Blackwoods win 'Press’ squash

Press, 27 August 1979, Page 30

Blackwoods win 'Press’ squash

Had the New Zealand squash selectors been present they would certainly have breathed sighs of relief when Craig Blackwood deservedly won “The Press’’ open in Christchurch yesterday. The 23-year-old Aucklander signalled his return to top form when he beat Robin Espie (Royal Oak), 9-7, 7-9, 4-9, 9-2, 9-1, after 77 minutes of enthralling squash. Criticism of the national ■•electors was made in some quarters in June when Blackwood was named in the New Zealand team to contest the world championships at Brisbane in October. Blackwood was ranked No. 1 amateur in New Zealand last' season, but gave litde indication of this in his early r -.ason performances. He was beaten convincingly by both Espie (who later replaced the unavailable Howard Broun in the national side) and Rod Hayes, of Canterbury, in the compulsory selection tournaments.

A shaky start meant Blackwood trailed 1-6 and t - 4-7 in the first game. However, he regained the serve and took the last five points in one hand, with the pick of some fine winners being an overhead forehand cross-court volley into the nick. Espie, the top seed, was unruffled by this setback, and in the marathon 22min second game he came back to win 9-7 from 6-7 down, taking the last rally with a penalty point that his opponent disputed. In the middle stages of the third Blackwood seemed to be really working Espie, sending him nt the corners on many occasions, but Espie took the last three points relatively quickly with a great drop volley to finish. Blackwood made fairly juick work of the last two games, winning them in 9min and lOmin for the loss of only three points. Espie’s errors were more frequent, while winners came more quickly for Blackwood, who was hitting the ball very crisply and showing a delicate tou r h on his drops and boasts. Both players won through to the final with 3-0 victories on Saturday evening. Espie, volleying particularly weil overcame Paul McFadzien (Waimate) in 33min while Blackwood, the third seed, had to spend all of 51 min on the court to

beat the second-seeded Hayes after some excellent squash by both players. Hayes and McFadzien, rivals throughout their careers, met yesterday in a play-off for third and fourth places. The former prevailed after 52min, in spite of being two games down and then three points away from defeat at 1-6 in the fourth.

“The • Press” tournament t.came a Blackwood benefit when the women’s open title was won by Craig’s younger sister, Robyn. The final was disappointingly one-sided as ■. Blackwood polished off a beiow-par Philippa Idour, 2 , 9-0, 9-0 in just 15min. She had been given rather more trouble in the semifinals by another Christchurch player, Lorna Symes, who lifted her game and

took the contest the full distance, forcing Miss Blackwood to do quite a bit of retrieving out of the corners. It was a pood tournament, too, for exponents better known for their tennis abilities. Carolyn Oakley won the women’s B grade and Sally Chapman was successful in C grade. The victory of Roger Armstrong in men’"' E grade completed a hat-tric-: of tournament wins for him. Results: MEN Open.—Quarter-finals: R. Espie (Royal Oak) beat J. Oakley 9-5, 9-5, 9-2; P. G. McFadzien (Waimate) beat B. Simpson (Nelson) 9-7, 9-4, 9-5; C. Blackwood (North Shore) beat C. Hibbert (Linwood) 9-6, 9-4, 9-1, R. W. Hayes beat C. J. Wasley 4-9, 7-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-7. Semi-finals; Espie beat Me. Fadizen 9-6, 9-3, 9-3; Blackwood beat Hayes 9-5, 9-6, 9-3. Final; Blackwood beat Espie 9-7, 7-9, 4-9, 9-2, 9-1. Play-off for third place; Hayes beat McFadzien 4-9, 5-9, 9-4, 9-7, 9-3. Plate final: J. French beat R. Marshall 9-7, 9-6, 6-9, 9-4. Consolation plate: B. B. Trangmar beat M. Morrison 9-10. 1-9, 9-1, 9-7, 9-4. Special plate: Simpson beat Hibbert. B grade final.—R. Williama beat M. Clements 6-9, 7-9, 9-7, 9-4, 9-6. C grade final.—A. Trenberth beat G. Harrington 9-5, 9-4, 9-5. D grade final.—R. McKendry beat L. Bagge 9-6, 9-4, 1-9, 10-8. E grade final.—R. Armstrong beat F. Young 6-9, 9-2, 9-5, 9-6. F grade final.—G. Roberts beat P. Eathorne 9-4, 9-5, 9-7. WOMEN Open.—Quarter-finals: R. Blackwood (North Shore) beat R. Davies 9-7, 6-9, 9-5, 9-0; P. Idour beat J. McCutcheon 9-1, 9-4, 9-3. Semi-finals: Blackwood beat Symes 9-3, 9-3, 1-9, 7-9, 9-2; Idour beat Hunwai 9-6. 9-0, 4-9, 9-0. Final: Blackwood beat Idour 9-3, 9-0, 9-0. Plate: W. Dodgshun beat L. Stringer 9-1, 10-8. 9-3. Consolation plate: A. Baker (Hamilton) beat H. Hewitt (Malvern), 10-8, 5-9, 9-2, 1-9, 9-4. Special plate: R. Davies beat J. Terrell 9-10, 9-1, 9-2, 9-1. B grade final.—C. Oakley beat M. Sturtevant 9-4, 1-9, 9-3, 10-8. C grade final.—S. Chapman beat K. Hatherton 9-1, 9-10, 9-5, 9-4.