Rhys Dowling passed his first test on home soil when he downed Englishman Dan Busby in the first round of the NT Open squash tournament in Alice Springs on Friday night.
Dowling, the 17-year-old from the Darwin, accounted for Busby in four games 11-6, 11-2, 9-11, 12-10 to move into the second round, where he will play top seeded South Australian Mike Corren, who had a bye in the first round.
In the women’s draw, South Africa’s Cheyna Tucker gatecrashed the quarter-finals after beating two seeded players in the opening rounds.
After downing 15th seed Nicole Stoneham 11-5, 11-1, 11-3, she was then too good for fifth ranked Victorian Vanessa Pickerd 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.
Men First round
Rhys Dowling (NT) bt Dan Busby (ENG) 11-6, 11-2, 9-11, 12-10
Reuben Phillips (ENG) bt William Mather (USA) 11-3, 11-1, 11-0
Cameron Stafford (CAY) bt 7-Ben Takamizawa-Harris (JPN) 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8
Daniel Wright (Vic) bt Matthew Bridle (WA) 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8
Josh Auld (NT) bt Tyler Hawkins (Vic) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3
Sanjay Singh (MAS) bt Adam Rowe (NT) 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
Jack Lago (ENG) bt Arthur Moineau (FRA) 11-9, 11-4, 16-14
6-Martin Mosnik (CZE) bt Josh Southwell-Nobbs (ACT) 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8
Jonathan Geekie (SCO) bt Ben Russell (NT) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3
Wesley Cusick (NSW) bt Dion Bandeira (NT) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3
Women First round
Taylor Flavell (NZL) bt 13-Eloise O’Connor (WA) 6-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6
16-Carin Clonda (EST) bt Moana Grey (NSW) 8-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-6
12-Natalie Newton (Qld) bt Hanna Auld (NT) 11-4, 11-8, 11-5
Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt 15-Nicole Stoneham (Vic) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3
14-Larissa Huffer (WA) bt Stacey Cope (SA) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4
10-Jessica Turnbull (Qld) bt Michelle Joachim (NT) 5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4
9-Selena Shaikh (Vic) bt Sharmaine Mills (NT) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5
11-Jennifer Brown (NSW) bt Ayla Stevens (NT) 11-1, 11-4, 11-3
Second round
1-Sarah Cardwell (Vic) bt Taylor Flavell (NZL) 11-3, 11-6, 11-2
8-Grace McErvale (Qld) bt 16-Carin Clonda (EST) 15-13, 11-8, 11-4
4-Christine Nunn (ACT bt 12-Natalie Newton (Qld) 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 4-11, 11-8
Cheyna Tucker (RSA) bt 5-Vanessa Pickerd (Vic) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6
14-Larissa Huffer (WA) bt 7-Samantha Davies (Qld) 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-13, 11-7
3-Tamika Saxby (NSW) bt 10-Jessica Turnbull (Qld) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
6-Bethany Brazier (Qld) bt 9-Selena Shaikh (Vic) 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8
2-Milou van der Heijden (NED) bt 11-Jennifer Brown (NSW) 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7
