Joelle King, New Zealand player, has won her crown in the Clare Valley Australian Open Squash Championships. The Open was held in Clare, South Australia at the Valleys Lifestyle Centre.
Annie Au was King’s opponent for the day and was unable to defend her champion status. This is the second time in just three years that a Kiwi came out of the Open victorious.
King is an England native, hailing from Cambridge. She is twenty years of age and was seeded only sixth as she entered this Open. Her first victory was over Kasey Brown, who sat at the top seed spot. Au, the entry from Hong Kong, was seeded second. King’s power was obvious in the matchup between her and Au. Au’s talent lies in her ability to place well, as opposed to King’s speed and force.
The determination that King showed in this event seemed to be the key to her exemplary performance. Au reported that King was relentless in her shots. She overpowered Au by keeping her under constant pressure. King holds the 53rd rank in world standings and is sure that this recent win will be instrumental in launching her career. She was thrilled to have beaten Annie Au, who King considers a real class player. She’s not certain how she kicked the “mongrel” into gear.
Shelley Kitchen, King’s teammate, was the champion of the 2007 Open the first time it was held at Clare. Jaclyn Hawkes and King advanced to the semi finals last year.
