Wgtn’s top seed shaded in fierce, fast match

Press, 5 April 1983, Page 3

Wgtn’s top seed shaded in fierce, fast match

Linwood’s Robbie Burnett will be hoping his squashfortunes are on the upturn after a week-end at the Sumner club brought him his first open tournament, victory in Canterbury. In the Vistalite Easter Open final yesterday Burnett shaded the top seed, ■; Kevin Hannan, of Wellington, 9-5, 9-2, 9-6, in 36min. It was a most meritorious - performance by Burnett, a member of the New Zealand under-23 team which toured the South Island last year. . He retrieved with fierce determination, at times from his knees, and went for the winner when the occasion demanded. The match began at a fast pace, but neither player was able to gain an early advantage and after Bmin in the first game the score was only 2-2. From then on, though, Hannan made errors, including some from close to the front wall, with unfortunate regularity. That loud noise as the hard-hitting Hannan drilled the tin must have been welcome to Burnett who started to adopt a policy, and a successful one, of feeding Hannan’s normally fearsome forehand. In the third game Hannan enjoyed a brief period of dominance which caused Burnett a little anxiety. The

Wellington left-hander got 1 up to the’ front court and sent some blistering drives into the corners and down the walls. Hannan went from 0-3 down to lead 6-3, but Burnett regained the initiative and went on to win, getting over what he calls his usual “choke” score of 8-6 in the process. The women’s final was a rather more brief affair, with Joanne Milne, who will play men’s division one for Sumner this year, overcoming her clubmate, Kate Carpinter, 9-3, 9-0, 9-4, in 15min. Carpinter, who won the tournament a year ago, won the first three rallies, but was frustrated from then on by a failure to gain points in spite of some determined chasing. Milne’s strong driving was a feature. The women’s open plate went to Raewyn Young (Lincoln) who has undergone a rapid rise on the grading list since last season when at one stage she was a mere E-grader. Steven Wren, the Sumner junior, took the men’s division B title after surviving his second tough five-setter in a row. In the final he beat Tim Cook (Christchurch Football) in an entertaining match. Results of finals:— MEN Division A:— R. Burnett

(Linwood) beat K. Hannan (Wellington Collegians), 9-5, 92, 9-6. Play-off for third: C. Hibbert (Linwood) beat M. Tapp (Marton), 9-6, 9-5, 7-9, 9-6. Plate: J. Knight (H. 5.0.8. beat B. Michelson (Sumner), 9-6, 3-9, 9-3, 9-6. Special plate: L. Sparks (Marlst) beat G. Barton (Pirates, Dunedin), 7-9, 9-6, 3-9, 9- 9-5. Consolation plate: R. McCutcheon (Sumner) beat G. Monk (Linwood), 9-2, 9-5, 2-9,9-2. Division B:— S. Wren (Sumner) beat T. Cook (Christchurch Football), 9-4, 6-9, 5-9, 10- 9-4. Plate: M. Allred (Burnside). Special plate: B. Marriott (Sumner). Consolation plate: I. Collins (Collegians). Division C:— E. Post (Christchurch) beat M. Harley (Linwood), 3-9, 9-4, 5-9, 9-6, 9-5. Division D:— S. Young (Sumner) beat G. R. Smith (Christchurch), 9-0, 9-2, 7-9, 6-9, 9-6. Division E:— B. Newman (Christchurch) beat R. Allen (Otago), 9-5, 10-9, 9-0. WOMEN Division A:— J. Milne (Sumner) beat K. Carpinter (Sumner), 9-3, 9-0, 9-4. Play-off for third: F. Walker (Oamaru) beat M. Holland (Sumner). 9-7, 9-6, 3-9, 9-2. Plate: R. Young (Lincoln) beat L. Bradford (Sumner), 9-6, 9-0, 9-1. Special plate: J. Terrell (Sumner) beat J. Marriott (Sumner), 9-6, 4-9, 9-7, 9-6. Consolation plate: B. Donovan (Lancaster Park) beat N. Sparks (Burnside), 1-9, 9-2, 9-4, 9-1. Division B:— C. Cantwell (Marist) beat S. Platt (Lancaster Park), 9-3, 9-1, 9-7.