Williams extends Devoy in final

Press, 12 June 1989, Page 27

Williams extends Devoy in final

By

TIM DUNBAR

A double dose of tournament squash matches is starting to take a physical toll on Susan Devoy (Henderson) who yesterday completed her second consecutive week-end playing both the men's and women’s grades.

But Devoy was quick to praise the way Joanne Williams (Eden Epsom) played after the women’s world No. I had been extended to a 9-0, 9-10, 9-3, 9-6 scoreline in the final of the Radio Avon-Honda Cars Canterbury Open at the Christchurch club courts.

After a sluggish start Williams regained her touch and good length and thoroughly deserved to take a game off the British Open champion in a 42-min final. Her court coverage was excellent and she did some marvellous retrieving, digging many Devoy shots out of the back corners.

The men’s open final was also an all-Auckland affair, Glen Wilson (Royal Oak) retaining his Canterbury title with a 9-1, 10-8, 9-5 win over Michael McSherry (Titirangi) in only 33min. It was a match notable for the agility and anticipation of both players but Wilson was the more composed in what was his first circuit success of the season.

Having played 10 games in four days in the North Island Open and another eight games in three days at the Canterbury Open, Devoy admitted to feeling “sore and tired.”

"I've had lots of hard matches plus all the travelling. But you have good days and bad days," said Devoy after the women’s final. "Joanne played particularly well and I don't think I was sharp. I just didn’t volley at all."

Even though most of her games against the women have been pushovers, Devoy says she still has to go through the motions and to spend time on court. “You tend to be here (in the squash club) all day. Devoy, chasing hard matchplay before heading for Australia on June 28, will also contest the men’s grade in the Southern Districts Open in Invercargill next week-

end. Despite the tiring schedule she says she is enjoying the men’s games (“playing squash for squash’s sake") and, for a change, does not mind losing.

One obvious benefit is that Devoy does not have to train so hard between tournaments.

In the Canterbury tournament Devoy did not pick up any wins against the males despite strenuous efforts, being finally eliminated in the consolation plate by Paul McFadzien (Christchurch), 90, 9-10, 9-3, 5-9, 9-4 after a good-humoured hour-long match. Devoy had McFadzien at full stretch for her deadly backhand drops and also inflicted a little damage on her opponent — a bleeding finger.

Earlier on Saturday Devoy had been put out of the plate by her husband and manager, John Oakley, in a battle to decide who would not speak to whom at the breakdfast table. Oakley won 9-1, 9-7, 29, 9-7.

Williams was pleased with her effort in the women's final after having initial problems adjusting to the intensified pace and pressure. She showed grit in the 15-min second game, finally winning it, 10-9, on her third game ball after regaining serve with a slightly lucky wood winner.

As he did at the last Canterbury Open Wilson looked a classy player, revealing great reflexes and racket skills and the ability to hit the deadliest of nicks.

There were long rallies in which the ball clung to the backhand walls and some delicate backhand dropshot exchanges at the front of the court. But the 18-year-old Wilson prevailed in most of them.

After losing the first game in only 9min, McSherry enjoyed a handy 6-1 lead in the second one but was’unable to capitalise. In the course of the match he showed beautiful touch on occasions, but made a few too many errors including on the return of service.

Canterbury’s last two hopes, Paul Viggers and Michael Penman, both made their exits in the semi-finals. McSherry always looked in control against Penman,

despite dropping a game, and all the shots in the Viggers repertoire and a lot of running were countered by Wilson.

Penman, seeded sixth, had upset the third seed, Rod Hayes, in a tight quarter-final match. Hayes hobbled off the court at the end, having pulled an Achilles tendon two points earlier, at 7-7 in the fourth. Results (prefix denotes seeding):— MEN’S OPEN Quarter-finals: I—G. Wilson (Royal Oak, Auckland), beat R. Burnett (Old Boys, Invercargill), 9-7, 9-2, 9-4; 4 —P. Viggers (Christchurch) beat 5—M. Gribben (Otago), 9-3, 9-3, 9-0; 6—M. Penman (Lancaster Park) beat 3—R. Hayes (Christchurch), 6-9, 97, 9-0, 9-7; 2—M. McSherry (Titirangi), beat J. McLauchlan (Lancaster Park), 9-1, 9-5, 9-4. Semi-finals: Wilson beat Viggers, 9-3, 9-8, 9-4; McSherry beat Penman, 9-5, 9-4, 2-9, 9-5. Final: Wilson beat McSherry, 9-1, 10-8, 9-5. Play-off for third: Viggers beat Penman, 9-4, 9-6, 0-9, 109. Plate: G. De Courcy (Otago) beat C. Hibbert (Linwood), 3-9, 9-4, 9-0, 9-0. Consolation plate: T. Franklin (Sumner) beat P. McFadzien (Christchurch), 0-9, 9-0, 9-3, 4-9, 9-1.

Special plate: Gribben beat McLauchlan, 5-9, 9-7, 9-7. WOMEN’S OPEN

Quarter-finals: I—S. Devoy (Henderson) beat J. Norton (Otag), 9-1, 9-4, 9-1. F. Walker (St Andrew’s) beat C. Oakley (Mt Pleasant), 9-6, 9-1, 9-2; 3—J. Marriott (Sumner) beat D. Elis (Invercargill), 7-9, 9-0, 9-5, 9-5; 2—J. Williams (Eden Epsom) beat J. McAra (Makarewa), 9-0, 9-4, 9-0. Semi-finals: Devoy beat Walker, 9-7, 9-1, 9-3; Wiliams beat Marriott, 9-2, 9-2, 9-1. Final: Devoy beat Williams, 9-0, 9-10, 9-3, 9-6. Play-off for third: Marriott beat Walker, 10-8, 9-0, 9-1. Plate: L. Ward (Christchurch) beat L. Baird (Oamaru), 9-5, 9-2, 9-2. Consolation plate: N. Cosgriff (Kaikorai) beat S. Elder (Riverton), 9-6, 10-8, 9-4. Special plate: C. Oakley (Mt Pleasant) beat D. Ellis (Invercargill), 9-5, 9-5, 9-7.