McFadzien wins Canty squash: fitting farewell

Press, 11 June 1979, Page 3

McFadzien wins Canty squash: fitting farewell

By

TIM DUNBAR

Paul McFadzien had the perfect send-off from Christchurch- before leaving for Waimate when he deservedly beat Barrie Matthews, 9-3, 9-5, 9-7, to win his first Canterbury squash title yesterday. On the previous evening McFadzien had had an upset win over the top seed and defending champion, Rod Hayes, in a five-set semifinal match. The 39min final between the two University clubmates was played at a furious pace for tne first two games, with both players covering the court well. But McFadzien benefited from his better length and won 12 points in a row to go from 1-3 in the first to 4-0 up in the second. Matthews, who has already won five tournaments this season, tried to “slow it down” during the third game. He hit more tightly, and to a better length and went to a 6-2 lead. But the first two games had taken some of the energy out of him. At 2-2 McFadzien, the fourth seed, played what was perhaps the shot of the match

• when, from the back wall, he • returned well his third- • seeded opponent’s pet corkr screw lob before the ball , skidded irretrievably along - the floor. This sort of determination brought. McFadzien back into ; the third game and after t some fine shots, including - one from the backhand cor--1 ner, and a Matthews error - he had a 7-6 lead. Although the scores were level again 1 at 7-7 McFadzien took full s advantage of his first match ■ ball with a clean winner. i ■ McFadzien, aged 22, is tak- > ing up a relieving teacher’s job at Waimate High School 1 and will probably play for 1 Southern Districts in the i national inter-districts teams ) event. It is a pity that his play is showing such signs of , maturity and confidence just - when he will be lost to Can- ; terbury as a representative. Hayes’ performance in the i semi-finals was disappointi ing. He enjoyed a 7-3 lead > against McFadzien in the ; fifth but then discarded his aggressive game and failed , to win another point. s Another upset was caused i by the Canterbury represen-

tative contender, Craig Hibbert, who had an excellent win over the second seed, Brian Simpson (Bluff), and generally enjoyed a much more successful tournament than on the previous weekend.

In another quarter-final contest Matthews faced eight match balls in the fourth against the still formidable Don Preston before getting through in five.

The women’s title was also won by a new player, the in-form Philippa Idour beating Kathy Graham, 9-3, 8-10, 9-2, 9-3, in a 34min final. Mrs Idour hit her crosscourt drives to a superb length and her opponent spent much time getting the ball out of the back comers. At times it seemed as though Mrs Idour could have finished off rallies earlier with a drop shot but her length game did wear out Mrs Graham. The latter fought back from 1-5 down to win the second game but in the later stages of the contest her tiredness showed in miscues of service returns and other relatively “simple” errors.

MEN Open.—Quarter-fm als: ft. W. Hayes beat L. Walton, 9-0. 9-7, 9-2; P. G. McFadzien zeat L. P. Skurr, 94, 9-1, 97; B. D. Matthews beat I>. R. Preston, 8- 9-2, fl-9, 10-8, 9-3; C. Hibbert beat B. Simpson (Bluff), 9-3, 9-6, 3-9, 9-7. Semi-finals: McFadzien beat Hayes, 7-9, 9-8, 9-0, J-9, 9-7; Matthews beat Hibbert, 9-7, 9-1, 9- Final: MeFadzien beat Matthews, 9-3, 9-5, 10-8. Special plate: Skurr beat Preston, 9-5, 9-3, 5-9, 9-5. Consolation plate: R. Clements beat J. Oakley, 9-6, 5- 10-8, 6-9, 10-8. Plate: J. Bushell beat V. J. W. Hargreaves, 3-9, 9-2, 30-8, 9-5. B-grade final.—-R. Marshall beat H. Dowell, 10-8, 9-5. 10.8. C-grade final.—R. Campbell beat W. See beck, 8-10, 9-4, 9-3, 9-2. D-grade final.—P. Topsehij beat M. Upston, 9-6, 9-7, 9-2. E-grade final.—R. Vincent beat E. Post. 9-6, 3-9, 10-9, 9-5. F-grade final.—R. Armstrong (Lincoln) beat G. Barr, 9-3, 10-8, 9-0. WOMEN Open.—Quarter-finals: J. Oakley beat M. Holland. 9-6, 9-10. 9-t, 6- 10-9: K. Graham beat L. Symes, 9-4, 9-5, 9-2. Semi-finals: P. Idour beat Oakley, 9-1. 9-7, 9-0; Graham beat Symes. 9-5, 9-4, 9-2. Final: Idour beat Graham, 9-3, 8-10, 9-2, 9-3. Special plate: Symes beat J. Terrell, 10-8, 6-9, 9-7, 0-9, 10-8. Consolation plate: J. Day (Askburton) beat W. Dodgshun, 10-8, 5-9. 2-9, 9-4, 9-6. Plate: S. O'Brien beat K. Carpinter, 5-9, 9-4, 9-4, 9-0.

B-grade final. —L. North beat J. Calvert, 9-2, 9-4. 9-4. C-grade final.—S. Roberts (Hokitika) beat D. Bankier, 9-2. 9-3, 9-4.