Providing the perfect omen for Squash just hours before the sport was shortlisted for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Japan’s top-ranked player Misaki Kobayashi won the Women’s Invercargill Licensing Trust NZ Southern Open in New Zealand against expectations.<\/p>\n
It was after upsetting top-seeded South African Siyoli Waters in the semi-finals of the WSA Challenger 10 event at Squash City Invercargill in Invercargill that second seed Kobayashi, the record six-time Japanese national champion from Yokohama, lined up against Kiwi hope Megan Craig, the No.4 seed from Blenheim, in the final.<\/p>\n
It was the first meeting between world No.36 Kobayashi and the reigning New Zealand champion, ranked 13 places lower (both pictured above).<\/p>\n
Craig, winner of her first Tour event on home soil only a week earlier, took the opening game. But the Japanese star bounced back to take the next three to record her 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 title triumph in 38 minutes.<\/p>\n
“I’m really happy to end the season with a win – and happy with the coolest trophy I’ve ever got too,” exclaimed 25-year-old Kobayashi after securing the eighth WSA World Tour title of her career.<\/p>\n
“This win means a lot to me as squash still has a huge chance to get into the Olympics and I hope my result will encourage the Olympic committee members to know that there is bright future for squash and a real chance for a Japanese athlete to win a medal if it gets into 2020!”<\/p>\n
RESULTS: Women’s Invercargill Licensing Trust NZ Southern Open, Invercargill, New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st round: Providing the perfect omen for Squash just hours before the sport was shortlisted for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Japan’s top-ranked player Misaki Kobayashi won the Women’s Invercargill Licensing Trust NZ Southern Open in New Zealand against expectations.<\/p>\n It was after upsetting top-seeded South African Siyoli Waters in the semi-finals of the WSA Challenger 10 event at Squash City Invercargill in Invercargill that second seed Kobayashi, the record six-time Japanese national champion from Yokohama, lined up against Kiwi hope Megan Craig, the No.4 seed from Blenheim, in the final.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-others"],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [Q] Danielle Fourie (NZL) 11-6, 11-6, 14-12 (23m)
[7] Sina Wall (GER) bt [Q] Hwayeong Eum (KOR) 6-11, 11-3, 11-0, 11-8 (28m)
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [8] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, 11-6 (40m)
[4] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [Q] Yura Choi (KOR) 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 (20m)
[3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (17m)
[5] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [Q] Hyo Ju Seo (KOR) 11-7, 11-3, 11-1 (17m)
[6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Jasmine Chan (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Abbie Palmer (NZL) 11-3, 11-2, 11-8
Quarter-finals:
[1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [7] Sina Wall (GER) 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9 (34m)
[4] Megan Craig (NZL) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 (20m)
[3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [5] Christine Nunn (AUS) 12-10, 11-4, 11-9 (38m)
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7 (35m)
Semi-finals:
[4] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [1] Siyoli Waters (RSA) 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2, 12-10 (52m)
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 (42m)
Final:
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [4] Megan Craig (NZL) 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"