Seeded Players Reach Squash Semi-Finals

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 13

Seeded Players Reach Squash Semi-Finals

Although the four seeded players won their way through to the semi-finals, only L. M. Greene, of Hamilton, had a convincing win when the quarter-finals of the New Zealand squash rackets championships were played yesterday.

Two Auckland girls will contest the women’s final on Saturday. Mrs P. Buckingham disposed of Mrs J. D. Webster (Auckland) 9-2, 9-5, 9-6 in the first semi-final and Miss T. Lawes beat Miss A. Buscke (Auckland) 10-8, 9-7, 9-6. Miss Buscke covered the court well in the first game and was perhaps unlucky not to win. Greene found G. L., Bird (Ashburton) right out of touch and was in complete command of the game. In contrast, the fourth seed, S P. O’Dwyer (Auckland) was taken to the fifth game by his club-mate, D. Scott, who raised his game for the occasion.

Scott narrowly lost the first game 10-8, but made amends by taking the next two with the loss of only eight points. O’Dwyer looked very determined in the fourth, forcing Scott to the corners and then finishing off the rallies with well-hit low forehand drives with his opponent well out of position. In the final game O’Dwyer went to an early lead before Scott overhauled him to make it 6-all. At this stage the rallies became very long but it was generally O’Dwyer in command. On match point at 8-6 to O’Dwyer, the rally went to 65 strokes, and then a let was played. After a short rally there was another let and then Scott failed to return a forehand shot giving O’Dwyer the match. After his easy win in the first round, J. Stevens (Auckland), the second seed, found his young Auckland opponent, N. S. Barbour, in deva> stating form. Biarbour’s power won him many points in the first game, which Stevens was lucky to win. Unaccountably, Barbour eased off early in the second, tending to float his shots, which enabled Stevens to go to a handy lead. When Barbour began to hit out again he quickly narrowed Stevens’s lead but in the end the New Zealand representative’s experience carried him through to a straight three-game win. Top-seeded D. Burmeister (Palmerston North) was in difficulties from the start

ogainst M. McKenzie (Auckland) as the tall McKenzie kept up a flow of powerful drives. Like Stevens, Burmeister was fortunate to take the first game 10-8, but in spite of some miraculous retrieving dropped the next 9-4. McKenzie began to show signs of distress as the rallies became longer. His drives lost their accuracy and lapses of concentration at vital stages were costly. This, plus Burmeister’s clean wall shots, cost him the match. Burmeister will now meet Greene in the semi-final and it will be a question of who is the fittest as neither player will take any risks.

The stevens-O’Dwyer encounter may prove the better spectacle of the two semifinals. Both players will go for winners when the opportunity is there. The Christchurch veteran, R. G. Pattlnaon, has reached the C grade semi-finals. He will play S. G. Malster, also of Christchurch. In the B grade only one Christchurch player is left, fourth-seeded J. W. Mitchell. His opponent in today’s semifinal is B. Shute (Wellington) who beat A. E. Dunlop (Christchurch) in three games yesterday. Results: MEN A Grade Quarter-finals.—D. 9urm*l»t«r beat M. McKenzie, 10-8, 4-9. 9-8, 9-3; L. M, Greene beat G. L. Bird, 9-S, 9-0, 9-5; S. P. O'Dwyer beat D. Scott, ll>-9. 3-9, 5-9, 9-1, 9-8; J. Stevens beat N. S. Barbour, 10-8, 9-7, 9-1. B Grade J. W. Mitchell beat G. a. Stewart, 9-1, 2-9, 9-4, 9-5; B. Shute beat A. E. Dunlop, 9-2, 9-3, 9-3; d. P. Kennedy beat M. O. Holdsworth, 9-2, 9-7, 9-3; G. M. Bowen beat J. Angus, 9-4. 9-8, 9-1. c Grad* R. G. Pattinson beat J. Moseley. 4-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-0; S. G. Malster beat J. Martin, 9-3, 9-4, 9-0; M. P. Isaacs beat G. Keenan, 4-9, 9-5, 9-5, 9-5; T. R. Reid beat B. Frisk, 9-3, 9-3, 9-4. D Grad* S. C. Dixon beat A. D. De»rsley, 9-0, 9-3, 9-4; G. H. Jenkinson beat J. Patterson. 9-0, 9-0, 9-4; I. Gunthorpe beat D. Forbes, 9-4, 9-7. 4-9, 9-8; G. Buckingham beat P. A. Liken. 9-8. 9-4, 9-0. E Grade G. Taylor beat J. F. Roberts, 9-1, 9-1, 9-7; A. Waters beat R. Comfort, 9-2, 9-1, 9-0; B. T. Handlslde* beat D. Peacock, 9-S, 9-7, 9-S: W. Meyer beat A. Robinson, 7-9, 8-10, 9-3, 9-0, 9-1. WOMEN A liras* Semi-finals.—Mrs P. Buckingham beat Mrs J. D. Webster, 9-2, 9-S, 9-8; Mil* t. Lawes beat Miss A. Buscke, 10-8, 9-7, 9-8. B Grade Quarter-finals.—Mrs P. Leopold beat Miss R. Davie* 9-4, 9-0, 9-0; Miss G. Bell beat Miss J. Webb, 9-2, 9-7, 9-4; Mist P. ScoltOCk beat MISS Bowby*s, 9-4, 7-9, 9-8, 9-7; Miss N. Dunning beat Miss p, Grimsbew-JOfies, 9-7, 9-4. 10-8.