Williams equals squash record

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 34

Williams equals squash record

By

TIM DUNBAR

The South Island women’s squash title has gone to Joanne Williams for the fifth time, equalling the proud record of her old Canterbury team-mate, Kathy Hargreaves. When the South island championships ended at the Ashburton club courts yesterday Williams overcame another shaky start to better the Irish professional and top seed, Rebecca Best, 0-9, 9-0, 9-6, 9-5, in what she described “a messy game.” An Auckland-based player these days, Williams has remained unbeaten in the South Island championships every odd year of the decade, winning her previous . titles in 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987. Hargreaves’s five wins were achieved over a longer period, between 1966 and 1979. The men’s final was a sparkling affair, the topseeded Scott Harrison (Ponsonby) only prevailing over Michael McSherry (Titirangi), 9-1, 7-9, 9-5, 9-6, after the gallery had been well entertained over 48 minutes. By contrast the women’s final lasted only 29min and disappointed as a contest considering Best and Williams enjoy world rankings of nine and 11 respectively. Best suffered from concentration lapses, making some out-of-character errors in the later stages which she blamed on staleness. Williams is contemplating getting court time before big finals after losing the first game in only 4min and getting only two serves. “I’m notoriously bad at starting,” Williams said. “I felt good, but I kept overrunning the ball.” After the first game, though Williams regained her shaprness, volleying nicely and cracking low, hard drives on the back which had her opponent stretching. “I’m hitting the ball a lot better,” she said. Playing his third Moro

series final in a row, McSherry lost the first game with a plethora of errors. Thereafter Harrison had to work hard for the win, doing a lot of running in the second game.

It was a fine exhibition of squash with a vast array of shots and some superb retrieving. Both players were agile and showed great speed to the front of the court and, when necessary, to be back again. Harrison looks somewhat ungainly but combines power and touch with the ability to get just about everything back. The two players showed commendable fitness and resolve and only in the final stages did either — McSherry ' — show signs of tiring. Results:— MEN Open.— Quarter-finals: 1-S. Harrison (Ponsonby) beat 8-M. Allred (Burnside), 8-10, 9-5, 9-6, 9-6: 5-W. Werder (Te Rapa) beat 4-M. Penman (Lancaster Park), 9-1, 7-9, 9-6, 4-9, 9-3; 3M. McSherry (Titirangi) beat 6M. Gribben (Otago), 9-4, 9-5, 97; 2-G. Wilson (Royal Oak) beat 7-G. De Courcy (Otago), 9-4, 92, 9-6. Semi-finals: Harrison beat Werder, 3-9, 9-1, 7-9, 9-1, 91; McSherry beat Wilson, 9-0, 910, 9-4, 9-5. Final: Harrison beat McSherry, 9-1, 7-9, 9-5, 9-6. Plate finals: Classic plate: Wilson beat Werder by default. Plate: P. McFadzien (Christchurch) beat G. Peacock (Burnside), 9-6, 9-4, 9-4. Consolation plate: D. Sharplin (Hinds) beat R. McDonald (Timaru), 9-5, 6-9, 2-9, 10-8, 9-7. Special plate: Allred beat Gribben, 9-3, 9-2, 92. A grade.— Semi-finals: B. Marriott (Sumner) beat J. Malcolm (Taieri), 9-4, 9-6, 1-9, 9-7; R. Hay (Otago) beat W. Seebeck (Christchurch), 9-6, 9-7, 1-9, 810, 9-1. Final: Hay beat Marriott, 7-9, 9-3, 9-7, 9-5. Classic plate: Malcolm beat Seebeck by default. Plate: T. Cook (Christchurch Football). Consolation plate: J. Stara (Ashburton). Special plate: M. Thomson (Ashburton).

B grade.— Final: W. Christie (Hinds) beat M. Bailey

(Timaru), 9-7, 9-3, 9-4. Classic plate: G. Stratford (Ashburton Celtic). C grade.— Final: L. Moore (Collegiate, Ashburton) beat G. Coster (Sunny Vale), 4-9, 2-9, 10-9, 9-0, 9-7. Classic plate: D. Taylor (Ashburton). D grade.— Final: P. Growcott (Christchurch) beat T. Hawkins (Pleasant Point), 5-9, 9-2, 4-9, 95, 9-7. Classic plate: S. Hydes (Mt Somers). E grade.— Final: D. Patterson (Collegiate) beat B. McDonald (Collegiate), 6-9, 9-5, 9-5, 9-4. Classic plate: S. Dolden (Ashburton Celtic). WOMEN Open.— Quarter-finals: 1-R. Best (Ireland) beat 8-F. Walker (St Andrew’s), 9-3, 9-2, 9-7; 4-F. Townsend (Remuera) beat 5-J. Marriott (Sumner), 0-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-2, 9-2; 3-Marie Person (Manurewa) beat 6-C. Oakley (Mount Pleasant), 9-2, 9-0, 9-3; 2-J. Williams (Eden Epsom) beat 7-T. Robinson (Ponsonby), 9-6, 9-3, 9-5. Semi-finals: Best beat Townsend, 9-2, 9-1, 5-9, 9-1; Williams beat Pearson, 9-5, 9-0, 9-0. Final: Williams beat Best, 0-9, 9-0, 9-6, 9-5. Plate finals.— Classic plate: Pearson beat Townsend, 9-3, 95, 9-10, 6-9, 9-7. Plate: J. Norton (Otago) beat S. Cook (Lancaster Park), 9-3, 9-1, 9-1. Consolation plate: L. Baird (Oamaru) beat N. Cosgriff (Kaikorai), 10-8, 9-3, 7- 9-7. Special plate: Oakley beat Walker, 9-2, 7-9, 0-9, 9-7, 9-6. A grade.— Semi-finals: T. Roughan (Lancaster Park) beat J. Casbolt (Burnside), 4-9, 9-1, 9-7, 6-9, 9-2; J. Williams (Timaru) beat F. Mulvey (Temuka), 6-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-4. Final: Williams beat Roughan, 8- 9-0, 9-0, 4-9, 9-3. Classic plate: J. Casbolt (Burnside). Plate: R. Kearney (Palmerston). Consolation plate: L. Pankhurst (Darfield). Special plate: J. Stratford (Burnside). B grade: Final: B. Fechney (Ashburton) beat S. Stewart (St Andrew’s), 9-7, 10-8, 8-10, 9-3. Classic plate: D. James (Fiordland). C grade.— Round-robin: J. Bagrie (Hinds), winner: M. Mason (Sumner), runner-up.