Internationals up to the Challenge at Costa North Coast Open
Published Mon 04 Nov 2024
New champions were crowned at the 2024 Costa North Coast Open (PSA Challenger 6K) on Sunday.
With a strong international presence - particularly from Hong Kong, India and Japan - spectators were treated to some brilliant shot-making throughout the Festival of Squash Week in Coffs Harbour.
India's Anahat Singh took out the women's final on Sunday, defeating Japan's Akari Midorikawa 3-0 (11-6 , 11-6 , 11-7) in just 24mins.
Both players opened strongly, looking to attack early but as the rallies’ lengthened Singh was able to get into her customary pattern and pace. Midorikawa worked the forehand court, but Singh held and dominated the centre playing short to Midorikawa’s backhand and forcing the error.
Singh’s consistency and controlled pace proved too good to win in straight games and claim her maiden PSA Title.
The Men’s Open Final saw Hong Kong's Lam Shing Fung defeat countryman Wailok To 3-1 (11-5, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5) in 35 minutes.
Both players started cautiously, finding their rhythm with Fung gaining the early break and taking a 5-1 lead. Wailok To seemed unsettled, just misjudging key shots and was unable to recover with the game to Fung to go 1-0 up.
In the second game Wailok To - who downed Australian second seed Rhys Dowling in the semi-final, found better range and lengthened the court to reply to Fung’s first game, pressuring Fung to the back and front corners and looked to have the better of the exchanges to draw level at a game apiece.
A more determined Fung retuned to court opening strongly in the third game and Wailok To’s errors started to mount, allowing Fung to take the third game convincingly.
With all the work to do to stay in the match Wailok To was unable to find the same consistency used in earlier matches and apply a real challenge to Fung in the fourth game, Fung closing it out to record his first Costa North Coast Open Championship.
This was Fung’s first PSA Championship win.
“Grateful today, I got my first title in Coffs Harbour," said Funk. "Thankyou OTO we had good final in here.
"Thank you, Coffs Harbour, my coach, my teammates, my friends for supporting me”.
