Auckland’s Charmain Hayes caused the upset of the day at the national squash championships when she defeated the New Zealand representative Cheryl Te Kani (Geyser City) in the quarter-finals yesterday.
Even though Hayes had been seeded fifth and Te Kani fourth, the Aucklander had been expected to struggle against Te Kani who had won a match between the pair only last week in four sets.
Te Kani hit the ball hard but was occasionally caught flat-footed in mid-court while Hayes kept chasing to run out the 10-9, 9-3, 9-7 winner. The victory helps Hayes’ ambition of making the New Zealand world championship squad.
Canterbury’s Rod Hayes produced the second major upset of the squash champs when he toppled the highly favoured No. 3 seed, Scott Harrison, of Ponsonby.
The match went to five sets but the first contained most of the drama when, with Harrison ahead 7-4, he fell and cut his chin on his racquet and was forced to forfeit the set because blood on the court made it unplayable.
The No. 2 seed, Glen Wilson, from Mitchell Park, played no nonsense squash to defeat the other Cantabrian, Paul Viggers 9-1, 9-1, 9-0 in little more than 20 minutes.
The women’s No. 3 seed, Donna Newton, was just as relenting against Auckland team mate, Annette Owen, winning in three straight sets. Newton will meet the No. 2 seed, Joanne Williams, who gave away only six points to Jillian Oakley, Christchurch, in their quarter-final.
Results from the quarter-finals: –
Men: S. Cunningham (Geyser City) bt D. Lovett (Hamilton) 9-0, 9-2, 9-0; M. McSherry (Titirangi) bt L. Cooper (Mitchell Park) 9-0, 9-3, 9-2; R. Hayes (Christchurch) bt S. Harrison (Ponsonby) 4-7 (default), 7-9, 9-0, 1-9, 9-5; G. Wilson (Mitchell Park) bt P. Viggers (Lancaster Park) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0.
Women: S. Devoy (Henderson) bt D. Shaw (Kaitaia) 9-0, 9-5, 9-3; C. Hayes (Eden-Epsom) bt C. Te Kani (Geyser City) 10-9, 9-3, 9-7; D. Newton (Remuera) bt A. Owen (Royal Oak) 9-3, 9-4, 9-0; J. William (Taihape) bt J. Oakley (Christchurch) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0.
PA Palmerston North 13-09-1988.
