Reclaiming her crown: Eliza Bingham was crowned Shepparton Lawn Tennis Club’s 100th Easter tournament women’s open singles winner, defeating Olivia Quigley in an epic three-set final.
Photo by
Liam Nash
When it comes to Shepparton Lawn Tennis Club’s Easter tournament, one thing springs to mind — don’t ever count Eliza Bingham out.
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On Easter Monday, Bingham rallied from the jaws of defeat to take out the open women’s singles title — her sixth — over Olivia Quigley in the event’s 100th edition.
The all-Shepparton affair was dripping in drama, but 28-year-old Bingham had the coolest head and the hottest racquet at the end of an epic three-setter.
She took the spoils over 2023 winner Quigley 3-6, 7-6, 10-8, and was stoked to continue her dynasty at the storied tournament.
“It’s quite surreal, particularly based on the scoreline,” she said.
“I was down all the way, so I still don’t quite believe that I got over the line, but it’s obviously a great feeling.
“It felt like it was all on her racquet. She was hitting lots of beautiful shots past me, so it was just ‘hang in there, don’t give up, keep trying to do different things’.
“(I was) trying some serve volleys, trying some slices, trying to go a bit loopy because she was outhitting me when it was just rally balls.
“I somehow got there; I still don’t even know how.”
Quigley had the rub of the emerald green surface in the first set, with her acute return game helping her to a 6-3 advantage in the opening exchanges.
Bingham was making a litany of uncharacteristic errors, but was able to slip out of her funk midway through the second set as she began to counteract Quigley’s whipping and dipping forehand drives.
The contrasting styles — Bingham’s emotion and Quigley’s stoicism — made for an interesting watch, and that only dialled up further as the game progressed and the tide began to turn.
Well fought: Women's open singles runner-up Olivia Quigley, Cheryl Cottrell, women's open singles winner Eliza Bingham and Purdey's Jewellers owner Jo Kearney.
Photo by
Liam Nash
Bingham produced a series of powerful and audacious winners to take the match to a third set, and that’s where her experienced edge took her all the way over her younger counterpart Quigley.
The former had the crowd on her side, drawing ripples of applause that grew in strength — but Quigley wasn’t slouching either, slamming a starry ace to the court’s apex later on in the match which garnered its deserved plaudits.
However, one moment of magic wasn’t enough to save the slip.
Bingham continued pushing and eventually sealed the tie for her first Easter tournament victory since having a child, adding to her five consecutive titles beforehand.
You bet it was one for her to savour, too.
“I think in the moment it always feels more special than others, but it’s definitely got something to say being the 100th tournament and the first time as a mum," she said.
“It’s very different expectations playing this time, so it’s quite sweet of a win really.”
Bingham also paid credit to Quigley, touching on her elegant style of play.
“(She’s a) beautiful player,” she said.
“She has better shots than me; I think I just scrambled more in the tiebreakers and that was all there was to it.”
When quizzed on whether she’d return for the 101st edition of the tournament and a potential seventh title, Bingham gave a sly response.
“I hope so; we’ll see how the body goes — it’s another year on,” she said with a laugh.
Bingham’s trophy haul wasn’t restricted to the open women’s singles, either.
She also scored the open women’s doubles title alongside Josie New and claimed the open mixed doubles with her husband, Jarrod Bingham.
