Early upsets at Auckland Squash Open

Ollie Dunbar in actions against Malaysia's Low Wa Sern at the Auckland Squash Open PHOTO: JOHN LAWRENCE

Two teenagers caused upsets in the opening rounds of the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Squash Open, but the results were in numbers only.

Top seed Ollie Dunbar from Wellington, a teenager himself and second seed Shamil Wakeel of Sri Lanka lost their opening matches in four games as only two New Zealand men remain in the quartersfinals.

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Dunbar ranked around 140 in the world was always going to have a tough match against fellow junior Low Wa Sern. The Malaysian reached the quarters of the World Junior Championships last year, and the quarters at the British Junior Open, the same round as Dunbar. 

However, the left-handed Sern is only just starting his pro career and is therefore below Dunbar in rankings. 

On the court in Auckland there was a close first game 11-7, but then the Malaysian was too quick with his reactions around court in the second an 11-5 scoreline before Dunbar fought back in the third to win 13-11.

Sern had an answer to every shot in the fourth and kept his cool on some contentious calls to take the match 11-6 in 44 minutes. 

The Malaysian will now face one of three Korean men to make the last eight, Jaejin Woo.

The two New Zealanders to reach the quarters are Willz Donnelly who had a bye first round and then beat Australian Caleb Jonson in four games to set up a clash with the other upset merchant Harith Daniel, 18 from Malaysia who beat second seeded Wakeel. 

Daniel reached the semifinals of the World Junior Champs and quarters at the British Juniors.

The remaining Kiwi is 19-year-old Freddie Jameson from Northland who beat junior Vihan Chathury in straight games and then accounted for sixth seed Tuwin Nilkakshana (Sri Lanaka) in straight games. 

Jameson who is known for his left-handed touch will play Australian third seed Ben Ratcliffe in his quarterfinal 

In the women's PSA Satellite four-time winner Lana Harrison eased through her first match while second seed Wonona-Jo Joyce also won in straight sets and top-ranked Jen Gregory from Hawkes Bay had a four-game win.

Harrison will face Emma Merson in the quarters, while the two left-handers Rae and Joyce play as do Anna Hughes and Waikato's Sophie Hodges while Gregory will take on Maiden-Lee Coe. 

The men's and women's quarters run from 11am with semifinals starting at 4pm. The finals are from 3pm, Sunday all at the North Shore Squash Club.

Results

Men's PSA Challenger round 2:

[8] William Donnelly (NZL) bt. [11] Caleb Johnson (AUS)3-1: 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5 (54m)

[12] Harith Danial (MAS) bt. [2] Shamil Wakeel (SRI)3-1: 4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-0 ret. (31m)

[3] Benjamin Ratcliffe (AUS) bt. Steve Martin (NZL)3-1: 3-11, 11-7, 11-1, 11-7 (30m)

[14] Freddie Jameson (NZL) bt. [6] Tuwin Nilakshana Herath (SRI)3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-7 (23m)

[15] Youngjo Ko (KOR) bt. [4] Cameron Darton (AUS)3-1: 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8 (36m)

[5] Jooyoung Na (KOR) bt. Apa Fatialofa (NZL)3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 (23m)

[9] Jaejin Yoo (KOR) bt. [7] Gianluca Bushell-O'Connor (AUS)3-1: 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (44m)

[13] Low Wa Sern (MAS) bt. [1] Oliver Dunbar (NZL)3-1: 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-6 (44m)

Round 1

[11] Caleb Johnson (AUS) bt. Michael Shelton Agar (NZL)3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (29m)

[12] Harith Danial (MAS) bt. Bryce McMullen (NZL)3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (17m)

Steve Martin (NZL) bt. [10] Glenn Templeton (NZL)3-2: 4-11, 11-8, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (39m)

[14] Freddie Jameson (NZL) bt. Vihan Chathury (NZL)3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (18m)

[15] Youngjo Ko (KOR) bt. Vincent Robson (NZL)3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-0 (18m)

Apa Fatialofa (NZL) bt. [16] Zohaib Khan (PAK)3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 (16m)

[9] Jaejin Yoo (KOR) bt. Jack Oliver (NZL)3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 12-10 (20m)

[13] Low Wa Sern (MAS) bt. Riley Noonan (NZL)3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 (16m)

Women's PSA Satellite round one results:

Jena Gregory bt Lucy Aspinall 9-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-4, 

Maiden-Lee Coe bt Amalia Ricketts 11-3, 11-7, 11-8, 

Anna Hughes bt Kayti Griffen 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 

Sophie Hodges bt Chalotte Galloway 11-3, 11-13, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 

Emma Merson bt Lisa Ashton 11-8 11-9, 11-5, 

Lana Harrison bt Jaimee Hunt 11-0 11-7 11-3, 

Lilly Rae bt Brooke Valois 11-6, 11-4, 11-4, 

Winona-Jo Joyce bt Michelle Robers 11-4, 11-7, 11-6.