Successful AJO title defences for Oscar and Maddy
Published Mon 24 Apr 2023
Oscar Curtis and Madison Lyon have successfully defended their titles at the 2023 Australian Junior Open at Melbourne Sports Centres today.
Curtis (WA) won the U19 boys event for the third straight year while Lyon (QLD) was able to win back-to-back girls U19 titles. Both players were convincing in their victories, winning their finals without dropping a game. In fact, both conceded just one game throughout the entire tournament.
Lyon’s victory was another step on her path towards her major goal for 2023, the World Junior Championships in Melbourne this July.
“This one’s moreso been on the backburner because I’m really focused on the World Juniors,” said Lyon. “My first hit on the [glass] court I wasn’t really too confident but since I’ve been on it a bit more I’ve come to like it.”
On the court which will be the centrepiece of the World Junior Championships, Lyon said the quicker surface forced her to ensure her mindset was right as she progressed through the rounds to etch her name on the Sarah Fitz-Gerald Trophy once again.
“Mentality tends to be the pivotal thing in most matches for me so it’s just about maintaining that,” she said.
Curtis’ third-straight win was all the more special having overcome a recent neurological injury to return in time for the tournament.
“Obviously I didn’t feel perfect this week but I just stayed mentally strong and got through it,” he said. “[the injury] took a while to get past. I couldn’t walk, couldn’t run but I got through it and I’m proud of myself for that. Just happy I could play this tournament.
Having not played a match in four months, Curtis dropped his first game of the tournament, then reeled off 12 straight to move through the second round, quarters, semis and then the final to again lift the David Palmer trophy for the third straight year.
“I’m pretty proud - it takes a lot of consistency throughout the years to train hard get the titles so I’m proud of myself for that.”
Malta’s Lijana Sultana was unable to defend her under 17 girls title this year, going down 3-1 in the final to New Zealand’s Maiden-Lee Coe. The under 17 boys title went to Queensland’s Josh Raj who defeated Victoria’s Darcy Hayes in a titanic five-game final, their 57-minute encounter delivering the longest match of the tournament.
Erwin Christopher (Malaysia) and Sarbani Maitra (QLD) both dropped less than 20 points in their 3-0 final victories while Kieran Willathgamuwa (NSW) and Emily Senior (Japan) also won their under 13 titles in three straight games.
Kovin Surendran (Malaysia) dropped the opening game before defeating Shayan Samtani (Singapore) in the under 11 boys final, and it was a similar situation in the under 11 girls decider with Elizabeth Wang (NSW) overcoming an early hiccup to beat Papua New Guinea’s Timonaliz Alarcos Kriebisch 3-1.
Click here for the full draw and all results.
2023 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR OPEN RESULTS
Under 19 Boys
Gold Medal Match: Oscar Curtis (WA) d Kenneth Lamb (NSW) 3-0 (11-1, 11-8, 11-1)
Bronze Medal Match: Harvey Allan (NSW) d Apa Fatialofa (NZL) 3-1 (8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-3)
Under 19 Girls
Gold Medal Match: Madison Lyon (QLD) d Hannah Slyth (WA) 3-0 (11-2, 11-5, 11-6)
Bronze Medal Match: Courtney Scholtz (VIC) d Amelie Guziak (VIC) 3-1 (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9)
Under 17 Boys
Gold Medal Match: Josh Raj (QLD) d Darcy Hayes (VIC) 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 12-14, 11-5)
Bronze Medal Match: Haider Naqvi (VIC) d Jack Frisken (NZL) 3-1 (9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8)
Under 17 Girls
Gold Medal Match: Maiden-Lee Coe (NZL) d Lijana Sultana (MLT) 3-1 (11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6)
Bronze Medal Match: Emmy Lamb (NSW) d Mackenzie Tait (NZL) 3-1 (11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-2)
Under 15 Boys
Gold Medal Match: Erwin Christopher (MAS) d Flynn Bartlett (QLD) 3-0 (11-6, 11-1, 11-7)
Bronze Medal Match: Kasper Cheung (NSW) d Marcus Wang (NSW) 3-2 (11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 14-12, 11-5)
Under 15 Girls
Gold Medal Match: Sarbani Maitra (QLD) d Grace Spencer (NZL) 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-4)
Bronze Medal Match: Nuraisya Mohd Zaimi (MAS) d Rashmika Shre Ragu (MAS) 3-1 (11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6)
Under 13 Boys
Gold Medal Match: Kieran Willathgamuwa (NSW) v Alexander Marsh (VIC) 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-8)
Bronze Medal Match: Thomas Wang (NSW) d Kaveen Kohombange (VIC) 3-2 (6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5)
Under 13 Girls
Gold Medal Match: Emily Senior (JPN) d Olivia van Zon (SA) 3-0 (11-4, 13-11, 11-8)
Bronze Medal Match: Nadia van Zon (SA) d Gizele Josifoski () 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-5)
Under 11 Boys
Gold Medal Match: Kovin Surendran (MAS) d Shayan Samtani (SIN) 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8)
Bronze Medal Match: Muhammad Harmas Ali Raja (PAK) d Kai Dumbleton 3-0 (13-11, 11-6, 11-9)
Under 11 Girls
Gold Medal Match: Elizabeth Wang (NSW) d Timonaliz Alarcos Kriebisch (PNG) 3-1 (7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4)
Bronze Medal Match: Riyo Kawabata (QLD) d Abbey Boswell (QLD) 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
