Squash finals disappoint

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33918, 11 August 1975, Page 7

Squash finals disappoint

As expected, Rod Hayes took the South Island under-19 squash title in Christchurch yesterday but the final against Paul McFadzien was very disappointing, i Both are players of considerable promise and have a wide array of strokes but these were seldom In evidence and there were far too many loose shots for juniors of their high standing. The two finalists, both members of the Christchurch club, base played together a great deal and this combined with the surfeit of squash Hayes had had in recent weeks gave the match a rather too "friendly" atmosphere. with few signs of real competitiveness. Most rallies were much shorter than would normally be the case and only in the final stages of the second game—which McFadzien levelled at 9-9. after trailing 1-B—did the play rise above a relatlvelv mediocre standard. Hayes took this game after winning a very long rally m which both made some amazing retrieves It is to be hoped that they return to their best form in their tours of Australia which begin very soon. Hayes is a member of the national junior side. McFadzien. together with another Canterbury junior, Barrie Matthews, has been selected for the New Zealand Universities team.

FROM SICKBED The top-seeded girl, Pip Monk, ei imbed out of her sickbed—where she had spent nine days ill from a virus infection—and beat Mary Anne Redpath. A weak Miss Monk—she could barely lift the racket at times—fought bravely to win the first'; two games after being behind 1 4-8 in the first and 3-7 in the ■ second, and took the match in , four games after dropping the ' third. 11 Miss Redpath played a very; good short game but Miss Monk 1 managed to hit enough of hern shots with her usual authority to keep her opponent away from

I.the front court when it really I mattered. I Easily the best display of the day was provided by the under1 17 boys’ finalists, Robin Clements I and Stuart Davenport. Neither I was able to exert his superiority 1 , for long and although the I diminutive Davenport—winner of i the national under-13 title for the I last two years—led by two games I to one and 7-3 in the fourth, ! Clements took the match, 10-9, i in the fifth after several en-1 thralling rallies. I Results:— • BOYS Under 19 Semifinal.—R. Hayes (Christchurch) beat B. Matthews (Christ- - church), 9-7. 9-6, 6-9. 10-9; P. Mc- , Fadzien (Christchurch) beat J. t Fraeser (Richmond W.M.C.), 9-2, ! 9-0. 9-1 I Final.—Hayes beat McFadzien, I’6-9. 10-9. 9-5. 9-3. •

Under V Semi-finals.—C. Wasley <Burnside) beat G. Falloon, 9-0, 9-0, 9-1; P. Davenport (Burnside) beat M. Glazebrook (Christ’s College), 9-6, 9-1, 9-1. Final.—Wasley beat Davenport. 9- 9-0, 9-0. Under 15 Semi-finals. — S. Davenport (Bumside) beat G. Utterjdge (Christchurch), 9-0, 9-4, 9-0; R. Clements i Christchurch) beat J. Bushell 'Burnside), 9-3, 9-1, 9-0. Final.—Clements beat Davenport, 1-9. 9-7. 4-9, 10-8, 10-9. GIRLS Under 19 Semi-finals.—P. Monk (Christchurch! beat C. Oakley (Christchurch), 9-5, 9-0, 9-2; M. Redpath (Otago) beat M. Stemmer (Sumner), 9-0, 9-1, 9-3. Final.—Monk beat Redpath. 10- 10-8. 5-9. 9-3.