EGBA star Ackerman claims SA Open and Melvill Cup doubles titles
She was part of the Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association team that competed at the SA Open and Mellvill Cup.
Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association (EGBA) and national doubles specialist Amy Ackerman added the women’s and mixed doubles SA Open and Mellvill Cup titles to her collection with dominant victories in the finals of both events in Bloemfontein on October 17.
The top-ranked Ackerman and her partner, Johanita Scholtz, were dominant in the women’s doubles, ending their run without dropping a set, while her run with Robert Summers in the mixed doubles was almost disrupted by Kaden Kakora and Scholtz.
Ackerman and Scholtz’s perfect run in the women’s doubles began with a 21-13, 21-8 straight sets victory over Chloe Lai and Anicka Nel in the semi-finals, before dispatching the duo of Elmè de Villiers and Anri Schoonees 21-7, 21-12 in the final.
Ackerman, a four-time women’s doubles African champion, and Summers started their mixed event campaign with a 21-4, 21-11 win over Herbert Miles and Thea Ramsden, before beating Jaco Pick and Deborah Godfrey 21-10, 21-13 in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, the duo defeated Cameron Coetzer and Schoonees 21-10, 21-15, before being tested for the first time in the competition by Scholtz and Kakora in the final.
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They went down 16-21 in the first set but quickly regrouped to take the next two sets 21-15, 21-15 to claim the gold.
Other results
The EGBA, represented by Ackerman, Miguel and Ricardo Vigario, Havish Chetty and Chloe Lai, enjoyed a successful competition, finishing with two golds and two silvers, thanks to Ackerman and the Vigario brothers.
Miguel claimed a silver in the men’s singles after going down 21-9, 21-7 to top seed Kaden Kakora. Miguel and his brother Ricardo added another silver in the men’s doubles after a 21-8, 21-16 loss to Kakora and Summers in the final.
Ricardo ended his campaign with the men’s singles consolation title after beating Francois Classen 21-14, 21-18 in the final.
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