It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Oceania’s regional Women’s Doubles Champions, Gronya Somerville and Setyana Mapasa. The pair were relatively new when they took their first Canada Open title in 2016, before following up with a win in the Dutch Open four months later.
However, injury halted progress for the pair over the next two years causing a mountain of frustration.
“Then from 2017-18 Setyana and I have both had many ups and downs and injuries that has stopped us from playing this event and completing a full year of the BWF tour”, says Gronya Somerville.
Nevertheless, the girls seem to be finding their form once again in 2019. Starting with the VICTOR Oceania Badminton Championships, the girls defended their crown and followed up as finalists in the YONEX Waikato International 2019.
Last weekend, the Australian duo went one better on their return to Canada. The seventh seeds fought valiantly throughout the week and were elated to repeat their success from three years’ prior as they won the BWF World Tour 100 event for the second time.
“It was heart warming to hear the “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!” cheer…We are just so happy to have shown some high-level badminton today and are looking forward to continue to climb the rankings in the #RaceToTokyo”, says Gronya Somerville
As a result, the girls have jumped up 11 places in the World Rankings to number 44. They could be climb even higher this week if they repeat their successful streak in the YONEX US Open 2019.
They will start by playing the (second) qualifiers. A victory in the first round could potentially set up a repeat of Canada’s final as Korean fifth seeds, Chang Ye Na and Kim Hye Rin, are on track to meet the Australian’s in the second round.
Somerville will also team up with Simon Leung in the Mixed Doubles for a first round match against Chinese Taipei’s Po Li-Wei and Chang Ching Hui.
They could potentially be joined by fellow compatriots, Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen and Mitchell Wheller, if they win their qualifying match against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi and Lin Hsiang Ti.
Chen will also compete in the main draw of the Women’s Singles and Wheller will partner up in the Men’s Doubles alongside Simon Leung.
Follow the draw and all results from the YONEX US Open 2019 on Tournament Software.
