By Ross McNaughton
Beach volleyballer players Anna Scarlett and Susan Blundell have won an easy quarter-final at the New Zealand Open.
But they will face a tough semi-final against world number five pair Angie Akers and Tyra Turner – although coming to New Zealand has been a bit of a pain in the neck for the Americans.
New Zealand's friendly reputation helped lure Akers and Turner to play in the Open – but no-one warned them about visiting the gyms; a mid-week workout got dangerous when a local lost control of a medicine ball.
“We're not sure if there was a hit out on us by a six kilo medicine ball,” she said.
“We were just trying to do some abdominal work, I already have a herniated disk in my neck.”
The medicine ball man was apparently a media personality, although the Americans didn't enjoy being star struck.
“I think we were a little bit worried, we just wanted ice at the time,” she said.
Akers showed no ill effects in today’s quarter-final match though, the Americans beating Kiwi duo Hannah Croad and Micah Lyndsay-Brown in straight sets.
They will face a step up in competition in the semis, taking on the top ranked Kiwi pairing of Anna Scarlett and Susan Blundell who brushed aside another New Zealand pair, Hayley Griffiths and Melissa Ruru 21-9 21-8.
“Oh, it's kind of an easy day at the office,” said Blundell. “We have no mercy.”
They will need to continue their merciless approach if they are to win their first New Zealand Open title tomorrow.
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