2022 Australian Open: day four wrap
Day four of the 2022 Australian Open saw pairs take centre stage as women’s sectional rounds concluded while the men’s event kicked off in style.
Defending champions in Matt Johnstone and Cody Packer will have to sweat on the next best qualifier results, as they fell to the Queensland pairing of Tom Smith and Euan Rea in their concluding match of the day at Paradise Point.
The 2021 conquerors finished with a shot difference of 13, and they must wait until tomorrow to find out if they will progress.
The Right at Home Jackaroos pairing of Ben Twist and Aaron Wilson have booked their place in the knockout stage after battling through an extremely tough group consisting of former singles winner Nathan Pedersen and fellow national teammate Wayne Ruediger, as well as the Victorian team of Glenn and Jarryd Davies.
Twist and Wilson would defeat Ruediger and Pedersen, along with Graham Everett and Phil Kelly before tying with the Davies duo to sit atop the ladder.
Barrie Lester and Corey Wedlock have also booked passage through to the knockout stage, with an non besmirched day in their group.
Lat year’s finalists in Gary Pearson and Cohen Litfin progressed, as did para-Jackaroos Josh Barry and Tony Bonnell.
The Nelson brothers in Jacob and Kane enjoyed a successful day, as did the likes of Bernie Melville and former pairs champion Ray Pearse, while Australian representative Matt Lucas will also feature in the knockout stage with his partner Wayne Hutson.
Carl Healey has maintained his solid run of form, moving through with Beau Prideaux, as has Wayne Turley OAM with Steven Tong.
Emerging Jackaroo Jake Rynne made his way through with fellow Queenslander Sean Baker.
In the women’s pairs Emerging Jackaroo Kate Argent-Bowden headlined the advancers, as she and her teammate Sophie Kurzman made their way through to the knockout stage with a whopping plus 33 shot difference despite falling in their final match to the New South Wales pairing of Eugenie Muncaster and Sharon Sumner.
Pathways Jackaroo and recent BPL fill in for the Melbourne eXtreme, Jessie Cottell, also made her way through with fellow Queenslander Rebecca Rixon despite also blemishing in their concluding match of the afternoon to Deb Carey and Leigh Fortington.
Western Australian stalwart Laura Merz has also progressed with partner Saffronne Alden as the duo went undefeated through their trio of clashes.
With the number of sections being at 32, there will be no next best qualifiers advancing in the women’s pairs.
See the full list of men’s women’s pairs sectional winners from day four here
See the women’s pairs knockout draw here
