Stevens Seeded First In Squash

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 13

Stevens Seeded First In Squash

J. Stevens, of Auckland, who was seeded third in the New Zealand championships earlier this year, heads the field in the Canterbury squash rackets championships which will begin tonight at the Chester Street courts.

The second seed below Stevens is G. Moss, also of Auckland, the seventh ranked New Zealander last season. Another Aucklander, S. ! O’Dwyer, is third seed, and : M. Jones, from Wellington, is fourth. Stevens, a former national representative, narrowly missed selection again this year, losing a close match at the New Zealand championships to J. N. Isaacs (Wellington), who was ultimately chosen. This will be Stevens’s first appearance in a Canterbury tournament and there will be considerable interest in his Play.

Moss was a well known ten-

nis player in Canterbury before he moved to Auckland several years ago. He is capable of brilliant but sometimes erratic squash, and a final between him and Stevens would be well worth watching. Unfortunately, none of the top South Islanders have entered. G L. Bird, G. A. Davidson, B. J. Rippin and R. Grant are not playing, which means that the line-up for the Division I championship is not on a par with that of last year, when the title was won by T. R. Johnston, of Palmerston Norths from C. R. Waugh, of Auckland. Strong local challengers for the title will be B. V. Hamilton, who will play Moss in the first round, J. H. N. Pine and J. G. Fotilds. Another visitor from Auckland, D. Scott, who may prove too strong for the local players. He is drawn against S. Suckling, and this match will be watched with interest. Suckling has been playing well recently and could be a difficult opponent for Scott. Two Wellington girls head the women’s championship— Miss T. Lawes, eighth ranked in New Zealand last year, and Miss K. Glenny. Mrs R. Woodhead (the titleholder) and Mrs P. Leopold, of Christchurch, complete the seedings. Among Division IT men the seeding is N. W. Herd 1, A. E. Dunlop 2, C. P. Murray 3, E. C. Arundel (Wellington) 4.