Bollerman volleys to victory in Australian Open Quarter Final
Van Der Zwalmen and Tan breeze through quarter finals
The Australian Women’s Open got underway on Friday with three quarter final matches, as the players in the Open draw took a break from play.
Jacqueline Siu became the first Canadian to compete in the Australian Open in the opening match of the tournament against Australian Amateur champion Jo See Tan. Siu was largely outmatched by the Tan, unsurprising given the handicap difference. Siu served good high serves, putting Tan under pressure on the return. However, Tan showed off her new style of being able to turn on the ball, hitting shots into Siu’s backhand tight into the corner. Tan, meanwhile, had great success on her railroad, controlling the length and getting the ball to bite and kick back as she worked her way to her double bagel victory.
Van Der Zwalmen exhibited a great level of control of her game against local favourite Ange Green. The world number 2 dominated the service end for the bulk of the match, varying her serve then patrolling the back of the court playing defensive strokes until the error came from Green. To her credit, Green kept pushing the ball to Van Der Zwalmen’s corners but with never enough cut to cause the Frenchwoman much trouble. Green’s only game came courtesy of a couple of shots into the hazard end nick, then a tricky shot into the tambour to beat Van Der Zwalmen to love. Van Der Zwalmen relaxed into the second half of the match for an easy victory, taken with a double fault by Green.
The crowd filed in for the final match of the day following a photograph taken on court for the club’s sesquicentenial celebrations. Saskia Bollerman kept her serving tight against Jess Garside, trapping her at the hazard end for much of the first four games. When she finally won the service end and then onto her first and only game of the set she threw her arms in the air in celebration.
Garside looked better going into the second set, playing more of a floor game keeping the ball away from Bollerman’s volley. She also found an effective serve in her chandelle, causing the Dutchwoman to overhit her volleys. The first few games of the set were tight, with the direction of the set hanging in the balance. However, Garside double faulted on game point and thereafter Bollerman’s confidence grew while Garside’s waned.
As the number 1 seed, Claire Fahey received a bye to the smei final, and did not play a quarter final.
Match results:
Jo See Tan def Jacqueline Siu 6/0 6/0
Ange Green lost to Lea Van Der Zwalmen (2) 0/6 1/6
Saskia Bollerman def Jess Garside 6/1 6/1
Order of play for Saturday (all times AEDT):
10am (Women’s semi final): Claire Fahey (1) vs Jo See Tan
followed by (Open semi final): Kieran Booth (6) vs Ben Taylor-Matthews (2)
followed by (Women’s semi final): Saskia Bollerman (3) vs Lea Van Der Zwalmen (2)
followed by (Men’s semi final): Camden Riviere (1) vs Rob Fahey (4)