Stuart Davenport, the British junior squash champion, achieved a notable semi-final victory in the North Island open yesterday and will meet Neven Barbour in the final this afternoon.

His semi-final victim was Rod Hayes (Canterbury), the national under-23 champion for the last two years.

The women’s final in the New Zealand Motor Corporation-sponsored tournament will be between Mrs Jenny Webster and Miss Annette Owen, a former holder of the British women’s under23 title.

Davenport played with admirable coolness, making few unforced errors and choosing with surprising astuteness the ball to boast or drop.

Barbour has reached the final with some sound squash, beating fellow international Craig Blackwood in the quarter-finals.

Mrs Webster again showed her fighting qualities in a women’s quarter-final. She lost the first two games against Miss Karen Lever and was still in trouble with the score 8-all in the third But Mrs Webster took thi: game 10-8 and thereafter was generally in command of the match.

Results:

Men’s open: Quarter-finals N. Barbour (Henderson) b. C. Blackwood (North Shore 9-6, 9-4, 7-9, 9-5. D. Lovett (Hamilton) b. W. Rowlands (Gisborne) 9-6, 9-1, 9-7. S. Davenport (Havelock North) b. A. Naughton (Island Bay) 9-3, 9-4, 9-0. R. Hayes (Christchurch) b. P. Devoy (Hamilton) 10-8, 9-7, 9-7. Semi-finals, Barbour b. Lovett 9-7, 9-4, 9-2. Davenport b. Hayes 10-8, 9-3, 6-9, 10-8.

Women’s open: Quarterfinals, Mrs J. Webster (North Shore) b. Miss K Lever (Mount Maunganui) 6-9, 3-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-1, R. Blackwood (North Shore) bl S. Clarke (Palmerston North) 5-9, 9-4, 9-2, 9-5. R. Redpath (Palmerston North) b. J. Lawry (Remuera) 3-9, 9-6, 9-5, 9-1. A. Owen (Remuera) b. J. Milne (Dunedin) 9-1, 9-2, 9-3. Semi-finals Webster b. Blackwood 9-1, 9-5, 9-2. Owen b. Redpath 9-5, 10-8, 9-6.

Auckland 2 June 1980