Squash | Top juniors gear up for glory at Growthpoint Nationals

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, Western Cape: The gloves will be off when South Africa’s top U17 and U19 squash players battle it out at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from August 14 to 16 in the Growthpoint Junior Nationals Championships.

Dene Van Zyl- Boland’s Dene Van Zyl will defend her girls’ U19 title when the Growthpoint Junior Nationals squash tournament takes place at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from August 14 to 16.

Iconic all-glass court will be the hub for intense squash activity

This tournament marks the beginning of a high-intensity period for squash in the country, with the Growthpoint Senior Nationals and U15 Championships also set to take place on the iconic all-glass court from August 28 to 30.

With a mix of defending champions and ambitious challengers in the draws, fans can expect a fiercely competitive showdown this month.

A new U19 men’s champion will be crowned, while Boland’s Dene van Zyl will look to defend her U19 women’s title after winning it for the first time last year.

In 2024, Van Zyl beat her cousin, Chante Leppan from Northerns, 3-1 in the final. The duo once again top the seeding list, with Van Zyl seeded first and Leppan second. Their immediate goal will be to qualify for the top four during Thursday’s opening round.

Each draw features eight players, with the opening round determining who advances to the top four round-robin stage. From there, final placings will be decided over four matches across three days.

Van Zyl kicks off her campaign against Eastern Province’s Katelyn Walland, while Leppan faces Benedette van Tonder of Free State.

In the U19 men’s division, Northerns star Judah Phillips, fresh off his appearance in the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan interprovincial in Gqeberha, heads the seedings. However, he will face strong competition from the likes of Western Province’s Thomas Boutall, seeded second, who was runner-up in last year’s U17 event.

Louis le Riche of Boland seeded three and Eastern Province’s Benji Newman, seeded four and are also tipped to make a strong impression.

In the girls’ U17 section, 2024’s top two finishers, Northerns’ Elzandri Janse van Rensburg and KwaZulu-Natal’s Makayla Naidoo, return with another year of experience under their belts.

Naidoo holds the top seeding and faces Amelia Lubbe of Northerns in the opener, while Janse van Rensburg, seeded second, plays Eden’s Hanrie Duits.

Last year’s U15 boys’ champion, Christian Swanepoel from Eden, steps up to the U17 division this time. He’ll face tough competition from second-seeded Dean Katzin of Free State and KwaZulu-Natal’s Aiden McNeill, seeded third.

If the early rounds live up to expectations, the tournament promises a thrilling weekend of squash action.

The draws are:

U17

Girls: 1-Makayla Naidoo (KZN) v 8-Amelia Lubbe (Northerns), 2-Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) v 7-Hanrie Duits (Eden), 3 Starla Phillips (Northerns) v 6-Tara Neville-Smyly (WP), 4-Kate van Biljon (Border) v 5-Vivienne van der Schyff (Free State).

Boys: 1-Christian Swanepoel (Eden) v 8-Milan Raffa (Northerns), 2-Dean Katzin (Free State) v Logan Kidson (Northerns), 3-Aiden McNeill (KZN) v 6-Malherbe van Niekerk (Boland), 4-Dylan Keswell (WP) v 5-Luke Goldschmidt (EP).

U19

Women: 1-Dene van Zyl (Boland) v 8-Katelyn Walland (EP), 2-Chante Leppan (Northerns) v 7-Benedette van Tonder (Free State), 3-Brianna Robinson (Easterns), v 6-Marlene van Wyk (Boland), 4-Cevana Naidoo (KZN) v 5-Lucy Malherbe (WP).

Men: 1-Judah Phillips (Northerns) v 8- Anrieg Small (WP), 2-Thomas Boutall (WP) v 7- Heinu van Jaarsveld (Joburg Squash). 3- Louis le Riche (Boland) v 6- Nicholas Basson (WP), 4- Benji Newman (EP) v 5- Ruvay Ramdhin (KZN)