The new national squash representative, Rod Hayes, will play in the first local tournament of the season- the Christchurch Open- this week-end, rather than a tougher one in Auckland. Hayes was invited to take part in the Vantage Open at Henderson with the other seven players in the New Zealand teams to go overseas shortly but decided against the long flight with another to Karachi coming up on Wednesday. There will be no other real stars in the Christchurch tournament but several players are capable of beating the 18 year old Christchurch exponent or at least providing spirited opposition.

Viv Hargreaves (High School Old Boys) will be in an unusual position if the seedings prove accurate and he meets Hayes in the final. As a player Hargreaves will of course be intent on winning but as one of the selectors who picked Hayes for the tour of Pakistan he will expect his opponent to be in top form.

The third and fourth seeds- Lawrence Skurr (Sumner) and the 19 year old Barrie Matthews, who has been trying his hand at rowing during the off season- should also figure prominently.

The women’s seedings are headed by the 21 year old Ros Stanton (High School Old Boys) with Kathy Graham (Burnside), Pip Lush (Christchurch and Joanne Milne (Sumner) ranked next.