Crosbie regains form

Press, 2 April 1985, Page 28

Crosbie regains form

Mark Crosbie made it clear that he has regained his keeness for competitive squash with a good win in the Anderson and Hill pre-season open tournament ,at the Christchurch club’s courts on Sunday. The Burnside player, who was the second seed, won the men’s open final with a straight games victory over Sumner’s Steven Wren, who was unseeded for the tournament. Crosbie, aged 21, beat Wren, aged 19, 9-4, 9-4, 9-7, and only looked in danger of dropping a game in the third, when he trailed 2-6 at one stage. Wren, a New Zealand junior men’s representative in Canada last year, had an excellent tournament, toppling the fourth seed, Kelvin Kennedy (Timaru Celtic), in the quarterfinals and the top seed, Robbie Burnett (Lancaster Park), in the semi-finals, also in five games. An interesting newcomer was Peter Wright, an Australian who recently moved to Nelson. His unorthodox, but nonetheless very positive brand of squash allowed him to take third place. He had good wins over Ellicott Jones (Christchurch), the No. 3 seed, and, in the third place playoffs, Burnett. The women’s open final was won by Linwood’s Freda Walker who beat Rowan Toia (Suburbs), 9-2, 9-4, 9-10, 9-2. The women’s open final was won by Linwood’s Freda Walker who beat Rowan Toia (Suburbs), 9-2, 9-4, 9-10, 9-2. Walker, the No. 1 seed, had the chance to finish off the contest in three games, holding match balls at 8-6 and 9-9 after leading 7-2. But Toia fought back to extend the match into the fourth. Tracie Baldwin, seeded third

in the woman’s open draw, had to pull out of the tournament because of a virus. Results:— MEN Open. — Quarter-finals: R. Burnett beat W. Seebeck, 9-1, 9-5 9-4; S. Wren beat K. Kenedy (Timaru Celtic), 9-3, 96 6-9, 4-9, 9-2; P. Wright (Nelson) beat J. Christensen, 91 9-5, 9-6; M. Crosbie beat G. Cotton. 9-1, 9-2, 9-2. Semifinals: Wren beat Burnett, 9-7, 9-3 4-9, 6-9, 9-7. Crosbie beat Wright, 9-3, 7-9, 3-9, 9-1, 9-7. Final: Crosbie beat Wren, 9-4, 9-4, 9-7. Playoff for third and fourth: Wright beat Burnett, 9-1, 9-6, 59, 9-5. Plate: E. Jones. Special plate: Kennedy. Division one.— Final: M. Morrison beat F. Young, 9-7, 95, 7-9, 2-9, 9-2. Third place: F. Williams. Division two.— Final: G. Tiffen beat S. Tomsett (Timaru), 9-3, 5-9, 9-7, 9-7. Third place: G. Armishaw. , „ Division three.— Final: K. Bowry beat R. Winter. 8-10, 9-

7. Third Place: G. Morris. Division four.— Final: J. Maguire beat G. Muir, 3-9, 9-5, 2-9, 9-7, 9-2. Third place: D. Browne. Division five.— Final; G. Laurie beat P. McKendry, 9-5, 9-1, 9-I.WOMEN Open.—Quarter-finals: F. ‘Walker beat K. Connew (Nelson), 9-6, 9-5, 10-8; J. Palmer beat G. Maaka, 9-6, 3-9, 3-9, 9-5, 9-3; D. Church beat H. Lyo/9-7, 9-7, 9-4. R. Toia beat A. Andrews (Nelson), 9-0, 9-3, 9-2. Semi-finals: Walker beat Palmer, 10-9, 9-1, 9-1; Toia beat Church, 9-1, 9-0, 9-3. FinalWalker beat Toia, 9-2, 9-4, 9-10, 9-2. Play-off for third and fourth. Church beat Palmer, 10-8, 9-8, 6-9, 6-9, 9-7. Plate: R. Young. Consolation plate: C. Wood. Special plate: Connew. Division one.— Final: C. Curnow beat J. Tanner, 9-2, 9-6, 94. Third place: A. Hindson. Division two.— Final: J. North beat S. Winter, 3-9, 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 10-8. Third place: S. Carr.