TheSportsCampus

Melbourne's Rex Hedrick continued his fine 2012 when he took out the NSW Open squash tournament after an epic five-game win over Tasmanian's Aaron Frankcomb on Sunday. Hedrick and Frankcomb battled it out for 91 minutes before the 23-year-old Victorian triumphed 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-1 for his fourth PSA title of the year.

It was a significant win for Hedrick, who this time was struggling to crack the world's top 100.

"I set myself the goal of breaking into the top 60 in 2012," Hedrick said. "I am now ranked 71 and this win should put me into the 60s."

Frankcomb was ranked inside the top 40 this time last year before a persistent knee problem forced him to quit the tour fulltime.

"Aaron was a top 40 player six months ago and he's still playing really good squash so I knew it was going to be a tough match," Hedrick said.

"I was just sticking to my game plan and grinding it out. He started cramping in the fifth game and I was able to take advantage."

Hedrick now has two week break before the Australian Open, where he will play Queensland's Zac Alexander in the first round.

"I grew up in the same age group as Zac, but I haven't played him for a year and a half, two years," he said.

"It's going to be tough, he will be hard to beat, especially on the glass court."

Denmark's Line Hansen won her 10th title on the women's tour and her first since April last year when she beat in form New Zealander Amanda Landers-Murphy in a tough four game battle.

The top seeded Dane was pushed hard by Landers-Murphy before winning the title in a fourth game tiebreak 12-10, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10.

World number 26 Hansen, playing her first tournament back since returning from an end of season break, now heads to Melbourne for the Black Knight Open before playing in the Australian Open.