Alexander & Camilleri Win Top End Titles In Darwin

Queensland duo Zac Alexander and Lisa Camilleri claimed the honours in the Top End Open in Australia after successes in today's finals at the Darwin Squash Centre in Darwin.

Third seed Alexander beat second-seeded South Australian Mike Corren 11-6, 11-2, 11-5 in the final of the $7,250 PSA World Tour event, while favourite Camilleri downed Victorian Amelia Pittock, the fourth seed, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 in the $6,100 women's WISPA World Tour event decider - with both Corren and Pittock finishing as runners-up for the second year in a row.

The 21-year-old Alexander, who has risen to a career-high world ranking of 78, looked in great touch as he disposed of the more experienced Corren, 35, for the second time in a Professional Squash Association final this year.

Alexander, who also beat the South Australian to win the Australia Day Challenge in Brisbane in January, said these were the matches he had to win for the sake of his career.

"I'm on the way up and am becoming more mature, and he's gradually coming down - I think age is finally catching up with him," Alexander said after his fifth PSA Tour title success. "He's been such a great player and he still has amazing racquet skills - that's why he can still beat 95 per cent of the players in the draw."

Alexander is now based in New York and will now head back to the US for some more training before returning to Australia for the Victorian Open in July and then the Australian Open in Canberra.

Earlier Camilleri put some recent poor form behind her as she stormed to her second Top End Open squash title and her seventh on the world tour with her win over Pittock.

The 27-year-old from Tully in Far North Queensland made her name on the world tour in 2008 when she won five titles, including the Top End Open.

But she had a lean 2009, making just two finals, and had had a disappointing start to 2010 until her win in Darwin.

"I've had a pretty bad start to the year and lost a bit of confidence," she said. "I struggled in some tournaments overseas so I decided to come back to Australia and do a lot of training."

Camilleri has moved to Melbourne and has been training under the watchful eye of former great Vicki Cardwell, whose daughter Sarah is one of Australia's most promising players.

"She (Cardwell) is so passionate about squash - if you want to get on the court at midnight she will get out there with you and hit balls for you for two hours," Camilleri said. "It's just a great atmosphere to train in."