Stuart Davenport (Havelock North) showed vast resources of stamina in-beating Rod Hayes (Canterbury) in an enthralling 90min final of the Spalding South Island squash championships at the Christchurch club yesterday.

The 17-year-old Auckland university student came from behind to beat Hayes, 10-8, 4-9, 7-9, 9-2, 9-3, in a match notable for the number of extremely tight rallies down the backhand wall.

By comparison, the women’s final was a rather brief affair with a very slim Jenny Webster deservedly beating her fellow Aucklander, Annette Owen, 9-6, 9-6, 9-2, in only 26min.

It took almost as long to finish the first game of the men’s final and the first three took over an hour to complete.

Hayes, the national under-23 champion, could well have claimed victory in straight games had he been able to take advantage of an 8-4 lead in the first.

However, Davenport regained the serve with a very delicate drop shot and took the next six points in one hand – after some fine rallies – for the game.

The second game took 20min, although Hayes looked pretty much in command and played one startling nick winner from a desperate retrieve out of the backhand corner.

Hayes also took control in the third game and went to an 8-1 lead, but Davenport showed something of his great ability to put pressure on his opponent as he got back up to 8-7.

In this and subsequent games Davenport, the British junior champion, often revealed his soul-destroying knack of being able to chase and return an opponent’s best shots with even tighter ones.

During the fourth and fifth Hayes seemed to be getting a little tired, as well. as being frustrated by one or two refereeing decisions and lack of room to play his shots.

Davenport won the fourth easily enough and almost raced to a 7-0 lead in the fifth, getting two successive winners with slashing overhead volleys into the nick. Hayes looked as though he might be able to retrieve the situation as he gained three points in one hand, but the Christchurch player lost the serve and a final drop into the tin was the last act, Davenport’s delight was obvious.

In the women’s final Mrs Webster was generally too steady, and too good up front for Miss Owen who had retained her national under-23 title on the same court 11 weeks earlier.

For a time Miss Owen had looked very sound as she went to a 6-3 lead inthe first with some short crunching backhand drives working particularly well.

But then she lost 13 points in a row as Mrs Webster, varying her game very well, took a 7-0 lead in the second. A calmer-looking Miss Owen got right back up to 7-6 with some lovely tight boasts and drives, only to lose the last two points as those short backhands found the tin.

Mrs Webster made no mistake in the third taking the first seven points in one hand as Miss Owen upped her error rate, missing one serve completely on the forehand.

Results:

MEN
Open.–Quarter-finals: R. W. Hayes (Christchurch) beat M. Vaile (Hamilton). 9-5, 6-9, 8-10, 9-7, 9-5; I. Borley (Waikoto) beat S. Smith (Auckland), 7-9, 9-4, 9-3, 5-3 (retired injured); A. G. Naughton (Wellington) beat D. R. Preston (Christchurch), 9-1, 19-5, 9-0; S. Davenport (Havelock North) beat T. H. Colyer (Auckland). 9-3, 9-5, 3-9, 2-9, 9-1. Semi finals: Hayes beat Borley, 9-6, 1-9, 9-5, 9-3; Davenport beat Naughton, 9-6, 9-5, 9-1. Final: Davenport beat Hayes, 10-8. 4-9, 7-9, 9-2, 9-3. Play-off for third: Naughton beat Borley, 9-0, 9-6, 6-9, 9-3. Plate: L. P. Skurr k (H.S.O.B.) beat L. C. Sparks (Wigram) 9-3, 9-6, 6-9, 9-10, 9-2. Consolation plate: B. Chard (Nelson) beat C. J. Wasley (Burnside) 3-9, 9-2, 9-1, 9-0. Special plate: Colyer beat Vaile, 6-9, 6-9, 9-2, 9-2, 9-2.

B grade.-Semi-finals: N. Simpson (Invercargill) beat R. Marshall (Sumner), 4-9, 9-6, 9-2, 9-6: J. Oakley (H.S.O.B.) beat J. H. Christensen (Sumner), 9-6, 8-10, 9-4, 9-4. Final: Oakley beat Simpson, 9-4, 9-5, 1-9, 9-4.

C grade final.-P. Monk (Christchurch Football) beat J. Knight id (H.S.O.B.), 10-9, 9-5, 9-4.

D grade.–Final: J. Stara (Ashburton) beat E. Post (University), 9-2. 10-8, 9-4.

E grade.-Final: S. Bankier (Linwood) beat A. Marshall (Lancaster Park), 9-5, 5-9, 1-9, 9-6, 10-8.

F grade.-Final: S. Green (Christchurch) beat R. Winter (Christchurch), 2-9, 4-9, 9-4, 9-7, 10-8.

G grade.–Final: S. Hailes (University) beat L. Smith (Sumner). 7-9, 9-6, 9-7, 9-3.

H grade.-Final: J. Double (Christchurch W.M.C.) beat J. Watts (Richmond W.M.C.), 2-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-4, 9-5.

WOMEN

Open – Quarter-finals: J. Webster (Auckland) beat L. Symes (Christchurch), 9-1, 9-7, 9-1; J. Milne (Otago University) beat M. Holland (Sumner), 9-2, 9-4, 9-0; J. Lawry (Auckland) beat P. Idour (Christchurch). 9-4, 9-2, 9-5; A. Owen (Auckland) beat M. Chard (Nelson), 9-1, 9-2, 9-6: Semi-finals: Mrs Webster beat Miss Milne, 8-10, 9-6, 9-0, 9-0; Miss Owen beat Miss Lawry, 9-1, 9-0, 7-9, 5-9, 9-4. Final: Mrs Webster beat Miss Owen, 9-6, 9-6, 9-2. Play-off for third: Miss Milne beat Miss Lawry, 9.4, 9.6, 9-1. Plate: L. Sutherland (H.S.O.B.) beat J. James (Canterbury University), 9-4, 9-3, 10-8. Consolation plate: T Cusmans (Timaru) beat V. Dunstan (High School Old Boys), 4-9, 9-10, 9-3, 9-6, 10-8. Special plate: M. Chard (Nelson) beat L. Symes (Christchurch), 9-3, 5-9, 5-9, 9-5, 9-4.

B grade.-Final: L. North (Lancaster Park) beat E. Hensley (Christchurch), 7-9, 4-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-1.

C grade.–Final: A. Thomas (Burnside) beat P. Schafer (Sumner). 9-4, 9-2, 8-10, 7-9, 9-2.

D grade.- Final: S. Roberts (Hokitika) beat L, Bradford (Pirates, Dunedin), 10-8, 9-3, 9-3.

E grade.- Final: C. Coll (Lancaster Park) beat G. Robertson (Christchurch Football), 7-9, 9-6, 9-5, 9-0.