Davenport surgery necessary again?

Press, 16 June 1982, Page 48

Davenport surgery necessary again?

New Zealand's rising squash star,.- Stuart . Davenport, might yet have to undergo a further operation on the injured back, which troubled him on the world circuit.

The 19-year-old Wellington player returned home from Britain about three weeks ago with a world ranking of No. 28 and the prestigious British under 23 title.

He delayed his return to competitive squash until the week-end when he suffered a shock defeat by Rod Hayes, of Christchurch, in. the final of the Canterbury championships. After that 78min five-game marathon game Davenport’s back was so sore that he visited a doctor in Christchurch yesterday. .

“The doctor said that it's the sciatic nerve again and the operation in England (just before the British Open in early April) wasn’t successful,” Davenport said. “I may have to go through it again." Davenport, ranked i\o; two in New Zealand behind the world No. eight, Ross Nor-

man, of Auckland, will have X-rays today to confirm the doctor's diagnosis of sciatic nerve trouble. His (chances for an immediate revenge on Hayes have gone. Already he has to withdraw from an exhibition match ..with the Canterbury man, planned for Ashburton tomorrow evening, and . the Southern Districts championships in Dunedin at the weekend. . ’ >

“I’m also not very hopeful about the South Island championships in ■ Oamaru the following week-end,” Davenport said. He will be starting treatment bn his back today and will continue it in Wellington next week. He said his back was good. to start with in a match, -but “gets worse and worse, and movement gets restricted.”

The lanky 1.93 m Davenport did not offer his troublesome . back as any sort of excuse for losing to Hayes, who reeled off a stream of winners" on Sunday. ‘-‘Rod played bloody, well ■■■,.. especially when he had a sniff of a-win.” ;