Pridmore takes dual NSW Open titles saving championship point in both finals
First NSW Open in 20 years highly competitive, with three set matches throughout draw
After twenty years absent from the Australian real tennis calendar, the New South Wales Open roared back into life over the weekend, with Oliver Pridmore winning both the singles and doubles titles — the latter with Kieran Booth — having been down championship point in both finals. Meanwhile, Jo See Tan dominated the inaugural NSW Women’s Amateur, winning both the singles and doubles without dropping a game — the latter partnered with Amanda Murphy.
The first day of the tournament saw the two qualifying matches and the quarter-finals played. The first match was between Chris Aley — the interim pro at Ballarat — and Hobart’s assistant pro Jackson Pastoor. The match started out close, but Aley’s consistency was too much for Pastoor, who was regularly finding the dedans but also the net. Aley won through 6/2 6/2 for the right to play (lose) to Kieran Booth. The second match between home professional Alex Marino-Hume and Melbourne amateur Rhys Williams was equally as one sided, with Marino-Hume proving far too solid and running away with the match 6/1 6/1 to face top seed Chris Chapman.
The first quarter-final was played between Hobart’s Oliver Pridmore and Melbourne’s Paul Rosedale. Pridmore started the first set strongly and was far too consistent and found his targets regularly, taking it 6/1. He started the second in the same fashion, going up 4-1. Enter “Red Line” Rosedale. For the next seven games, Rosie couldn’t miss, and Pridmore couldn’t find answers. Rosie took the set 6/5. Back to our regularly scheduled programming, Prid found an extra gear and ran away with the third 6/1 to take the match and become the first semi-finalist of the NSW Open in 20 years.
Backing up from his win against Pastoor, Aley took on Kieran Booth and while Aley, played some solid tennis Booth was far, far too strong and took the racquet out of Aley’s hand, metaphorically. Booth winning 6/0 6/0. This match was notable for the crowd seeing Booth smile on court, a very, very, very rare sight from the competitive beast.
Next was Chapman vs Marino-Hume. Top seed vs hometown hopeful. Marino-Hume stunned the top seed in the first set, taking it 6/1. Steady play, a home court advantage and some uncharacteristic errors from Chappy being the story of the set. The tables turned in the second set, Chappy finally finding some rhythm, a few dedans and some much needed consistency to battle through to a 6/2 win. Third set, class rises to the top. 1-3, 3-4 and then 4-5 down Chappy finds a way, grinding it out to take the match 1/6 6/2 6/5. A scrappy affair.
The last match of the day was John Woods-Casey taking on Michael Williams and looking to continue his scintillating form and push for a Tassie Open final rematch with Kieran Booth. But, in the words of a wise man from the past, nothing ever goes according to plan, and thus he dropped the first set 4/6. That didn’t deter the bandana wearing professional as he stormed back to claim the second without dropping a game. The third set was a tight affair but true to his professional nature Woods-Casey held his nerve to claim the set and the match 6/4. This concluded the first day’s play of the NSW Open in 20 years.
Day two started with the doubles qualifier as home professional Marino-Hume paired up with Aley to take on Rosedale and Pastoor in a match of twists and turns. Rosedale and Pastoor started strong with Pastoor’s tight serving and quick hands at the net troubling the paring of Marino-Hume and Aley, backed up by the brick wall of Rosedale at the back of the court. They took the set 6/3. The second set swung the other way with Marino-Hume and Aley getting an early lead courtesy of a few errors from Rosedale and Pastoor, taking the set 6/3. The final set was tight but again Marino-Hume and Aley took an early lead and didn’t look back, claiming the final set 6/4. This set them up for a meeting with top seeds Chapman and Woods-Casey.
Next up was the first singles semi-final between Kieran Booth and John Woods-Casey. The first set was a tight affair with the pair trading games and ending up at 5-all. With a 40/30 lead, Booth trudged down the receivers end after Woods-Casey found the last gallery. Booth was not to be denied as he flirted with the top of the net tape, drawing an error with a tight forehand to take the set 6/5, celebrating with a Brett Lee-esque fist pump. The second set started in much the same manner until Booth started to dial up the pressure. It was too much for Woods-Casey as Booth ran away with the set and the match 6/2.
A different Chris Chapman rolled in for his semi-final against Oliver Pridmore, a far cry from the previous day. Chappy controlled the first set, hit his targets and didn’t give Pridmore an inch. He’s raced to a 5-0 lead. Pridmore, however, dug his heals in, found some rhythm and took the next three games before Chapman held his nerve to close out the set. Momentum is a funny thing in sport. Despite losing the set, Pridmore had found his groove and went toe-to-toe with the former world number 3. From 2-all, he put Chapman under immense pressure and found his forcing game, taking the second set 6/2 to force a decider. It was one-way traffic to the young amateur in the third with Pridmore scoring a huge win over Chapman, one of the biggest of his career, to set up an all amateur singles final.
The doubles semi-finals started with Chapman and Woods-Casey taking on Marino-Hume and Aley. The more experienced pair started well, racing out to a 5-0 lead. The pair then proceeded to lose some of their concentration and attempted some expansive stroke play that slightly opened the door for Marino-Hume and Aley. Winning the next four games before Chapman and Woods-Casey put the set to bed, taking it 6/4. The second set saw Marino-Hume and Aley play some solid doubles but they were no match for for the Melbourne pros, winning the second set and the match 6/3. The other semi-final was between Booth and Pridmore up against Williams and Williams. This match was all one way traffic with the more seasoned pair of Booth and Pridmore at their ruthless best with a 6/1 6/2 victory.
Sunday was Finals day. Booth vs Pridmore. The first set was one-way traffic with Booth piling on the pressure, hitting his targets and drawing plenty of errors and penthouses from his younger opponent. First set to Booth, 6/2. Not deterred, Pridmore dug in and started reigning in his errors to take a 4-2 lead in the second set. It was Booth’s turn to dig deep and he tightened up his game to get it back to 4-all after particularly long rally that ended with a backhand winner and a loud “come on!” from the amateur champion. The 10th game saw Pridmore, then down 4-5, go up 40-15 but lose the service end. Booth then found himself with a championship point, serving a long railroad to which Pridmore showed the ice in his veins and saved it with a main wall dedans. Harnessing the momentum, he went on to win the next two games and the second set 6/5. The first NSW Open in 20 years was fittingly going to a decider. Pridmore took a commanding, cold-blooded lead in the final set and never looked back. 5-2 and 40-15 up, he only needed one match point, sealing it with a tight forehand that just missed the tambour to draw the error from Booth, scoring him his second win over Booth and his second state Open title.
The final match of the tournament was the doubles final, played between the Melbourne professionals Chapman & Woods-Casey against singles final combatants Booth & Pridmore. Much like its Tasmanian Open counterpart, it would prove to be the match of the tournament. The pro team from Melbourne started strongly taking the first set 6/4. The theme of the weekend was three set tussles and this match was no different as Booth and Pridmore took an early lead in the second set 4-2. However, the two pros from Melbourne were not in the mood to prolong the match and won the next three games to take the lead at 5-4. The tenth game was a monumental one that spanned ten deuces and saw Chapman and Woods-Casey have four match points — eventually losing each of them. Instead, the amateur duo won that game and then went on to clinch a very tight second set. With the momentum fully in hand, Booth and Pridmore put the match in a metaphorical chokehold and stormed home to claim the doubles title, taking the final set 6/2.
The weekend also saw the debut of the NSW Women’s Amateur — with Jo See Tan the only interstate competitor in a field of five. She stood head and shoulders above the rest of the field, winning both the singles and doubles competitions without dropping a game. After teaming up with Amanda Murphy to take the doubles final against the fresh-faced Sydney pairing of Tailai O’Brien and Holly Brewster, Tan and Murphy faced off in the singles final. Once again, Tan underlined her status as the top female amateur in Australia with her solid defensive play.
Match results:
Singles Qualifying:
Friday 12:00 PM: Jackson Pastoor lost to Chris Aley 2/6 2/6
Friday 1:30 PM: Rhys Williams lost to Alex Marino-Hume 1/6 1/6
Singles Quarter finals:
Friday 3:00 PM: Paul Rosedale lost to Oliver Pridmore (4) 3/6 6/5 1/6
Friday 4:30 PM: Chris Aley lost to Kieran Booth (2) 0/6 0/6
Friday 6:00 PM: Chris Chapman (1) def Alex Marino-Hume 1/6 6/2 6/5
Friday 7:30 PM: John Woods-Casey (3) def Michael Williams 3/6 6/0 6/4
Singles Semi finals:
Saturday 10:30 AM: John Woods-Casey (3) lost to Kieran Booth (2) 5/6 2/6
Saturday 12:00 PM: Chris Chapman (1) lost to Oliver Pridmore (4) 3/6 6/2 6/1
Singles Final:
Sunday 10:30 AM: Oliver Pridmore (4) def Kieran Booth (2) 2/6 6/5 6/2
Doubles Qualifying:
Saturday 9:00 AM: Alex Marino-Hume & Chris Aley def Paul Rosedale & Jackson Pastoor 3/6 6/3 6/4
Doubles Semi finals:
Saturday 3:30 PM: John Woods-Casey & Chris Chapman (1) def Alex Marino-Hume & Chris Aley 6/4 6/3
Saturday 5:00 PM: Michael Williams & Rhys Williams lost to Kieran Booth & Oliver Pridmore (2) 1/6 2/6
Doubles Final:
Sunday 2:00 PM: John Woods-Casey & Chris Chapman (1) lost to Kieran Booth & Oliver Pridmore (2) 6/4 5/6 2/6
Women’s Amateur Singles Semi Finals:
Saturday 1:30 PM: Jo See Tan (1) def Julie Shenstone 6/0 6/0
Saturday 2:30 PM: Tailia O’Brien lost to Amanda Murphy (2) 0/6 1/6
Women’s Amateur Singles Final:
Sunday 1:00 PM: Jo See Tan (1) def Amanda Murphy (2) 6/0 6/0
Women’s Amateur Doubles Final:
Sunday 12:00 PM: Jo See Tan & Amanda Murphy (1) def Holly Brewster & Tailai O’Brien 6/0 6/0
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