JOYCE WINS TOP WISPA PRIZE IN LAS VEGAS

New Zealand's Leilani Joyce claimed her third WISPA World Tour title of the year - and the biggest cash prize of her career - when she beat England's Linda Charman 10/8 9/7 9/0 in the final of the $17,000 Bright Lights Women's Las Vegas Open in the USA.

World No. 5 Joyce, 25, from Murrays Bay in Auckland, was the event's third seed, and had beaten top seed Cassie Jackman, the world No. 3 from England, to reach the final.

Semi final Report: JOYCE TOPPLES TOP SEED JACKMAN

England's top seed Cassie Jackman, the world No.3 from Norfolk, crashed out of the $17,000 Bright Lights Women's Las Vegas Open in the USA, beaten 10/9 3/9 9/6 9/6 in the semi-finals by New Zealand's third seed Leilani Joyce.

Joyce, just 25, from Murrays Bay in Auckland, moved up to a career-high world No.5 this month after winning two WISPA World Tour titles in Colorado earlier in the year.

Joyce will face a further English opponent in the Las Vegas final after fourth seed Linda Charman, the 27-year-old world No. 9 from Sussex, overcame compatriot Fiona Geaves 9/5 9/3 9/2 in the other semi-final.

Quarter final report:

England's Fiona Geaves upset second-seeded compatriot Suzanne Horner 10/8 9/2 9/3 to reach the semi-finals of the $17,000 Bright Lights Women's Las Vegas Open in the USA. The world No. 11 from Gloucester faces fellow English player Linda Charman who beat Australia's Rachael Grinham 9/7 9/4 10/9.

There is English interest in the other semi-final after top seed Cassie Jackman, the world No. 3 from Norfolk, cruised to a 9/3 9/4 9/1 victory over compatriot Rebecca Macree. Her opponent will be New Zealand's world No. 5 Leilani Joyce, who conceded just one point in her straight games dismissal of England's Stephanie Brind.

WISPA Las Vegas First Round: Jackman, Horner, Joyce, Charman advance

The seeds all advanced in the first round of the 1999 Bright Lights open, with the exception of Jenny Tranfield from the UK who fell to Rachael Grinham from Australia.

Maha Zein's defeat in the first round, albeit in a tough five games, put some perspective on the victory by Demer Holleran in the Fuzzy Peach open last weekend. With a much stronger draw in Las Vegas, the tenor and depth of the field is different.

RESULTS: Bright Lights Women's Las Vegas Open, Las Vegas, USA

Final results:

[3] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt [4] Linda Charman (ENG) 10/8 9/7 9/0

Semi-finals:
[3] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt [1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) 10/9 3/9 9/6 9/6
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) bt [5] Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9/5 9/3 9/2

Quarter-finals results:

[1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [6] Rebecca Macree (ENG) 9/3 9/4 9/1
[3] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt [7] Stephanie Brind (ENG) 9/1 9/0 9/0
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Rachael Grinham (AUS) 9/7 9/4 10/9
[5] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt [2] Suzanne Horner (ENG) 10/8 9/2 9/3

1st round results:

[1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [Q] Ivy Pochoda (USA) 9/0 9/0 9/0
[6] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt Maha Zein (EGY) 4/9 10/8 8/10 9/7 9/4
[3] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt Pamela Nimmo (SCO) 9/7 9/0 9/0
[7] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt Melanie Jans (CAN) 8/9 10/8 9/1 9/3
Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) 4/9 4/9 9/3 9/4 9/1
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Shabana Khan (USA) 9/5 9/0 9/3
[5] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt Marnie Baizley (CAN) 9/2 9/1 9/4
[2] Suzanne Horner (ENG) bt Latasha Khan (USA) 9/1 9/5 9/3

Issued on behalf of WISPA by Howard Harding

For further information: Howard Harding Email: HowHard@aol.com

9 May 1999