Singles takes shape at semis
The blue-ribbon women’s singles discipline has started to take shape, with the competition set to heat up in the semi-finals. Ellen Ryan is just two wins away from becoming the second women to claim multiple Australian Open singles title after securing passage through to the semi-finals today.
The 20 year-old Cabramatta ace, who won the blue-ribbon women’s singles title in 2015, is the only Australian Jackaroo still in the mix after today’s three knockout rounds; of 32, 16 and the quarter-finals.
Ryan was in sublime form on the Broadbeach greens, defeating Malaysian international Azlina Arshad 21-10 in the round of 16, before toppling former world champion, and her Cabramatta teammate, Claire Turley 21-13 in the quarters.
Standing in her immediate way is South Africa’s Elma Davis, who upstaged former World Youth Cup winner Samantha Shannahan 21-12 in the quarters this evening, to set up the highly anticipated semi-final showdown.
Ryan’s Jackaroos teammates Kelsey Cottrell and Rebecca Van Asch made it as far as the quarters this evening, but succumbed to Mareeba’s Sue Brady and Club Helensvale’s Georgia White respectively.
Brady, who sits in White’s half of the draw, claimed some of the biggest scalps of the competition today, including last year’s runner-up Dee-Ann Robertson, followed by Robertson’s victor, defending champion Natasha Scott, and then finally 2009 singles winner Cottrell 21-15.
White, the reigning Australian Open women’s fours champion, prevailed in a blockbuster quarter-final against Tasmania’s current two-time world champion Van Asch by a slender shot to progress to the semis.
The women’s singles semi-final is scheduled to take place from 11.45am on Wednesday at Club Helensvale.
Ryan will attempt to become just the second player to win the women’s singles title on multiple occasions, following in the footsteps of Victoria’s Lisa Phillips, who won in 2011 and 2013.
Click here to view the full women’s singles knockout results.
Women’s singles semi-finals:
Sue Brady (Mareeba, QLD) v Georgia White (Club Helensvale, QLD)
Elma Davis (South Africa) v Ellen Ryan (Cabramatta, NSW)
