Commonwealth Games gold medallists among Australian Open casualties
The carnage continued at the Australian Open, with two Commonwealth Games gold medallist among the casualties. Two Commonwealth Games gold medallists, former English international David Holt and South Africa’s Gerry Baker, were among a long list of casualties that have been bundled out of the 2017 Australian Open’s blue-ribbon men’s singles event on the Gold Coast.
Holt, a Manchester 2002 gold winner, and Baker, a 2010 Delhi medallist and multiple world champion, headline the lengthy list of victims that were overcome in the sectional rounds of death during the three days of action in the 908 player discipline.
Both secured just one victory from three sectional rubbers and were a long way off securing a berth in the knockout stages of the competition as a “next best qualifier”, one of 29 men’s singles players who advance despite not winning their section to fill the remainder of the 256-spots in the elimination stages.
Also failing to progress any further in the discipline, after the three days of the sectional rounds, was Australian Commonwealth Games gold medallist Wayne Turley OAM, dual Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist Jono Davis, Broadbeach-based Scottish player Ryan Burnett, reigning dual Australian Open fours winner Steve Dennis, and one-time Australian representative Lee Schraner.
While there was a mass exodus of stars across the three days of men’s singles sectional rounds, which commenced on Saturday, a number of the sport’s crème de la crème paved their way into the latter stages of the event today.
Among those who secured passage today were five-time World Cup winner Jeremy Henry and his Warilla teammate Aaron Teys, who secured the coveted Australian Open singles title in 2015, New Zealand Blackjack Paul Girdler, Scottish international Kevin Anderson and World Youth Championships pairs winner Billy Johnston.
Today also marked the start of the women’s competition, with the 300-player women’s singles event commencing across eight Gold Coast clubs.
50 out of 75 disciplines were completed today, with most of the sport’s heavy-hitters booking a berth in the elimination event as section winners, including Australian Captain Lynsey Clarke, her 350-international game teammate Kelsey Cottrell, Malaysia’s Siti Zalina Ahmed, 2015 Australian Open women’ singles winner Ellen Ryan, world champion Rebecca Van Asch, South Africa’s Elma Davis and international stalwart Karen Murphy.
While we know the full picture of the men’s singles, including the names of all those that miss out on a spot, the landscape of the women’s singles knockout stages won’t be known until the conclusion of play tomorrow (Tuesday), after the remainder of the 25 disciplines are played.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) sees the start of the men’s pairs contest, with half of the 104 sections in action across nine clubs, in addition to the last women’s singles sectional encounters.
The full list of men’s section winners from today, and the next best qualifiers, in addition to today’s women’s section winners, can be viewed below.
Men’s section winners from today, and next best qualifiers:
Winner Section 195: Geoff Kirk (Croydon, VIC)
Winner Section 196: Phil Brandon (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 197: Garry Williams (Taren Point, NSW)
Winner Section 198: Mark Wrigley (Streaky Bay, SA)
Winner Section 199: Kelvin Kerkow (South Tweed, QLD)
Winner Section 200: Matthew Thornton (Narrandera, NSW)
Winner Section 201: Craig Ziebell (Pacific Paradise, QLD)
Winner Section 202: Mark Algate (North Toowoomba, QLD)
Winner Section 203: Shane Soper (Beresfield, NSW)
Winner Section 204: Neville Lockhart (Urangan, QLD)
Winner Section 205: Jeremy Henry (Warilla, NSW)
Winner Section 206: Jarrad O’Donohoe (Wanneroo, WA)
Winner Section 207: Wade Cranston (Sarina, QLD)
Winner Section 208: John Bosisto (Tweed Heads, NSW)
Winner Section 209: Billy Johnson (Carbramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 210: Mark Douthie (Wanneroo, WA)
Winner Section 211: Kevin Anderson (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 212: Chris O’Meagher (Melbourne, VIC)
Winner Section 213: Wade Mutzelburg (Caloundra, QLD)
Winner Section 214: Craig Townsend (Wallerawang, NSW)
Winner Section 215: Paul Fair (Mosman Park, WA)
Winner Section 216: Paul Gilbert (Algester, QLD)
Winner Section 217: Aaron Teys (Warilla, NSW)
Winner Section 218: Justin Goodwin (Eastbourne Eagles, NZ)
Winner Section 219: Luke Grainger (Engadine, NSW)
Winner Section 220: Warren Shipley (Beresfield, NSW)
Winner Section 221: Shane Young (Beltana, TAS)
Winner Section 222: Barry Wynks (Takaro, NZ)
Winner Section 223: Matt Johnstone (Hamilton North, NSW)
Winner Section 224: Kevin Higson (Darra Cemento, QLD)
Winner Section 225: Jake Fehlberg (Burleigh Heads, QLD)
Winner Section 226: John Newell (Hamilton, QLD)
Winner Section 227: Aidan Fikar (Belmont, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 1: Zulhilmie Redzuan (Bayuemas, MAS)
Next Best Qualifier 2: Sean Ingham (Broadbeach, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 3: Eric Copeland (Kawana, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 4: Ross Warburton (Brunswick, WA)
Next Best Qualifier 5: Joshua Thornton (East Shepparton, VIC)
Next Best Qualifier 6: Albert Gibbs (Millmerran, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 7: Gregory Chapman (Cardiff, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 8: Paul Gray (Charlestown, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 9: Graham Harrison (City of Geelong, VIC)
Next Best Qualifier 10: Steve Glasson (Mt. Lewis, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 11: Geoff Hawkins (Southport, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 12: Tomas Nathan (Broadbeach, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 13: Chris Wallace (Carrum, VIC)
Next Best Qualifier 14: Ian Groves (ADF – Oakey, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 15: Garry Sanders (YMGCR, VIC)
Next Best Qualifier 16: Simon Ferrier (Mount Lewis, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 17: Abdul Latif (Broadbeach, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 18: Nick Buttolo (Grandviews, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 19: Chris Mitchell (Helensvale, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 20: Greg Caletti (Roma, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 21: Owen Lockett (Helensvale, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 22: Toby Wight (Mermaid Beach, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 23: Robert Briglia (Melbourne, VIC)
Next Best Qualifier 24: Steve Lilley (Parklands, NZ)
Next Best Qualifier 25: Robert Ormston (Lockleys, SA)
Next Best Qualifier 26: Marty Rogers (The Hills, NSW)
Next Best Qualifier 27: Julian Maher (The Albert, QLD)
Next Best Qualifier 28: Andrew Ashlin (Weston Creek, ACT)
Next Best Qualifier 29: Toni Donda (Wellington Point, NZ)
Women’s section winners from today:
Winner Section 1: Azlina Arshad (RMP Club Federal Territory, MAS)
Winner Section 2: Kim Saunders (Invermay, TAS)
Winner Section 3: Rebecca Turnbull (Cabramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 4: Bolivia Millerick (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 5: Suzanne Lund (Park Beach, NSW)
Winner Section 6: Samantha Noronha (Engadine, NSW)
Winner Section 7: Elma Davis (South Africa)
Winner Section 8: Rebecca Van Asch (Invermay, TAS)
Winner Section 9: Zuraini Khalid (Bayuemas, MAS)
Winner Section 10: Katelyn Inch (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 11: Georgia White (Helensvale, QLD)
Winner Section 12: Claire Turley (Cabramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 13: Bronwyn Cowie (Balclutha, NZ)
Winner Section 14: Lolita Treasure (Mckenzie Park, QLD)
Winner Section 15: Frances Bryant (Hillcrest, QLD)
Winner Section 16: Dianne Viterale (Kawana, QLD)
Winner Section 17: Georgina Moor (Pottsville, NSW)
Winner Section 18: Ellen Ryan (Cabramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 19: Leisa Burton (Forbes, NSW)
Winner Section 20: Nor Hashimah Ismail (Bayuemas, MAS)
Winner Section 21: Jamie-Lee Worsnop (St Johns Park, NSW)
Winner Section 22: Lynsey Clarke (Helensvale, QLD)
Winner Section 23: Denise Ellison (The Entrance, NSW)
Winner Section 24: Chloe Morrison (Tuggeranong Valley, ACT)
Winner Section 25: Virginia Longfellow (Harbord, NSW)
Winner Section 26: Therese Hastings (Manning, WA)
Winner Section 27: Mirrie Ndungu (Limuru, KE)
Winner Section 28: Peri Buckley (Sandy Bay, TAS)
Winner Section 29: Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park, NSW)
Winner Section 30: Yan Xiao Yan (China)
Winner Section 31: Jaymee Sidel (Oak Bay, CAN)
Winner Section 32: Jessica Srissamruaybai (Tweed Heads, QLD)
Winner Section 33: Kelsey Cottrell (St Johns Park, NSW)
Winner Section 34: Sarah Boddington (Tuncurry Beach, NSW)
Winner Section 35: Mandy Stitt (Queanbeyan, NSW)
Winner Section 36: Gail Crompton (Bargara, QLD)
Winner Section 37: Siti Zalina Ahmad (RMP Club Federal Territory, MAS)
Winner Section 38: Cassandra Millerick (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 39: Melissa Larcombe (Tweed Heads, QLD)
Winner Section 40: Marilyn Stephenson (Moama, NSW)
Winner Section 41: Lauretta Marchese (Cabramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 42: Lorraine Quelhurst (Paradise Point, QLD)
Winner Section 43: Stephanie Hill (Warilla, NSW)
Winner Section 44: Laureen Smith (Mulwala, VIC)
Winner Section 45: Maddison Fennell (Raymond Terrace, NSW)
Winner Section 46: Karen Murphy (Cabramatta, NSW)
Winner Section 47: Tiffany Brodie (Fitzroy, VIC)
Winner Section 48: Emma Brown (Broadbeach, QLD)
Winner Section 49: Nici Neal (South Africa)
Winner Section 50: Connie-Leigh Rixon (Kawana, QLD)
