As the defending champion, Robert Fahey automatically qualified to the World Championship Challenge.

To qualify to challenge for the World Championship, players needed to win one of the four National Opens in the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

He won the 1999 Australian Open during the qualifying period, completing a career grand slam.

Bray found early success forcing at the dedans, building and maintaining a lead through the first set as both players were noted for impressive tambour play.

The final game saw the pair duelling their backhands, before Bray took the set with a main wall dedans.

Both players were laying short chases in the third set, with Bray extending a 4-0 lead on the back of errors from Davies.

Davies began the second day intending to make Bray run as much as possible, utilising all the angles of the court.

However, at the start of the eighth set, Davies made some unexpected errors and allowed Bray an early lead.

Davies was content to exchange in long rallies with Fahey, but could not find winners of his own, not utilising his strong attacking volley or force.

Davies did not make many unforced errors, but was no match for Fahey's strength, skill and stamina.

[6] Davies began the day on the attack, striking several forces aimed at the dedans.

But through the fifth set he either struck them into the net or they were successfully defended by Fahey, who riposted into attacking shots of his own.