Van Asch hunts Australian Open singles
Tasmania’s Rebecca Van Asch will look to secure an elusive national singles title on the penultimate day of the $250,000 prize-money Australian Open. Tasmania’s Rebecca Van Asch will look to secure an elusive national singles title on the penultimate day of the $250,000 prize-money Australian Open.
The Gold Coast greens have been a happy hunting ground for the reigning Tasmanian Athlete of the Year, following two gold medals at April’s 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in team disciplines, women’s triples and fours, but is yet to secure the sport’s blue-ribbon singles title.
The stoic Van Asch, 30, will contest the coveted singles final against Australian Jackaroos teammate Kristina Krstic, 24, in a showcase of the generational change the sport has experienced in recent decades.
Van Asch booked a berth in the ultimate decider after upstaging the event’s reigning singles and pairs champion Ellen Ryan 21-18 at Club Helensvale yesterday.
Western Australia’s Krstic advanced after ending the hopes of Gold Coast product Bolivia Millerick, from Broadbeach, in the semis 21-13.
The women’s singles final will be staged at Broadbeach Bowls Club from 11.30am.
The men’s showpiece singles event is down to the semi-final stages, with Broadbeach-based Canadian Ryan Bester setting his sights on the silverware after a narrow defeat in 2015.
Standing in his way is 17-year old New Zealand spearhead Seamus Curtin, who has cut a swath through the open-age field despite also contesting the junior singles discipline.
In the other semi, dark horse Peter Taylor from NSW’s Alstonville will face one-time Australian player and current Queensland representative Sean Baker for a spot in Friday’s golden decider.
The Australian Open culminates after 14 days of action at Broadbeach Bowls Club, with 13 disciplines’ finals contested across Thursday and Friday.
The men’s and women’s singles and pairs finals will be showcased with live television broadcasts on SBS and Fox Sports from 11.30am to 4.00pm across both days.
Six other finals will be live-streamed on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page.
