S.I. squash title to Watt

Press, 20 July 1987, Page 24

S.I. squash title to Watt

An efficient Rory Watt ;■ (Hamilton) added the South .*■ Island men’s squash title to -the North Island one he snared seven weeks ago with a 9-2, 9-6, 9-3, win over Rotorua’s Danny McQueen at « Ashburton yesterday. Watt became only the third man to win both titles in the same year, the others are Charlie Waugh in 1960 and Rod Hayes in 1983. The No. 1 seed was also successful in the women’s open final, Joanne Williams recovered from a slow start to shade her fellow Aucklander, Donna Gurran, 9-6, 3-9, 9-7, 9-3. In between the North and South Island championships, Watt has been picking up world ranking points on the South American circuit and this was his first tournament appearance since returning home. Consequently, the Hamilton player felt he was “under quite a bit of pressure,” but he adjusted well to the different conditions and the different ball and was very happy with the result. Watt wore down McQueen

and restricted his shot-mak-ing opportunities with 48min of sound, tight squash. While there were few frills for spectators to enthuse over, Watt felt the faster ball precluded other tactics. “With that sort of ball you’re restricted to keeping it as tight as you can and cut down the errors.” There was some fine retrieving by both players in the course of the match, Watt showing the ability to recover remarkably quickly when off balance or wrong-footed. One game down and trailing, 2-6, in the second McQueen fought back well to level, at 6-6, after some good rallies. But when he lost hand-in, Watt quickly won the next three points, McQueen lobbing into the roof and then driving into the tin. Watt said that winning the double was “a big thrill” and he can now approach next month’s national championships with renewed confidence. This was the final Grand Prix event of 12 in the Moro players series and as the top men’s points-scorer McQueen can look forward to receiving a bonus cheque for

$l5OO. Gurran was a determined opponent for Williams in the 38min women’s final, showing nice touch in the air and covering a lot of court to retrieve some shots. Some of Williams’s favourite shots found the tin in the first two games, more than usual from unforced errors, but she never lost her poise. Hitting some crisp, tight forehand drives she won 12 straight points, going from 5-7 in the third game to 8- and match ball in the fourth. Williams continued her habit of winning the South Island women’s title in odd years; her previous wins came in 1981, 1983, and 1985, all for different clubs. Perhaps the most entertainment of the day came in the men’s A grade final between Brett Hibbert (Lancaster Park) and Malcolm Thomson (Ashburton). In a gutsy display, Hibbert prevailed, 4-9, 9- 7-9, 10-8, 10-8, after a marathon battle. Hibbert scrambled back off the floor to make some returns. The unlucky Thomson led, 7-0 and 8- in the fourth and then 8-2 in the fifth, but too many pressure shots hit the tin. The tall youngster, Glen Wilson (Henderson), won the men’s open classic plate comfortably enough but his opponent, Paul Viggers, easily headed the tally of dead nick shots. Results.— MEN Open.— Quarter-finals: R. Watt (Hamilton) beat M. McSherry (Nelson), 9-0, 9-4, 9- G. Wilson (Royal Oak) beat J. Mills (Eden Epsom), 9-4, 9-7, 9-3; P. Viggers (Lancaster Park) beat L. Cooper (Henderson), 9-0, 9-6, 4-9,1-9, 9-4; D. McQueen (Geyser City) beat R. Wyatt (Geyser City), 9-7, 9-0, 9-3. Semifinals: Watt beat Wilson, 4-9, 9-7, 9-2, 9-3; McQueen beat Viggers, 9-2, 9-3, 9-6. Final: Watt beat McQueen, 9-2, 9-6, 9-3.

Plate finals. — Classic plate: Wilson beat Viggers, 9-3, 9-0, 5-9, 9-1. Special plate: Mills beat Cooper, 9-5, 10-8, 9-7. Plate: J. Hyatt (England) beat H. Labossier (U.S.A.), 96, 4-9, 8-10, 9-3, 9-6. Consola-

tion plate: R. McDonald (Timaru) beat C. Hibbert (Linwood), 9-2, 9-5, 3-9, 9-6. A grade.— Semi-finals: B. Hibbert (Lancaster Park) beat Kevin Jemigan (U.S.A.) 9- 6-9, 9-1, 9-2; M. Thomson (Ashburton) beat W. Seebeck (Christchurch) 9-2, 9-2, 3-9, 69, 9-2. Final: Hibbert beat Thomson, 4-9, 9-3, 7-9, 10-8, 10- Classic plate: K. Jemigan. Special plate: M. Allen (Otago). Plate: M. Williamson (Kaikorai). Consolation plate: M. Johnson (Nelson). B grade.— Final: D. Sharplin (Hinds) beat P. Sewell (Mayfield), 9-4, 9-10, 5-9, 9-5, 9-2. Third: D. Sewell. C grade.— Final: M. Taylor (Timaru) beat M. Bailey (Timaru), 9-5, 10-9, 4-9, 9-6. Third: C. Reid (Ashburton). D grade.— Final: P. Hunt (Collegiate) beat C. Sewell (Mayfield), 4-9, 10-9, 9-2, 9-1. Third: D. Heney (Collegiate). WOMEN Open— Quarter-finals: J. Williams (Eden Epsom) beat J. Marriott (Sumner), 9-5, 9-0, 9-0; M. Pearson (Manurewa) beat J. Burgess (Remuera), 92, 9-2, 7-9, 9-6; A. McConnell (U.S.A.) beat L. McClure (Wellington), 9-1, 9-4, 9-6; D. Gurran (Remuera) beat C. Te Kani (Geyser City), 9-2, 8-10, 8- 9-2, 9-1. Semi-finals: Williams beat Pearson, 9-1, 93, 9-4; Gurran beat McConnell, 9-1, 8-10, 3-9, 9-7, 9-4. Final: Williams beat Gurran, 9- 3-9, 9-7, 9-3. Plate finals. — Classic plate: McConnell beat Pearson, 9-3, 9-1, 9-1. Special plate: McClure beat Burgess, 9-7, 94, 10-8. Plate: C. Viggers (Mt Pleasant) beat F. Walker (St Andrew’s), 9-5, 9-6, 9-3. Consolation plate: A. Harliwich (Mt Pleasant) beat J. Norton (Otago), 4-9, 5-9, 9-5, 9-0, 9-5. A grade.— Semi-finals: L. Ward (Alexandra) beat Y. Cook (Timaru), 3-9, 9-2, 9-2, 9-1; D. Church (St Andrew’s) beat J. McAra (Makarewa), 9-3, 1-9, 3-9, 9-4, 10-9. Final: Ward beat Church, 3-9, 10-8, 9-6, 9-7. Classic plate: J. McAra. Special plate: G. Sim (Otago). Plate: B. Saunders (Lancaster Park). Consolation plate: J. Stratford (Timaru). B grade.— Final: L. Chisnall (Hinds) beat L. Whiting (Kaikorai), 9-1, 9-5, 9-2. Third: M. Potter (Pirates).