Fighting Stevenson reaches semis

26-Oct-2012 -

Caboolture’s Nathan Stevenson recovered from two gruelling five-setters in a row to stun fourth seeded Englishman Lewis Walters and move into the semi-finals of the Queensland Open in Brisbane on Saturday.
Stevenson was taken to five games by Brad Freeme and Sunil Seth in the opening two rounds but was able to recover in time to defeat Walters 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 and move into a semi-final against top seed Rex Hedrick.
Hedrick earlier looked in commanding form as he downed New Zealand’s Lance Beddoes 11-7, 11-5, 11-5.
The second semi will be between second seeded Australian Mike Corren and England’s Eddie Charlton.
Corren beat fellow Australian Jamie McErvale 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 while Charlton was too good for New Zealander Paul Coll 11-8, 11-3, 11-8.
In the women’s draw there was a major shock in the second round when India’s Aparajitha Balamurukan downed second seeded Victorian Melody Francis, on the comeback trail after ankle surgery, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7.
However, the Indian’s run was short lived as she lost her quarter-final to England’s Victoria Bell 11-3, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7
Bell will play Czech Olga Ertlova in one semi-final, with top seeded Kiwi Amanda Landers-Murphy playing South African Cheyna Tucker in the other.

Results – prefix denotes seeding:

Men

Quarter-finals

1-Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Lance Beddoes (NZL) 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
8-Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt 4-Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8
3-Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt 6-Paul Coll (NZL) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8
2-Mike Corren (AUS) bt 7-Jamie McErvale (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6

Women

1-Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt Grace McErvale (AUS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-2
5-Lotte Eriksen (NOR) bt Zoe Petrovansky (AUS) 11-8, 4-11, 11-3, 11-3
4-Christine Nunn (AUS) bt 9-Sally Skaarenborg (DEN) 11-5, 11-2, 11-8
6-Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt 11-Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-4, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8
7-Anaka Alankamony (IND) bt 10-Larissa Huffer (AUS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-8
3-Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt 12-Maggy Marshall (AUS) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5
8-Victoria Bell (ENG) bt 16-Natalie Newton (AUS) 11-9, 11-6, 11-1
14-Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND) bt 2-Melody Francis (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-7

Quarter-finals

1-Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt 5-Lotte Eriksen (NOR) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6
6-Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt 4-Christine Nunn (AUS) 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 11-7
3-Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt 7-Anaka Alankamony (IND) 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5
8-Victoria Bell (ENG) bt 14-Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND) 11-3, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7