Semifinals set at 2024 Australian Indoor Championships

by Val Febbo on August 13, 2024

Two former champions loom large at the 2024 Australian Indoor Championships as the tournament nears its climax with all four semifinals now set in stone.

Those winners being 2022 winner Kelsey Cottrell and three-time champion Jeremy Henry who enjoyed sensational outings at Club Tweed.

Women’s singles

Cottrell was in fine touch in her round of 16 clash with fifth seed Olivia Cartwright and she immediately bounced out of the blocks before staving off a challenge late in the opener to win 8-5 11-5 before backing up with an impressive 9-4 10-8 win over Emerging Jackaroo Kate Matthews in the quarterfinal.

The Queenslander will face the Northern Territory’s Colleen Orr in the final four after the Darwin product secured two brilliant victories on day two of the competition.

Orr overcame a strong test from Victoria’s Nicholle Wendt in second round, coming from 0-2 down in the tiebreak to record a relieving victory.

Her quarterfinal against Paula Wood was equally as impressive, leading from go to woe to win 8-4 10-5 and set up her match with Cottrell and bid for another national crown to go with her 2017 Australian Champion of Champions triumph.

The other semi will be between the Right at Home Jackaroo pairing of Brianna Smith and Chloe Stewart.

Smith was in scintillating form, defeating her club, state and national teammate in Dawn Hayman for the first time in singles play.

The 24-year-old raced out to a 7-3 lead in the opening stanza before Hayman pulled the margin back to tie the set.

The world champion would then ask a huge question of her younger counterpart by holding a three in the opening exchange of set two before Smith drew to perfection to go ahead early.

Her nerve would again be tested later on as Smith again was required to save a big collect, but this time a full count as she moved to a 7-2 buffer with just a few ends remaining.

Hayman mounted a humungous challenge to get within one shot leading into the deciding end, which Smith would prevail in to record one of the best wins of her career.

Stewart was also superb, knocking over Emerging Jackaroo Chloe Morrison 9-2 10-6 in what was a sublime display before backing up against Kayla McBean-Courtin with a 9-4 8-8 win.

Smith and Stewart meet at 9am AEST on Wednesday morning, while Cottrell and Orr play at 2pm.

Men’s singles

Ali Forsyth, Henry, Jack McShane and Corey Wedlock are the final four men left in the Australian Indoor Championships after a hard fought day of round of 16 and quarter final action on Tuesday.

Henry kept his hopes of a fourth national indoor crown alive after a tough quarter final win over Traralgon’s Vincent McIlwain. Henry was dominant to win the first set 8-2, before the Victorian fought back. McIlwain led 9-4 with three ends to play, but it was Warilla’s Henry that lifted with the finish line in sight, scoring the final six shots to secure the second set 10-9 and lock away a semi final place.

He meets New Zealander Forsyth in the first semi final, with the Clayton star recording two straight set wins to progress to the final four.

The other half of the draw sees young gun McShane meet world champion Wedlock in the second semi final.

McShane was tested in both his encounters on Tuesday, winning his round of 16 match against Essendon’s Michael Stevenson 8-8, 8-7 and coming from behind to notch a 5-8, 8-6, 4-0 victory. He continues his strong run of form, having won the Australian Open pairs crown in June.

Wedlock continues his claim as one of Australia’s best, with impressive wins over Sean Mawdsley and fellow Jackaroo Ben Twist.

Forsyth and Henry meet at 11am on Wednesday, with McShane and Wedlock doing battle at 9am on Thursday.