Queenslander Lisa Camilleri claimed the spoils at the Victorian Open Squash Championships - but was made to work hard for her victory in the finals of the international Tour event in Melbourne.
In the all-Australian women's final, Camilleri won the title for the third time with an 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 triumph over Amelia Pittock – the Victorian's second successive finish as runner-up.
27-year-old Camilleri made it four Tour wins in a row with her victory over Pittock, the 2005 champion, in the final of the $4,000 WISPA World Tour event.
"We know each other’s games really well and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Camilleri, who is the same age as Pittock, with whom she grew up and played juniors together.
"It was a tough tournament for me because we had to play the semi-finals and final on the same day, which is a bit unusual.
"And I was really pushed in the semi-final (by Korea’s Song Sun-Mi). She was so strong and kept fighting right until the end so I had to try and recover for the final."
Camilleri has now won events in Darwin, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne to make it 10 tournament wins on the women’s professional tour.
RESULTS: Victorian Open Squash Championships, Melbourne, Australia
Women's 1st round:
[14] Emma Millar (NZL) bt Grace Mcervale (AUS) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2
Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [12] Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3
[15] Elpiniki Clement (USA) bt Challen Stowell (AUS) 11-1, 11-6, 11-4
[8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Vanessa Pickerd (AUS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
[13] Jane Kennedy (AUS) bt Grazia Guida (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
[16] Bethany Brazier (AUS) bt Barbara Stubbings (PNG) 11-7, 13-15, 11-5, 11-9
[11] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt Peta Murphy (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8
[9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt Nicole Stoneham (AUS) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
[10] Amanda Cranston (NZL) bt Alana Sincock (NZL) 11-7, 11-3, 11-9
2nd round:
[1] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [14] Emma Millar (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-5
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt Christine Nunn (AUS) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
[4] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [15] Elpiniki Clement (USA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [13] Jane Kennedy (AUS) 11-8, 11-6 ret.
[7] Birgit Coufal (AUT) bt [16] Bethany Brazier (AUS) 14-12, 11-6, 11-5
[3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt [11] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
[9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt [6] Zoe Petrovansky (AUS) 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-1, 11-6
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [10] Amanda Cranston (NZL) 11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-2
Quarter-finals:
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [1] Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
[4] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 13-11, 11-3, 11-9
[3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt [7] Birgit Coufal (AUT) 11-1, 11-3, 11-3
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
Semi-finals:
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [4] Melody Francis (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 12-10
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) 13-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7
Final:
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 12-10
