Seeds Scattered In South Australian Open

The No2 seed in the men's event and favourite in the women's event both failed to survive today's first round of the Mortgage Choice South Australian Open in Somerton, Australia.

Top seed Amelia Pittock comfortably took the first two games against unseeded fellow Australian Donna Urquhart. But the 19-year-old underdog from Queensland, who had already lost twice to Pittock this year, took the upper hand in the match to pull off a shock 0-9, 5-9, 9-6, 9-5, 9-1 victory in 48 minutes.

Urquhart also faces a surprise opponent in the next round after unseeded Rachel Smith, also an Australian, upset Malaysia's sixth seed Delia Arnold 9-6, 9-5, 9-1.

Local hopes of the predicted all-Australian men's final were dashed by New Zealand qualifier Sam Atkins when he despatched second seed Timothy Manning, from Canberra, 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1) in 52 minutes.

Atkins, 24, from Wellington, now faces another Australian Mike Corren for a place in the semi-finals. Corren, winner of three PSA Tour titles this year, beat compatriot Brent Dunkley 11-9, 11-4, 11-3.

There was another Australian upset when unseeded Steve Finitsis beat fifth-seeded Queenslander Aaron Frankcomb 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5 in 75 minutes.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt Luke Margan (AUS) 11-7, 11-5, 11-10 (3-1) (47m)
[6] Jason Mudge (AUS) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 11-6, 11-3, 11-0 (30m)
[3] Cameron White (AUS) bt [Q] Kirby Sinclair (AUS) 11-5, 4-1 ret.
[8] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-8 (38m)
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [5] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5 (75m)
[4] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt [Q] Yasunori Ishiwata (JPN) 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 (24m)
[7] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Brent Dunkley (AUS) 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 (22m)
[Q] Sam Atkins (NZL) bt [2] Timothy Manning (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1) (52m)
Women's 1st round:
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [1] Amelia Pittock (AUS) 0-9, 5-9, 9-6, 9-5, 9-1 (48m)
Rachel Smith (AUS) bt [6] Delia Arnold (MAS) 9-6, 9-5, 9-1 (38m)
[4] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt Sally Looi (MAS) 9-5, 9-5, 9-2 (26m)
[7] Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) bt Mami Nishio (JPN) 4-9, 5-9, 9-4, 9-3, 9-6 (56m)
[8] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [Q] Peta Hughes (AUS) 9-3, 9-4, 9-7 (40m)
[3] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 9-3, 9-1, 9-0 (20m)
[5] Christina Mak (HKG) bt Sachiko Shinta (JPN) 9-2, 9-3, 5-9, 9-1 (38m)
[2] Melissa Martin (AUS) bt [Q] Joelle King (NZL) 9-7, 9-6, 9-4 (25m)