Squash | Van Niekerk, Commins retain Growthpoint SA National titles

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa: Titleholders Alex Commins and Dewald van Niekerk continued to rule in the Growthpoint SA Nationals squash championships when they retained their titles in the finals at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Saturday.

SASCOC President- Barry Hendricks (middle), chief executive officer of SASCOC, was an interested spectator at the Growthpoint SA Nationals squash championships at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Saturday. To his left is the President of Squash South Africa, Blaar Coetzee, and to his right is Jennifer Sewyer, National Manager, Squash South Africa.

Men’s champ sets a new record with fifth win in a row

The tournament, which saw Sascoc chief executive Barry Hendricks among the spectators on Saturday, came to a rousing conclusion at its new venue at Makers Landing, showcasing the best of the country’s seniors, plus a new generation of rising stars in the U15 division.

For the champions, it was a special moment as they overcame challenging opponents in the deciding matches, digging deep to ensure they remain the players to beat in South African squash.

The 28-year-old Van Niekerk, who plays for SA Country Districts, made it a particularly memorable occasion with his 3-1 win over young Northerns rival Damian Groenewald as he set a new record with his fifth title in a row.

This beat the mark of four straight titles which KwaZulu-Natal’s Steve Coppinger set from 2010 to 2013.

Dewald van Nieker1- SA Country Districts player Dewald van Niekerk won his fifth title in a row when he defeated Northerns’ Damian Groenewald 3-1 in the men’s final of the Growthpoint SA Nationals squash championships at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Saturday.

Cape Town’s Commins, 31, also continued to shine at the peak of SA squash despite retiring from the professional tour two years ago, taking her sixth Growthpoint national title overall.

She retains a remarkable competitive edge and was again able to see off the examination of her chief rival Hayley Ward (Eastern Province), beating her 3-1 in a repeat of last year’s final.

Alex Commins1- Western Province’s Alex Commins won her sixth overall title when she defeated Eastern Province’s Hayley Ward 3-1 in the women’s final of the Growthpoint SA Nationals squash championships at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Saturday.

Afterwards Van Niekerk said he had not given setting a new mark much thought but added “it is an incredible feeling to win five in a row”.

In ominous news for his rivals, he said he hoped to build on his record but acknowledged that he had been pushed hard by the 21-year-old Groenewald.

The Northerns player is the only South African player to take a game off Van Niekerk in the last 12 months, much less a match, and can be proud of his efforts in Saturday’s final.

“Damian played really well and changed his game somewhat, so I had to adapt to that and I’m obviously very happy to pick up another win,” Van Niekerk said.

Commins was also a relieved player at the finish, having to produce some of her best squash to subdue the challenge of Ward after losing the second game.

“I couldn’t believe when it was actually over because it’s always a tough game against Hayley, so I just tried to stay in the present and to focus on the next point,” she said.

“It’s not always easy in the intensity of a fast-paced match but my objective was to try to remain calm and to stick with the gameplan I had in mind.”

Ashton Burger of Graeme College in Makhanda emerged as the Growthpoint SA Nationals U15 boys’ champion after he finished his campaign off with a decisive 3-0 win over Boland’s Zander Smit in an early match on Saturday.

At that stage the outcome was not finalised because his Eastern Province colleague Liam Fehrsen was in line to take the title had he won his final match against Eden’s Codey Abrahams.

As it turned out, it was the tightest of finishes, with Abrahams overturning a 2-1 deficit to defeat Fehrsen in five games.

This meant Burger and Abrahams ended level at the top of the standings, but Burger took the title because of his head-to-head win over the Eden player on Thursday.

In the girls’ U15 battle, KwaZulu-Natal’s Rylee Howells of Epworth College proved herself to be a class above the rest, sealing the title when she beat Alyssa Arcangeli of Northerns 3-0. She also defeated WP’s Genevieve Lang 3-1 and Free Stater Jasmaine Rust 3-0 in earlier matches in the pool A round-robin.

Rylee Howells and Ashton Burger- from left, KwaZulu-Natal’s Rylee Howells and Ashton Burger of Eastern Province who were crowned the girls’ and boys’ U15 champions on the final day of the Growthpoint SA Nationals squash championships at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Saturday.

Saturday’s results were:

Seniors

Women

Final: 3-Alex Fuller (WP) bt 1-Hayley Ward (EP) 3-1 (11-7 6-11 11-7 11-3).

3rd/4th playoff: 4-Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash) bt 7-Kim McDonald (Northerns) 3-2 (6-11 9-11 11-4 11-8 11-6).

Pool 5-8

Alexa Pienaar (SACD) bt Lara Patrick (Northerns) 3-0 (11-4 11-6 11-9), Helena Hudson (Northerns) bt Shelomi Truter (SACD) 3-2 (6-11 12-10 3-11 11-8 11-8).

Final positions: 1 Alexa Pienaar (SACD), 2 Helena Hudson (Northerns), 3 Lara Patrick (Northerns), 4 Shelomi Truter (SACD).

Men

Final: 1-Dewald van Niekerk (SACD) bt 2-Damian Groenewald (Northerns) 3-1 (11-4 9-11 11-2 11-8)

3rd/4th playoff: 4-Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) bt 3-JP Brits (SACD) 3-1 (6-11 11-1 11-3 11-7).

Pool 5-8

Jonty Matthys (SACD) bt Luke van Vuuren (SACD) 3-0 (11-9 11-7 11-5), Reuel Videler (SACD) bt John Anderson (Joburg Squash) 3-1 (11-8 12-10 8-11 11-5)

Final positions: 1 Reuel Videler (SACD), 2 John Anderson (Joburg Squash), 3 Jonty Matthys (SACD), 4 Luke van Vuuren (SACD).

U15

Girls

Pool A

Jasmaine Rust (Free State) bt Genevieve Lang (WP) 3-2 (11-7 6-11 8-11 12-10 12-10), Rylee Howells (KZN) bt Alyssa Arcangeli (Northerns) 3-0 (11-5 11-6 11-8).

Final positions: 1 Rylee Howells (KZN), 2 Jasmaine Rust (Free State), 3 Genevieve Lang (WP), 4 Alyssa Arcangeli (Northerns).

Pool B

Mienke Stander (Boland) bt Hanja Gildenhuys (Free State) 3-2 (9-11 12-14 11-6 11-6 11-3), Nhlalala Masingi (Joburg Squash) bt Faatima Packery (EP) 3-0 (11-9 11-8 12-10).

Final positions: 1 Nhlalala Masingi (Joburg Squash), 2 Faatima Packery (EP), 3 Mienke Stander (Boland), 4 Hanja Gildenhuys (Free State).

Boys

Pool A

Ashton Burger (EP) bt Zander Smit (Boland) 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-8), Codey Abrahams (Eden) bt Liam Fehrsen (EP) 3-2 (5-11 11-7 8-11 11-4 11-3).

Final positions: 1 Ashton Burger (EP), 2 Codey Abrahams (Eden), 3 Liam Fehrsen (EP), 4 Zander Smit (Boland).

Pool B

Milton Posthumus (WP) bt George Hung (Free State) 3-0 (11-4 11-5 11-7), Jeremy John (KZN) bt Tiaan Goosen (Northerns) 3-0 (11-4 11-3 11-7).

Final positions: 1 Milton Posthumus (WP), 2 Jeremy John (KZN), 3 George Hung (Free State), 4 Tiaan Goosen (Northerns).

Picture credit: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images