Day 2 Coverage

Jessica Estephan, Ryan Lewis-Jonns, and Lachlan Saunders have made Magic history this weekend in Sydney, with Estephan becoming the first woman ever to win a Magic Grand Prix.

We began the weekend with 350 teams, and Jonathan Venturi, Benny Yau, and Mathieu Beaujard from Melbourne all but obliterated the competition going undefeated on Day 1 and entering the Top 4 with a sizeable 5 point lead on everyone else.

Estephan/Lewis-Jonns/Saunders strode confidently into the Top 4 as third seed, and the highest team on 33 points. Across from them in the semifinals were Dirk Crasto, Matt Rogers, and Nicholas Barlow from New Zealand, who’d finished second seed with 34 points.

Venturi/Yau/Beaujard finally stumbled, falling in the semifinals to fourth seeds from Canberra, James O'Rourke, Jacob Golding, and Aidan Frisch, while Estephan/Lewis-Jonns/Saunders followed through to knock out the Kiwis, setting up the all lower seed finals.

Estephan/Lewis-Jonns/Saunders took an early lead in the finals but all three matches were soon tied up at one game apiece. Saunders was first on the scoreboard, with Estephan right behind him and the rest, as they say, was Magic history!

All four teams have qualified for Pro Tour 25th Anniversary in Minneapolis in August, but I’m sure all of us here will remember most fondly being a part of this historic moment for Magic players everywhere.