N.Z. junior makes world squash final

Press, 2 September 1989, Page 96

N.Z. junior makes world squash final

From TIM DUNBAR in Hamilton

Having a New Zealander, Lynora Hati, in the final was just what the organisers of the Moro junior women’s world squash championships in Hamilton would have ordered.

It was an unexpected bonus when Hati, seeded only eighth, played stunning squash to blast the Australian, Carol Owens, off the court, 9-0, 9-1, 9-4, in a semi-final that lasted only 21 minutes last evening.

Everything Hati tried seemed to come off, whether from deep in the court or in the air, and her bustled opponent had no answer. Her touch game was superb and she alternated this with hard, low drives centimetres above the tin as well as the odd immaculate piece of deception at the front of the court.

Talking about a match which worked like magic, Hati said that it even applied to shots she played under pressure. “I would be running back,

mishit it and the ball would still go up.” The full home gallery was delighted with Hati’s performance and the player herself admitted she had no idea she would get as far as this. “I’m just lucky, I guess.” Having disposed of the sixth seed, Hati will still be the under-dog when she meets the No. 1 seed, Donna Vardy — a fulltime professional player from England — in today’s final. But it should be an excellent contest if Hati can produce the sort of squash she did yesterday.

A Reporoa College seventh-former, Hati comes from the backblocks of Bay of Plenty, or as she put it “out in the woods.” Her eighteenth birthday celebrations (Wednesday was the actual day) are continuing rather nicely, not dampened by a “flour shower” from some team-mates on Thursday. Vardy took a few rallies to settle down in her semi-final against another Australian, Robyn Cooper,

seeded fourth, and actually trailed, 2-7, In the first game.

But from then on she dominated almost totally, trouble.

The English professional won, 9-7, 9-2, 9-5, in 24 minutes, hitting to a length and pulling off a number of winning boasts from the back of the court.

Moro junior women’s world squash championship results (prefix denotes seeding):— Semi-finals: 1-Donna Vardy (England) beat 4—Robyn Cooper (Australia), 9-7,9-2, 95; B—Lynora Hati (N.Z.) beat 6—Carol Owens (Australia), 9-0, 9-1, 9-4.

Open plate, semi-finals: Sarah Cook (N.Z.) beat Silke Bartel (West Germany), 9-3, 9-0, 9-3; Melanie Jans (Canada) beat Petrea Hibbs (N.Z.), 9-3, 7-9, 9-4, 9-7.

Special plate, semi-finals: Meaghan Pratt (Australian) beat Judith Hill (N.Z.), 9-2, 94, 4-9, 9-5; Leilani Marsh (N.Z.) beat Kristen Wilson (N.Z.) by default Consolation plate, semifinals: Louise Rogers (N.Z.) beat Paulette Cunningham (N.Z.), 9-1, 9-2, 9-3; Trina Kitchen (N.Z.) beat Lynda Booth (N.Z.), 6-9, 9-6, 9-3, 9-5.