Reigning champs out on day 1 of 2024 Australian Indoor Championships

by Lachlan Williams on August 12, 2024

It was a big opening day of action at Club Tweed for the 2024 Australian Indoor Championships, which saw several big name exits, including both reigning champions.

2023 victors Ray Pearse and Samantha Atkinson both bowed out in the first round, falling to Stephen Pell and Erin Swatridge respectively.

Men’s competition

Pearse was dominant in the opening set of his encounter with Forster’s Pell, taking a 10-4 first set win to set up his title defence well.

The script did not go to plan after the first set however, with Pell bouncing back to win the second set 8-3 and force a tiebreak. The upset would be complete when Pell held on for a tight 2-1 win in the 3-end decider to advance to the round of 16.

Fourth seed Trystan Smallacombe recorded an impressive come from behind win over Australian Open singles runner up Cohen Litfin, before falling to Traralgon’s Vincent McIlwain in the round of 16 in the final session of the day.

Sixth seed Colin Veenendaal also had his campaign ended in the round of 32, falling to Chris Ramage of Soldiers Point.

Three-time champion Jeremy Henry booked his spot in the quarter finals, with two good wins, including straight sets over fifth seed Warren Holt.

Women’s competition

Young gun Swatridge took it up to women’s number one seed Atkinson from the outset, taking the opening set 8-5 before narrowly falling short of avoiding a tiebreak, but dropping the second 6-7.

Atkinson was in prime position in the tiebreak, before a combination of courage and fortune paid off for Swatridge, collecting a three on the second end of the tiebreak, a lead she would hold on to as she progressed to the next round.

In other contests, two of the women’s singles quarterfinalists have been determined with the highly anticipated showdown between Right at Home Jackaroos in Brianna Smith and Dawn Hayman set to take place.

Both would enjoy fruitful days on the Queensland-New South Wales border, progressing without the loss of a set as they look to progress to the final four once more.

Their fellow Australian teammate and 2022 champion Kelsey Cottrell produced a gritty 14-1 7-11 3-0 win over New South Wales’ Sherilee Stewart.

She will now face Victorian fifth seed Olivia Cartwright for a spot in the elite eight after the Moama product defeated Patria McGrath in straight sets.

The fourth Jackaroo in the field in Chloe Stewart would also force her way through to the round of 16 after a hard fought 7-6 8-6 win over Carolyn Glen.

Trailing 4-6 with an end to play in the opening stanza, the Club Tweed native scored a scintillating three to seal the set and push on for the victory.

Stewart will face off against Emerging Jackaroo Chloe Morrison, who would overcome a slight scare against Gail Page to run out with a 12-3 5-7 6-0 win as she looks to match her semifinal performance in 2023.

Morrison’s fellow Emerging Jackaroo Kate Matthews ensured her progression, where she will face Australian Open women’s fours winner Louise Cronan.

Cronan defeated her skip from that maiden crown at Broadbeach in Kelly McKerihen after a brilliant display of bowls across the two sets.

Eighth seed Colleen Orr would be another victor on day one, while sixth seed Rae Simpson was overcome by a sublime performance from South Australian state representative Katrina Green.