Ahn goes all the way in Perth

South Korea’s unheralded Ahn Eun Chan completed a stunning tournament when she beat top seed and world number 28 Lisa Camilleri to take out the Black Knight Open in Perth on Wednesday night.

Ahn, ranked a lowly 145 in the world, came back from losing the first game to beat the Queenslander in four games 5-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 for the first title of her career.

The 25-year-old from Seoul had never previously reached even the quarter-final stage of a main tour tournament, but she downed the second, sixth, third and top seeds on her way to winning in Perth.

Camilleri, the defending champion, had been aiming for her 18th title, but she was undone by the vastly improved Korean number three.

Both women now play the City of Perth International beginning on Friday, where they could meet again in the semi-finals.
  

12-10, 11-8, 11-7 (29m)

[8] Tesni Evans

11-7, 11-4, 11-9[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy

 5-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7

[16] Ahn Eun Chan

11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 12-14, 12-10 (50m)

[7] Amanda Landers-Murphy

 11-7, 11-3, 12-10 (25m)

[3] Sarah Cardwell

11-4, 11-7, 11-4

[16] Ahn Eun Chan

12-10, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 (40m)

[16] Ahn Eun Chan

Korean surprise packet reaches Perth semis

South Korea’s Ahn Eun Chan sprang two major surprises as she charged into the semi-finals of the Black Knight Open women’s squash tournament in Perth.

The 25-year-old Ahn shocked second seed Melody Francis in the second round before ousting sixth ranked Tamika Saxby 12-10, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 in the quarter-finals.

Ahn will now take on Melbourne’s third seeded Sarah Cardwell for a place in the final after Cardwell beat close friend and former Australian junior teammate Christine Nunn 11-7. 11-3, 12-10.

Canberra’s Nunn, who has recently rejoined the women’s tour, had earlier caused an upset of her own when she beat fifth seed Zoe Petrovansky in the second round.

The winner takes on either world number 28 Lisa Camilleri or seventh seeded Kiwi Amanda Landers-Murphy in the final.

Camilleri fought of Wales’s Tesni Evans 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 while Landers-Murphy beat fourth seeded Tasmanian Maggy Marshall 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 12-14, 12-10.

Camilleri aiming for title number 18

Defending champion Lisa Camilleri will be aiming for her 18th title on the women’s professional squash tour when she takes to the court for the Black Knight Open beginning in Perth on Monday.

Camilleri is top seed for both the Black Knight Open and the City of Perth International the following weekend.

Camilleri won the inaugural Black Knight Open in 2010 on her way to seven straight titles on the Australian Squash Tour.

The world number 28 has already won two tournaments in 2011, the ACT Open in March and the Westerfolds JDP in April.

Second seed is world number 49 Melody Francis from Melbourne, who Camilleri beat in the 2010 final, but who is a much improved player this year after becoming a scholarship holder with the Australian Institute of Sport.

Both Camilleri and Francis, who won her maiden title in Brisbane in January, have first round byes.

Players from six different countries will be playing in the Black Knight Open, which is being held at the Terrace Squash Centre in East Perth.
Third seed is Melbourne’s Sarah Cardwell, while Tasmanian Maggy Marshall is the fourth ranked player.

Adding to the international flavour are seventh seeded New Zealander Amanda Landers-Murphy, and rising Welsh star Tesni Evans, the eighth seed.

There are also representatives from India, South Korea and Iran along with players from every Australian state and territory.
 
First round matches begin on Monday, with the final to be played on Wednesday.