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Some of the Canadian women headed to Australia were already in action last week – in Japan and New Zealand.
Katherine Sebov, who has had sort of a tread-water year in 2022, was the top seed at a $25K in New Zealand and won the title – her first ITF title of 2022. And just in time.
As well, Cana-Kiwi Erin Routliffe was on hand, making the quarterfinals in singles (losing to Sebov) despite playing very little singles these days.
She also won the doubles with pal Paige Hourigan.
Routliffe, who STILL doesn’t even rate a pic on her WTA Tour home page (she’s the only doubles player ranked in the top 40 who doesn’t), will finish the year at a career-best No. 29 in doubles, after the points from this ITF are factored in.
New Zealand born, Routliffe moved to Canada as a very young kid, but after a stellar college career found that representing NZ was going to bring a lot more than remaining Canadian for tennis purposes (she lives in Montreal).
She was just named New Zealand’s player of the year for 2022.
How cool! Here’s HIA pledger @erinroutliffe winning New Zealand’s Player of the Year 2022 🔷🤩 #TeamHIA having great years! #HIA #dogood #highimpactathletes #doinggood #effectivegiving #athletesdoinggood #donor #pledge #dogoodfeelgood #athletesgivingback #giveback pic.twitter.com/jhEAnUlOhQ
— High Impact Athletes (@HIAorg) December 20, 2022
(Last week’s final results at the bottom of the post).
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Shimadzu All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships
Kyoto, Japan (Women’s ITF $60K)
Singles
[3] Carol Zhao
1st rd: def Hiroko Kuwata (JPN) 75 36 62
2nd rd: def [Q] Ramu Uesa (JPN) 60 64
QF: def. [8] Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 62 76 (2)
SF: lost to [Q] Miyu Kato (JPN) 64 64
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Eves Open
Tauranga, NZ (Women’s ITF $25K)
Singles
[1] Katherine Sebov
1st rd: def Eva Harris (AUS) 60 61
2nd rd: def Mia Repac (AUS) 61 61
QF: def. Erin Routliffe (NZL) 61 62
SF: def [3] Zuzana Zlochova (SVK) 52 retd
F: def [2] Michaela Bayerlova (CZE) 60 64
Erin Routliffe (NZL)
1st rd: def. [Q] Lene Mari Nolkesjo Hovda (NOR) 64 36 62
2nd rd: def. [6] Monique Barry (BZL) 62 62
QF: lost to [1] Katherine Sebov (CAN) 61 62
Doubles
[2] Erin Routliffe / Paige Hourigan (NZL)
1st rd: def. Shria Atturu (USA) / Jade Otway (NZL) 62 60
QF: def. Catherine Aulia / Mia Repac (NZL) 64 76 (4)
SF: def. [3] Monique Barry / Vivian Yang (NZL) 63 75
F: def. [4] Ashmitha Easwaramurthi (IND) / Yuka Hosoki (JPN) 61 60
[1] Katherine Sebov / Michaela Bayerlova (CZE)
1st rd: def. Shona Nakano / Elyse Tse (BZL) 62 46 [10-4]
QF: lost to Kyna Decruy / Ruby Young (NZL) WALKOVER
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Sharm El Sheikh Men’s Future
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (ITF $15K)
Singles
Kelsey Stevenson
1st rd: def [Q] Petr Bar Biryukov (RUS) 62 62
2nd rd: lost to Marat Sharipov (RUS) 51 retd
Doubles
[4] Kelsey Stevenson / Gabriele Pennaforti (ITA)
1st rd: def. Cristian Campese / Samuel Vincent Ruggeri (ITA) 67 (6) 62 [10-7]
QF: def. Igor Dudin / Artem Podorozhnyi (UKR) 76 (4) 61
SF: def. Kareem Al Allaf / Samir Banerjee (USA) WALKOVER
F: lost to [1] Grigoriy Lomakin (UKR) / Marat Sharipov (RUS) WALKOVER
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Way to go, Katherine and Erin! Congrats for a good end to 2022.
Steph, I didn’t see these last 2 week posts until this morning, but I want to wish you the best of holidays! Thank you so much for all the great info you provide, and I look forward to following you next year, as well.
Merry Christmas, Happy Boxing Day, Happy New Year!
Thanks. And same to you! Let’s hope 2023 is better than 2022, which sucked. 🙁