Kitchen Mows Through NZ Field
June 29, 2004, By Howard Harding; SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2004

Kitchen Ends Leevey Streak in New Zealand

New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen, by a long shot the highest ranking player in the event, mowed through a largely regional field in Hamilton New Zealand to take the crown there.

Kitchen had not entered the other legs of a series of satellite WISPA events in New Zealand, but put her name in here and thereby ended the run of four successive WISPA World Tour title victories on home soil by her compatriot Tamsyn Leevey when she beat the 26-year-old from Wellington in straight games in the final of the Hamilton Squash Open.

Top seed Kitchen, the world No14 from Auckland, raced through to her seventh WISPA final without dropping a game. Leevey, who picked up the North Shore International and Central, Taranaki and Geyser City Open titles earlier this year, was severely tested by unseeded fellow countrywoman Sarah Cook in the semi-finals. Cook, the former world No22 from Christchurch, had already ousted the seventh and fourth seeds before taking 1-0 and 2-1 leads against Leevey.

Leevey ultimately overcame Cook 0-9 9-5 7-9 9-7 9-3, but the supreme effort required probably took its toll on the No2 seed, who then fell 9-1 9-7 10-8 to the higher-ranked Kitchen in the final. Both players showed good touch around the court, but Kitchen was always able to find another gear when needed, saving two game balls in the third game to close out a straight forward victory.

RESULTS: Women's Hamilton Squash Open, Hamilton, New Zealand

1st round:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Michel Galloway (NZL) 9-3 9-5 9-2
Rebecca Hawkes (NZL) bt Jacqui Laurenson (NZL) 9-5 9-4 9-5
[8] Louise Crome (NZL) bt Kathryn Austin (NZL) 9-7 9-5 9-1
Lisa Gray (AUS) bt Kerry Wickett (NZL) 4-9 9-0 9-2 3-9 9-2
[3] Dianne Desire (AUS) bt Angie Toal (NZL) 9-4 9-0 9-0
Daniela Schumann (GER) bt Skye Millar (AUS) 9-5 9-6 9-7
[5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Natasha Fowles (NZL) 9-2 9-0 9-1
Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) bt Samantha Mewett (NZL) 9-3 9-0 9-1
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Kylie Doherty (AUS) 3-9 9-4 9-4 5-9 9-4
Sarah Cooke (NZL) bt [7] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 9-5 9-7 9-0
Joelle King (NZL) bt Tracey Walker (NZL) 10-8 9-7 9-0
[4] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Avon Moleta (NZL) 9-6 9-0 9-3
Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) bt Amy Alison (NZL) 9-2 9-3 9-3
[6] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Jody Costello (NZL) 9-2 9-1 9-0
Priscilla Wildsmith (NZL) bt Amanda Wilson (NZL) 9-4 9-4 10-8
[2] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt Danielle Nant (NZL) 9-2 9-1 9-0
2nd round:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Rebecca Hawkes (NZL) 9-0 9-3 9-2
[8] Louise Crome (NZL) bt Lisa Gray (AUS) 9-0 9-1 9-4
[3] Dianne Desire (AUS) bt Daniela Schumann (GER) 9-0 9-4 9-1
[5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Isabelle Tweedle (ENG) 9-1 9-4 9-1
Sarah Cooke (NZL) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 9-4 9-5 9-1
[4] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Joelle King (NZL) 9-2 9-3 9-5
[6] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) w/o
[2] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt Priscilla Wildsmith (NZL) 9-0 9-1 9-0
Quarter-finals:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [8] Louise Crome (NZL) 9-2, 9-6, 9-2
[5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [3] Dianne Desire (AUS) 9-3, 9-0, 6-9, 9-6
Sarah Cooke (NZL) bt [4] Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-3, 9-10, 9-4, 9-2
[2] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [6] Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-4, 9-0, 9-7
Semi-finals:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-1, 9-1, 9-6
[2] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt Sarah Cooke (NZL) 0-9, 9-5, 7-9, 9-7, 9-3
Final:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [2] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) 9-1, 9-7, 10-8

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