In a sparkling 40 minute final, 17 year old Rod Hayes (Christchurch) defeated Viv Hargreaves (High School Old Boys), to win the Christchurch Closed Squash Rackets Championship.
The women’s title went to Miss Roslyn Stanton (Old Boys), who played sound squash to account for Mrs Kathy Hargreaves (BUrnside) in the final
Hayes, who was seeded fourth for the tournament showed in his smi-final match with Lyn Sparks (Burnside) that he would be a difficult proposition for Hargreaves in the final. Apart form a brief lapse in concentration in the second game he playes with great control and kept Sparks at full stretch.
Hargreaves took only three games to dispose of Graeme Foulds (Burnside), showing good touch on his drops and lobs.
In the final Hargreaves opened poorly, seldom driving to a length, and Hayes was quick to take advantage of the easy shots offered. The second game saw a complete reversal as Hargreaves consistently put the ball deep down the walls and won many points with back-hand length drives. With the games at 1-all, excitement began to mount and the rallies began to get longer. At 2-all in the third, there was a magnificent rally in which both players covered vast distances. This was won by Hayes after a Hargreaves drop hit the tin and from then on his touch on the drop shots deserted him. Hayes kept the much older Hargreaves on the move with crisp angles and took the third 9-3. The fourth game was the longest. With both players beginning to tire, the score mounted to 5-all and again there was a magnificent rally, this time won by Hargreaves. He went to 7-5 with a drop voleey and an error form Hayes before Hayes appeared to set himself for one big effort. He drove the ball tremendously hard form Hargreaves’ serve and continued to hit everything that came with both speed and control. This change of tempo had the effect of unsettling Hargreaves, and although he had two more serves, he could not score again.
The women’s final followed a predictable pattern. Miss Stanton driving remorselessly to a length and whipping anything short from Mrs Graham, around the front of the court at acuts angles.
Mrs Graham could match Miss Stanton for speed but lacked the consistency to seriously trouble her.
Men’s A Grade semi finals: V Hargreaves beat J Foulds, 10-8 9-6 9-0; R Hayes beat L Sparks 9-5 7-9 9-6 9-5; Final Hayes beat Hargreaves 9-4 1-9 9-3 9-7
Mens B Grade – Semi finals G Tait beat B Jenkinson 9-5 4-9 9-6 9-2; J Martin beat J Oakley 9-7 9-2 9-6; Final Martin Beat Tait 5-9 6-9 9-6 9-310-8.
Men’s C Grade: S Menzies Beat B Williamson, 9-7 9-7 6-9 9-4; C Wasley beat D ferro, 9-2 9-7 8-10 7-9 10-8; Final Menzies beat Wasley 9-1 9-4 9-6.
Men’s D Grade Semi Finals: A Cook beat L Beattie 9-1 9-1 4-9 1-9 10-8; S Leary beat R maguire 9-5 9-3 9-2; Final Leary beat Cook 9-6 10-9 9-3
Men’s E Grade: Semi Finals: M Carson beat P Duffin 10-8 9-0 9-4; S Davenport beat T Walker 9-1 9-3 9-7; Final Carson beat Davenport 9-4 9-4 9-7.
Men’s F Grade: Semi Finals: S Devine beat J Eason 9-4 10-9 9-5; W Walker beat J Dench 10-9 9-2 9-1; Final Devine beat Walker 8-10 9-7 9-7 7-9 9-4.
Women’s A Grade: Semi Finals; Mres K Graham beat Mrs M Holland ; Miss R Stanton beat Mrs J Bruce. Final; Stanton beat Graham 9-6 9-3 9-7.
Women’s B Grade: Semi Finals: Mrs K Blank bet Miss L Symes 6-9 9-4 9-5 9-3; Miss S O’Brien beat Mrs P Sparks 9-0 9-0 9-1; Final: O’Brien beat Blank 9-5 9-5 9-3.
