Burmeister Seeded Top In N.Z. Squash Titles

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 11

Burmeister Seeded Top In N.Z. Squash Titles

'THERE will be ■ new x national squash rackets champion this year. The brilliant Australian amateur, R. K. Carter, who broke the five-year reign of C. R. Waugh in the New Zealand championships last season will not be defending his title when the 1966 tournament begins at Timaru today. And Waugh will not be attempting to regain the championship he held for so long. It will seen strange Indeed that the major event of the squash year will take place without Waugh, who has missed much of the season because of business and a leg injury. But his absense provides the country’s leading players with a rather unique experience. They will strive for top honours in the comforting knowledge that the long struggle to reach the final cannot culminate in almost inevitable defeat It Is unfortunate though, that Waugh is unavailable for the team to tour Australia to be selected at Timaru.

Waugh’s absence offers any one of a number of contenders a chance to succeed. Throughout the North Island season, the youthful D. Burmeister (Palmerston North) has proved almost invincible taking the titles that Waugh has won year after year. As a result Burmeister—appropriately enough Waugh’s brother-in-law—has gained top seeding for the nationals. He is followed by the New Zealand representatives, T. C. Johnston, also of Palmerston North, G. L. Bird (Timaru) and P. Dibley (Auckland). Reports from the North indicate that Burmeister is cast in the Waugh mould; some say that his court coverage and fitness at least equals that of the former

champion at his best Johnston a left-hander with all the shots, has been runnerup to Burmeister frequently this season and they are seeded to meet in the final at Timaru. But inevitably the prospects of the unpredictable Bird will remain a major interest for many. For years Bird, with the finest shots of any New Zealander, has seemed to be the only

player with a real chance of beating Waugh. He has failed often, but now on his home courts and with Waugh absent he has his chance. In the recent South Island championships at Invercargill, Burmeister, J. S. Walker (seeded fifth at Timaru) and M. McKenzie (Auckland) were visitors from the North. The result was a complete surprise, McKenzie disposing of Bird in straight games, and then Burmeister 9-7 in the fifth, to become the new South Island champion. Just how unpredictable this year’s nationals may prove is emphasised by the fact that McKenzie, unseeded, meets

Bird in the first round. At Masterton last year when Waugh beat Bird in the first round due to an amazingly lax seeding arrangement. Bird allowed McKenzie four points in the final of the New Zealand plate, and at Invercargill he was apparently well below form. So it may be a different story at Timaru. South Islanders will hope so for Bird alone stands in the way of another North Island title-holder. Another New Zealand representative, J. Stevens (Auckland), a fine exponent of the touch game, J. Isaacs, now of Wellington, who learnt his squash in Timaru, and G. A. Davidson complete the eight seedings. Among the remaining contenders are several of fine ability. K. R. Green and F. N. Coe will return to their home town, from Wellington and Auckland, I. T. Easton (Hamilton) runner-up to Waugh in 1961 and 1962, plays fellow national selector W. A. Green in the first round. Davidson in Ashburton has had little hard squash this season, and he may not be fit enough to take full advantage of his powerful stroke-making. His meeting with Auckland’s B. Tietjens, the extremely promising national junior champion, is among several highly interesting first round matches. In 1964 only D. R. Preston from Christchurch found a place in the A grade draw. R. M. Garrett finds himself in the same position this year, and like Preston he will meet Dibley. Garrett at last going for his shots, impressed in winning the Christchurch title last week. While success seems impossible it is to be hoped that he will provide Dibley with some worth-while first round opposition, and then perform well in the plate events.