Squash title hat-trick for Norman

Press, 18 March 1986, Page 23

Squash title hat-trick for Norman

NZPA special correspondent Munich, West Germany

New Zealand’s Ross Norman sustained a blitz of world squash yesterday and completed a remarkable hat-trick in winning the European open in Munich. Norman, aged 27, has dominated the top tournaments in Europe in recent weeks, and won the German title for the third time.

His 9-2, 9-3, 9-4, defeat of the Australian, Kelvin Smith, in the Munich final, sponsored by Guy Laroshe, follows the Kiwi’s French open title triumph.

Both were elite tournaments, carrying high world ranking points and prize money. Norman has also won a Belgium tournament this season. Number 2 in the world, he poses a threat to the top ranking of the Pakistani, Jahangir Khan, because of his unrelenting form in recent weeks.

Jahangir, unbeaten in five years, missed the German tournament through a chest injury received on court when playing in Canada in

search of bigger prize money.

The world champion’s only European title this season was in Spain and he will need to be injuryfree soon to stop the New Zealander’s march. Next month’s British open, the most prized squash tournament, will provide an interesting test for the two undisputed top players in the world.

Norman took $14,800 German marks as his prize today after a final that was an anti-climax to the tournament.

Smith, not rated highly on the world scene, came through the easier half of the draw, and found the pace of the final too fast, losing in 43 minutes.

Norman described it as his biggest win ever when he took the German title two seasons ago in a comeback from a parachuting accident that threatened to ruin his career.

Yesterday he said he was “very happy . . . it’s unusual to win a hattrick of titles in squash.” In the playoff for third, England’s Phil Kenyon beat the Australian, Glen Brumby, 10-9, 9-5, 9-2.