Sawan Serasinghe and Setyana Mapasa claimed two titles each as the Victor Oceania Championships 2017 concluded in Noumea, New Caledonia, yesterday.
Serasinghe and Men’s Singles winner Pit Seng Low helped Australia complete a sweep of all five titles with all the top seeds emerging victorious. Australia’s sole challenger on finals day was New Zealand in Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles.
The Men’s Singles final was an entertaining affair, with New Zealand’s Niccolo Tagle taking Pit Seng Low (featured image) to a third game. Low closed it out 21-17 13-21 21-13 in 47 minutes.
Serasinghe and Mapasa edged past compatriots Joel Findlay/Gronya Somerville 21-19 in the first game; the second was easier as they shut out their challengers 21-9 for the Mixed Doubles crown.
In the all-Australian Women’s Singles final, Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen faced a doughty Tiffany Ho, who fell narrowly short in the opening game. Chen however got stronger as the match progressed. The match was won 21-18 21-11 in 34 minutes.
Serasinghe then teamed up with Matthew Chau for the Men’s Doubles final against New Zealand’s Kevin Dennerly-Minturn/Niccolo Tagle. Any hopes the New Zealanders might have harboured to prevent an Australian sweep was dashed in just 30 minutes as Serasinghe and Chau dominated them 21-8 21-14.
The all-Australian Women’s Doubles final was the longest match of the day. Tiffany Ho and Joy Lai had a great start, taking the first game against Mapasa and Somerville, but the top seeds recovered to win a close second game. The third was more comfortable as Mapasa and Somerville eased past their challengers, 16-21 21-18 21-14.
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