Curtain Falls on Super-Seniors World Individual Championships
Date published :
19 Nov 2009 - 09:15:37
Eleventh seed Phillip Higgs (AUS) stunned top seed Peter Adrigan (GER) to win the Men's 65's
World Championship title today. Higgs only plays ITF tournaments within
Australia and was only nominated as the Australian Britannia Cup team's
number three player. By comparison, Adrigan will finish 2009 as the
World number one, was top seed for this event and beat Higgs' Britannia
Cup team-mate Dennis Bindon 60 61 in the semifinal. Higgs took the
first set by the slimmest of margins on a tie-break, 76(4). Adrigan was
expected to pull away in the second set, but despite having a set
point, the German was unable to shake off the dogged Australian. Higgs
forced a second tie-break, winning it 76(6), and with it, the title.
Ellie Krocke (NED) won her first World Championship singles title in nine years today, as she claimed the Women's 65's
crown. Her opponent in a high quality final was nine time World
Champion Heide Orth from Germany. Orth had beaten her opponent once
already this year, but she went into the final off the back of two
draining three set matches. Meanwhile, Krocke had glided through the
bottom half of the draw, dropping just seven games in four matches.
Krocke and Orth were only separated by one point in a tie-break finale
to the fist set, with Krocke winning it. In the second set Krocke
pulled away from her opponent to seal a 76(6) 62 victory.
Another first-time singles winner was fellow Australian Kerry Ballard in the Women's 60's.
Ballard had won the doubles with Liz Allan (AUS) yesterday afternoon
for a record seventeenth consecutive time, partnering Liz Allan for the
past nine of those titles. This time Allan was Ballard's final victim.
Ballard started strongly, breaking Allan to take the first set 64.
Ballard served for the match at one stage, but her more experienced
opponent broke back and it seemed Ballard's chance may have vanished.
But Ballard proved the stronger of the two ladies in the resulting
tie-break to take her first title 64, 76(4).
Ballard also
captained the winning Australian team in the Alice Marble Cup and won
the doubles and singles in the Individual Championships, giving her a
unique 'treble' for the 2009 Championships.
Like Ballard, King Van Nostrand (USA) was playing his first year in his age category, the Men's 75's.
In a battle of the towering Americans King Van Nostrand defeated big
serving compatriot John Powless 75 61 to claim his seventh World
Individual Championship title.
The first title of the women's to be decided this morning was the Women's 70's
singles title. Janine Lieffrig (RSA) successfully defended her title,
defeating unseeded Mary Gordon (AUS). The former World number one
completed a straight sets victory, 64 62, thoroughly deserving her
fourth World Championship singles title.
After Higg's &
Ballard's victories, Australia enjoyed more success as Margaret
Robinson added a fourth title to her collection, taking just two sets
to defeat top seed Mary Boswell (USA) in the Women's 75's. The
singles final was a repeat of their meeting in last week's Queens' Cup
final. On that occasion Robinson won comprehensively. This week Boswell
provided a much sterner test for Robinson, having benefitted from a
second week playing on grass. However, Robinson proved just a little
too strong for the American, winning 75 64 to successfully defend her
2008 crown.
Rita Price (USA) claimed the first World
Championship singles title of her career as she defeated Briton Betty
Howard 61 64 in the final of the Women's 80's.
Hans Adama van Scheltema (NED) took his first World Championship singles title with a dominant display in the Men's 60's
event. Adama van Scheltema did not drop a single set throughout the
tournament, defeating Terry Smith (AUS) in the final 60 63.
Another first time singles title winner was American Fred Farzanegan in the Men's 70's.
Fourth seed Farzanegan was the nominal favourite from the early rounds
as the top seeds around him fell to the wayside. Farzanegan was still
forced to work in a high quality final, as Australian Bruce Rehn pushed
him all the way. Farzanegan was forced to battle back from a set down
and he eventually triumphed 16 63 75.
Fifth seed Harward Hillier (AUS) claimed the host nation's fifth and final individual gold medal of the Championships in the Men's 80's.
Hillier clinched a decisive third set in a close match against American
top seed Clem Hopp, winning 62 36 63 and capping a fine day for our
exceptional hosts.
