Bright squash future?

Press, 12 April 1983, Page 40

Bright squash future?

NZPA staff correspondent Derby, England New Zealand’s most extensive progress ever at the British Open squash championships was halted at the quarter-final stage in Derby yesterday — but not before pointers to a brighter future were clearly evident. While the New Zealand Nos. 1 in the men’s and women’s competition, Ross Norman and Robyn Blackwood, both justified their seventh seedings, their young compatriots, Stuart Davenport and Susan Devoy, exceeded all expectations. Davenport, the 20-year-old Wellingtonian who was seeded thirteenth, crushed the sixth seed, Maqsood Ahmed, of Pakistan, to reach the last eight. And Devoy, an extremely fit 19-year-old from Hamilton, who was in the nine to 16 women’s seeding group, went one better by ousting the fifth seed, Alison Cumings, of England. Their efforts ensured that New Zealand will have two men and two women in the world top tens when the rankings next appear. Davenport’s play in fully extending the world No. 4, Dean Williams (Australia) yesterday, confirmed expectations that his exciting play will carry him high into the world rankings. “Already he can trouble any of the players except the Pakistanis, Jahangir Khan and Qamar Zaman,” said Bryce Taylor, the coach who has been closely associated with Davenport’s development. And Mr Taylor thinks Miss Devoy can be a world champion in 1985. The quarter-final results were: Ross Norman lost to Qamar Zaman (Pakistan) 4-9, 1-9, 6-9; Stuart Davenport lost to Dean Williams (Australia), 6-9, 3-9, 9-10; Robyn Blackwood lost to Lisa Opie (England), 2-9, 4-9, 4-9; Susan Devoy lost to Martine Le Moignan (England), 6-9, 0-9, 9-3, 2-9.