WSA: Siyoli triumphs in Pretoria

Siyoli goes one better…

WSA Tour 5: NSA Open 2013

14-19 April 2013, Pretoria, South Africa

After losing out in the final of the Central Gauteng Open last week, South African number one Siyoli Waters went one better at the NSA Open, capturing her fourth WSA title and her first on home soil after defeating top seed Kylie Lindsay in the final.

The first round saw two upsets as local qualifier Farrah Sterne, a former top 50 ranked WSA player, beat fifth seed Antonella Falcione, the Argentinean number one in four games. Unseeded Korean Ahn Eun Chan followed this with four game win over seventh seed Milnay Louw. Chan, who was ranked as high as 52 this time last year, was playing her first event for almost 12 months. Top seed Lindsay, had to tough it out against Korean qualifier Kim Ga-Hye, eventually coming through in four tough games.

Lindsay and Waters both needed four games to progress to the semi finals, while Chan continued her march through the draw, leading third seed Laura Pomportes two games to one before the French number three had to retire due to calf injury. The local crowd almost saw a second South African reach the semi finals as fourth seed Cheyna Tucker led sixth seed Salma Nassar two games to one before the Egyptian fought back to win in five games.

In the semi finals Lindsay looked down and out trailing Chan two games to love. However, she fought back and eventually took the match in the decider. Waters and Nassar’s semi final match was a repeat of last week’s semi final at the Central Gauteng Open and just like last week, Waters came through in four games to reach the final.

Waters, 30 and Lindsay, 29 are currently only one ranking place apart and their only prior encounter was at the Pyramids International last October where Waters won 11-9 in the fifth. This time Waters delighted the home fans by edging Lindsay in three close games and secured her fourth WSA title and first in South Africa.

Waters will be strong favourite to secure her fifth WSA title next week as she is top seed at the Keith Grainger Memorial UCT Open in Cape Town.

 

19th April – Final:

[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-9 12-10 11-7

18th April – Semi Finals:

[1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt Ahn Eun Chan (KOR) 5-11 4-11 11-8 11-6 11-7

[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [6] Salma Nassar (EGY) 11-4 10-12 11-3 11-9

17th April – Quarter Finals:

[1] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt [Q] Farrah Sterne (RSA) 7-11 11-6 11-6 11-4

Ahn Eun Chan (KOR) bt [3] Laura Pomportes (FRA) 6-11 8-11 11-6 6-6 rtd

[6] Salma Nassar (EGY) bt [4] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 7-11 11-5 9-11 11-7 11-7

[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [8] Menna Nasser (EGY) 11-6 8-11 11-1 11-6

16th April – 1st Round:

[1] Kylie Lindsay bt  [Q] Kim Ga-Hye  11-8 15-13 8-11 11-8

[Q] Farrah Sterne bt [5] Antonella Falcione  11-7 11-3 7-11 11-6

[3] Laura Pomportes  bt  [Q] Elani Landman   11-5 11-3 11-7

Ahn Eun Chan  bt [7] Milnay Louw   11-8 5-1113-11 11-6

[6] Salma Nassar  bt [Q] Alexander Fuller    11-8 7-11 12-10 11-5

[4] Cheyna Tucker bt Maia Kirk    11-3 11-1 11-5

[8] Mennat Nasser  bt  Adel Weir   11-9 11-8 11-7

[2] Siyoli Waters bt  Aparajitha Balamurukan    11-4 11-8 11-7

15th April – Qualifying Finals:

Alexandra Fuller bt Nono Sekhoto   11-2  11-4 11-1

Farrah Sterne bt Julie Lee 7-11 11-5 11-4 11-8

Elani Landman  bt  Alexa Pienaar  9-11 11-5 11-5 5-11 11-8

Kim Ga – Hye bt Robyn Baptiste  12-10 11-7 11-4

14th April – Qualifying Round 1:

Nono Sekhoto  bt  Senade Haupt    w/o

Farrah Sterne bt D. Schneider     w/d

Elani Landman bt  Lume Landman  11-8 8-11 11-2 11-2

Alexa Pienaar bt Diana Haynes  w/d – Shin Splits injury

Robyn Baptiste  bt  Bongi Seroto    11-6 11-3 11-4