|
|
MEDIA RELEASE | |
|
|
Results
|
Media release: 21th Feburary 2008 DOES MURPHY HAVE THE WRIGHT STUFF?
A star-studded line-up will converge in Melbourne tomorrow for the semi-finals of the women’s singles at the ABN AMRO Australian Open.
During tonight’s round of eight, defending champion Ahmad Siti Zalina advanced to the penultimate stage of the tournament where she will face New Zealand international Marina Kahn.
In the opposite semi-final, Cabramatta teammates Katrina Wright and Karen Murphy, who had to defeat Kelsey Cottrell to advance, will lock horns in an intriguing showdown.
Wright and Murphy, who play in the same rink as each other at pennant level, were Australian teammates at the 2004 World Championships in Scotland and know each others games intimately.
On the greens at Darebin tomorrow, however, their friendship will be put aside as they square off for a berth in the nation’s premier singles’ final.
“I’m very excited,” Wright said following her 4-5, 7-2, 2-1 victory over Western Australia’s Noele Abe.
“Kaz is my skip at pennant level…but we’ve played a few times in the past and I’ve won once and she’s won a couple of times.
“It should be interesting.”
Facing off against Cottrell, Australia’s number one ranked singles’ player, Murphy reaffirmed her standing as one of the games greats by advancing with a 6-5, 8-3 victory.
The loss marks a tough day for the 17-year-old, who was earlier defeated alongside Sam Shannahan in the final of the women’s pairs.
In the early match, Siti Zalina, the dual Commonwealth Games gold medalist, will play Kahn as she attempts to become the first person in ABN AMRO Australian Open history to successfully defend their title.
The first semi-final will be held at 9am, while the second semi-final will commence at 2pm.
|