Queensland pair Zac Alexander and Lisa Camilleri claimed the spoils at the Victorian Open Squash Championships – but both were made to work hard for their victories in the finals of the international Tour event in Melbourne.

In the men’s final, top seed Alexander came back from losing the first game to second-ranked compatriot Matthew Karwalski, winning 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 to claim the $6,000 PSA World Tour title for the first time.

In the all-Australian women’s final, Camilleri won the title for the third time with an 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 triumph over Amelia Pittock – the Victorian’s second successive finish as runner-up.

It was Alexander’s second win on the 2010 Australian Squash Tour in just his second tournament – but he was pushed all the way by Karwalski.

The 21-year-old from New South Wales attacked from the start and surprised a sluggish Alexander, before the top seed recovered and slowly began to take control, taking advantage of some Karwalski errors to get vital breaks in the each of the three remaining games.

The win marks Alexander’s third win PSA Tour title success this year.

Earlier, 27-year-old Camilleri made it four Tour wins in a row with her victory over Pittock, the 2005 champion, in the final of the $4,000 WISPA World Tour event.

“We know each other’s games really well and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Camilleri, who is the same age as Pittock, with whom she grew up and played juniors together.

“It was a tough tournament for me because we had to play the semi-finals and final on the same day, which is a bit unusual.

“And I was really pushed in the semi-final (by Korea’s Song Sun-Mi). She was so strong and kept fighting right until the end so I had to try and recover for the final.”

Camilleri has now won events in Darwin, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne to make it 10 tournament wins on the women’s professional tour.

A special replay package of the finals will be available for viewing on www.squashvic.com.au from July 6 (evening AEST)

Men’s 1st round:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-3, 15-13, 13-11
Evan Williams (NZL) bt [15] Adrian Dudzicki (CAN) 11-5, 11-5, 1-0 ret.
[Q] Cameron White (AUS) bt [5] Justin Beard (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-3
[9] Jacob Alexander (AUS) bt Jamie Mathews (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6
[4] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt [Q] Christopher Hanson (USA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9
[12] Peter Taylor (AUS) bt [Q] Joseph Watts (NZL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
[7] Bart Ravelli (NED) bt [Q] James Skiffington (NZL) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3
[Q] Se Hyun Lee (KOR) bt [10] Fred Reid (CAN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
[13] Alex Grayson (NZL) bt Hon Fung Wong (HKG) 6-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7
[6] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [Q] Steven London (ENG) 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-1
[14] Cheng Yao Huang (TPE) bt [Q] Sunil Seth (AUS) 9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-6
[3] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Jamie Mcervale (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
[11] Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-5, 11-8, 11-9
Frank Hartkoren (NED) bt [8] Josh Cardwell (AUS) 11-5, 11-9, 11-2
[16] Sam Fife (AUS) bt Luke Sims (AUS) 2-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3
[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Edward Dromgool (NZL) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8

2nd round:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt Evan Williams (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-4
[Q] Cameron White (AUS) bt [9] Jacob Alexander (AUS) 11-1, 11-9, 11-3
[4] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt [12] Peter Taylor (AUS) 11-9, 11-8, 11-2
[7] Bart Ravelli (NED) bt [Q] Se Hyun Lee (KOR) 11-2, 11-4, 11-3
[6] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [13] Alex Grayson (NZL) 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8
[14] Cheng Yao Huang (TPE) bt [3] Mike Corren (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-2
[11] Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Frank Hartkoren (NED) 11-9, 11-4, 11-6
[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [16] Sam Fife (AUS) 13-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3

Quarter-finals:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Cameron White (AUS) 11-7, 12-10, 13-11
[7] Bart Ravelli (NED) bt [4] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 11-7, 11-3, 12-10
[14] Cheng Yao Huang (TPE) bt [6] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-6, 11-13, 11-1, 4-11, 11-7
[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [11] Reiko Peter (SUI) 10-12, 11-9, 11-13, 11-2, 11-7

Semi-finals:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [7] Bart Ravelli (NED) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [14] Cheng Yao Huang (TPE) 13-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-7

Final:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7

Women’s 1st round:
[14] Emma Millar (NZL) bt Grace Mcervale (AUS) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2
Christine Nunn (AUS) bt [12] Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3
[15] Elpiniki Clement (USA) bt Challen Stowell (AUS) 11-1, 11-6, 11-4
[8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Vanessa Pickerd (AUS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
[13] Jane Kennedy (AUS) bt Grazia Guida (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
[16] Bethany Brazier (AUS) bt Barbara Stubbings (PNG) 11-7, 13-15, 11-5, 11-9
[11] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt Peta Murphy (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8
[9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt Nicole Stoneham (AUS) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
[10] Amanda Cranston (NZL) bt Alana Sincock (NZL) 11-7, 11-3, 11-9

2nd round:
[1] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [14] Emma Millar (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-5
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt Christine Nunn (AUS) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
[4] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [15] Elpiniki Clement (USA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [13] Jane Kennedy (AUS) 11-8, 11-6 ret.
[7] Birgit Coufal (AUT) bt [16] Bethany Brazier (AUS) 14-12, 11-6, 11-5
[3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt [11] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
[9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt [6] Zoe Petrovansky (AUS) 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-1, 11-6
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [10] Amanda Cranston (NZL) 11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-2

Quarter-finals:
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [1] Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
[4] Melody Francis (AUS) bt [8] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 13-11, 11-3, 11-9
[3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt [7] Birgit Coufal (AUT) 11-1, 11-3, 11-3
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [9] Maggy Marshall (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-3

Semi-finals:
[5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [4] Melody Francis (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 12-10
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [3] Song Sun-Mi (KOR) 13-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7

Final:
[2] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [5] Amelia Pittock (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 12-10