Top seeds Han, Eggers can expect to be tested in Otago Open

THE Otago Open takes place this weekend at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin in what appears to be a wide open competition.

Maindraw action takes place from 8.30am today while tomorrow features a finals day showcasing four matches.

In the women’s singles draw, Hikaru Han (Taranaki) is the top seed and has some impressive results on her resume but comes in having not played an official match in 18 months.

Ayesha Horley (Otago) is listed as the second seed and will look to continue her impressive season. She takes a 15match winning streak into the event and is unbeaten in the Otago interclub competition.

The 2018 runnerup Rileigh Fields (Otago) is the other main contender in the field as she pushed Horley close in a recent matchup.

Fields is slated for a semifinal showdown with Han if results go as expected.

Three Otago juniors will look to step up in the senior side of proceedings as Mya Haigh, Charlotte Byers and Pippa Sherriff could provide some challenges.

On the men’s side of the action, Ryan Eggers (Otago) comes in as top seed and takes some promising form into the event. But he can be expected to be well challenged by the other seeds in what could be an exciting draw.

Peter Hartono (Southern Lakes) is the second seed and has been putting a bigger focus on doubles in recent times but should still prove a force on the singles court. He is set for a semifinal tilt against fourth seed and his younger brother Thomas Hartono (Southern Lakes). They were both recently involved in the southern teams event in which Southern Lakes came out on top once again.

The 2016 champion and last year’s runnerup, Mitchell Sizemore (Otago), comes in as the third seed and could be a real threat to do some damage if he can get a couple of early wins under his belt.

Tim Willans (Southland) leads the unseeded pack in the draw and has been drawn to play Sizemore in firstround action, while George Alexander (Otago) opens his campaign against Thomas Hartono.

Tomorrow play begins with the women’s singles final from 10am, which will be followed later in the day by the men’s singles final, mixed doubles final and, rounding out the tournament, the men’s doubles final.