McErvale fights way to main draw
From ANDREW DENT
Caloundra’s Jamie McErvale downed Brisbane’s Alistair Cray in final qualifying for the Hibiscus Gardens Open in Brisbane on Wednesday to reach the main draw of the biggest tournament of his career.
The 19-year-old McErvale came back from losing the first set against Cray to triumph 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 and charge into a first round clash against South Australia’s Mike Corren.
“It’s the best result for me as far as the size of the tournament goes,” McErvale said.
“I just want to go out there tomorrow and do the best I can.”
He will have his work cut out against the vastly experienced Corren, who last Sunday won his 33rdtitle on the men’s Professional Squash Association tour when he took out the ACT Open in Canberra.
He played Corren twice last year and lost on both occasions, in Melbourne and Kalgoorlie.
Meanwhile former PSA tour player Brad Freeme upset any hopes Ipswich’s Sunil Seth had of joining McErvale in the main draw with a 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 win.
Freeme has been drawn to play third seeded Malaysian Kamran Khan in the first round.
The other two qualifiers were Dutchman Sebastian Weenink, who beat Brisbane’s Nathan Turnbull 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 and Hong Kong’s Leo Au, a 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 winner over Rockhampton veteran Craig Rowland.
Weenink takes on second seeded New Zealander Martin Knight while Au is up against Caboolture’s Nathan Stevenson.
Final qualifying results
Brad Freeme (AUS) bt Sunil Seth (AUS) 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8
Jamie McErvale (AUS) bt Alistair Cray (AUS) 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9
Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Nathan Turnbull (AUS) 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5
Leo Au (HKG) bt Craig Rowland (AUS) 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
First round draw – prefix denotes seeding:
1-Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v Choong Kam Hing (MAS)
Chris Truswell (ENG) v Alex Grayson (NZL)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) v Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN)
3-Kamran Khan (MAS) v Brad Freeme (AUS)
4-Mike Corren (AUS) v Jamie McErvale (AUS)
Tyler Hamilton (CAN) v Fred Reid (CAN)
Nathan Stevenson (AUS) v Leo Au (HKG)
2-Martin Knight (NZL) v Sebastian Weenink (NED)