final to world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mark Casey, after suffering a fatal blow by Paul O’Brien 8-6, 6-4.
Helensvale’s world champion Brett Wilkie also ended his bid to reclaim the coveted silverware he last held aloft in 2010, with former Silver Tier representative Michael Cronin downing the high-flying hawk 4-12, 8-3, 5-0.
Remaining alive in the 32-player field in the men’s draw are defending champion Casey, Australian Open winner Aaron Wilson and Scottish world champion Graeme Archer, while in the women’s event Bribie Island young gun Natasha Jones and Australian Jackaroo Carla Odgers continue to progress, with Karen Murphy in contention for an unprecedented sixth title with her first match later today.
The Australian Indoor Championships continues tomorrow with the second round and quarter-finals of both the men’s and women’s singles from 8.00am at Tweed Heads Bowls Club.
Caption: 16 year-old Jamie-Lee Worsnop bundled out Lisa Phillips in her opening round encounter.
