Squash challenge series

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 72

Squash challenge series

Liz Irving, of Australia, ranked fifth in the world, has confirmed that she will take on the world champion, Susan Devoy, in a three-match challenge series in July. The matches will be played in Wellington and Auckland on July 5,10 and 11 on the New Zealand Squash Rackets Association’s new $250,000 clear vision portable court. At the same time the men’s world champion, Ross Norman, will clash with the Pakistani, Jahangir Khan, the man he deposed in Toulouse last November, but still ranked the world No. 1. Devoy said in Auckland that she would

not be taking the challenge of Irving lightly despite her own unbeaten record on the 1987 European circuit. “I think there is more chance of Liz beating me than ah upset happening n the men’s series,” Devoy said. Devoy said she was regarding the series as a major part of heir build-up for the women’s world championships in Auckland in October, The same court will be used for the world event. Irving, at 22 a year younger than Devoy, is fast around the court and a tremendous shot player. She beat Devoy, 3-2, in an unofficial test match in Christchurch last September.