Surgery for Devoy

Press, 15 November 1984, Page 44

Surgery for Devoy

NZPA London The world No. 1, Susan Devoy, has disappointed organisers by withdrawing from two British squash tournaments this month to have surgery on her playing hand. The 20-year-old, from Hamilton, said yesterday that she had decided to have a minor operation on a callus on her right hand this week so she could be back on the courts in time for the main squash tournament circuit beginning in January. Organisers of the British

under-23 championships this week-end had hoped she would defend her title against the Briton, Lisa Opie, the 1982 champion. The two met in the final of the British Open in April, when Devoy became the first New Zealander to win a British Open title. Devoy said that, although the organisers were disappointed she would not be there to play against the English favourite, the tournament was not a major one. “It is not very big even though it is open. The men’s

tournament being held at the same time, which is closed, actually has bigger prize money,” she said. In spite of also missing the Welsh Open this month she believed now was the best time to have her hand operated on. “It is a big callus from an ingrown wart which has been bad since the British Open. I wanted to have it operated on last year. “Now I have decided not to have it removed as it would mean my squash hand would take about seven weeks to recover properly