Finalists in the frame at National Championships
Published Sat 24 Jun 2023
Two former champions will take on two former runners-up in the Australian National Championships Finals following today’s semis at Thornleigh Squash & Fitness Centre.
Two-time champion Ryan Cuskelly will meet back-to-back runner-up Rhys Dowling in the men’s final, while defending champion Jess Turnbull faces 2021 runner-up Alex Haydon.
MEN’S SEMI-FINALS
1-Ryan Cuskelly (NSW) d 5/8-Oscar Curtis (WA) 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9)
Ryan Cuskelly has an opportunity to claim a third Australian National Championship after overcoming the country’s top-ranked junior Oscar Curtis.
The former World No.12 didn’t have it all his own way, dropping the opening game after Curtis reeled off six straight points to take an early lead.
Cuskelly fought back strongly in the next two games before a shootout in the fourth where he claimed six of the last seven points to book a place in the final.
“I’ve been training with [Curtis] on the Gold Coast - he’s a good young player and he took the game to me like I knew he would do,” said Cuskelly. “I took a little while to get used to it all and find my way a bit, but he played really well.
“It was a little bit of experience probably which got me through in the end.”
2-Rhys Dowling (QLD) d 5/8 Dylan Molinaro (VIC) 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-3)
Having finished runner-up in 2021 and 2022, Rhys Dowling has another opportunity to claim his first Australian National Championship after a dominant performance against Dylan Molinaro.
After Molinaro upset World Cup team member Nick Calvert in the quarter-finals, Dowling knew he’d have to bring his A-game if he was to make his second straight final.
“I knew I’d have my work cut out for me after yesterday’s match which Dylan played against Nick - he played really well,” said Dowling. “I knew if he played like that it was going to be a tough match but happy to get the 3-0 win.”
Placing a dedicated focus on the ANC, Dowling’s preparation is paying dividends having conceded just 31 points in three rounds so far.
“Working with my coach back in Brisbane, Nathan Turnbull, we knew that this would be a priority tournament,” he said. “Unlucky to get runner-up last year so I came to get the win this year.
“It’s been one of my goals since I’ve been a junior. I was lucky enough to tick of the Australian Open [in 2020] and now I just need to tick off the Australian Closed.”
Tomorrow’s matches
12pm AEST 3rd/4th Playoff - 5/8 Oscar Curtis (WA) v 5/8 Dylan Molinaro (VIC)
2pm AEST ANC Final - 1-Ryan Cuskelly (NSW) v 2-Rhys Dowling (QLD)
WOMEN’S SEMI-FINALS
1-Jess Turnbull (QLD) d 5/8-Madison Lyon (QLD) 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-7)
Defending champion Jess Turnbull is coming to the end of a long season with a heavy travel burden but showed few signs of fatigue on her way to victory over Madison Lyon.
Turnbull rode waves of momentum throughout the match to gain the ascendency: in the first game she won 10 of the first 13 points; in the second she won 10 points straight to claim the game and then reeled off the first six points of the third game to build an unassailable lead.
Having just returned from last week’s World Cup in India, Australia’s top-ranked player said she is ready for a rest but was never going to miss this tournament.
“This is the end of season for us, last event for a while; we need a break but one match to go,” said Turnbull. “National titles for me are pretty important. Getting my first senior one last year was pretty special and I’d like to keep that going for as long as I can.”
3/4-Alex Haydon (SA) d 2-Sarah Cardwell (VIC) 3-1 (11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 11-4)
Alex Haydon is through to her second ANC Final following a 3-1 win over Victoria’s Sarah Cardwell.
The first game was locked 9-9 before Haydon took the early lead, only for Cardwell to even the match up with some classy strokeplay in the second game. The match see-sawed back Haydon’s way in the third before the South Australian dropped just four points in the fourth to claim victory.
“Sarah’s a tough player - she varies the pace really well,” said Haydon. “These courts are so slow to what I’ve played on recently and that really suits her lob, drop, slowing-down-the-court-game and I really needed to combat that.
The pair fought out a 60-minute five-game marathon in the 2021 ANC semi-finals, with Haydon drawing on some of that experience to end up on top today.
“That ANC was such a big milestone for me, beating a few of the girls who at the time were ranked above me to get through to the final,” said Haydon. “I remember I was 2-0 up against her in that one and it went to five. I feel like the more and more experience I’m getting helps me get through those scenarios.
Haydon now faces Jess Turnbull just a week after the pair were teammates at the World Cup in India, with the 21-year-old looking forward to facing a player she highly respects.
“We actually haven’t played each other since the end of 2021,” said Haydon. “We’ve been on a lot of teams together, doubles partners at the Commonwealth Games, so really looking forward to it. It will be good to come up against each other again.
"It’s been really good travelling the world together and playing for Australia together. It’s such good motivation seeing her do so well and it gives me motivation to keep pushing each other higher and higher.”
Tomorrow’s matches
1:20pm AEST ANC Final - 1-Jess Turnbull (QLD) v 5/8 Alex Haydon (SA)
1:30pm AEST 3rd/4th Playoff - 5/8-Madison Lyon (QLD) v 2-Sarah Cardwell (VIC)
