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Favourites take titles at the Fitzherbert Rowe Manawatu Squash Open
Top seeds Kashif Shuja from Auckland and Tamsyn Leevey from Wellington have taken out their respective titles in impressive style at the Manawatu Open at the weekend.
Kashif showed his class and why he is still ranked 61 in the world defeating Evan Williams from Wellington in the final 3 – 1. In front of a good crowd at SquashGym, Kashif impressed the crowd with the ease he moved around the court. He often had Williams stretching from corner to corner has he dominated the first two sets. Williams then fought back in the third to force it to a fourth game. Kashif then stepped it up another gear and finished the match winning 3 – 1.
Local player Josh Greenfield finished third after being beaten by Williams in the semi final on Saturday afternoon. Greenfield was slightly off his game and Williams took all his opportunities to defeat Greenfield 3 – 1. Greenfield beat Shane Johnston of Wellington in the 3rd and 4th playoff yesterday.
In the women’s draw, Leevey proved too classy for Amanda Landers Murphy from Auckland grinding out a 3 – 1 victory. Leevey is off to the Commonwealth Games in October to and showed her fitness and skill to hold off the up and coming Landers – Murphy.
On the way to the final, Leevey beat local junior star Danielle Fourie 3 – 0 in the semi. Landers Murphy beat Germany’s Pamela Hathaway in her semi final. Hathaway was the unknown quantity in the women’s draw as she has previously been ranked inside the top 150 in the world. Fourie then played Hathaway in the 3rd and 4th play off. Hathaway proved too experienced for Fourie and took third place. Danielle will now lead Palmerston North Girls High’s charge this weekend at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships where they are seeded 5th.
Both Leevey and Kashif took home $1000.00 first prize. All up $12, 000.00 was paid out in prize money. Both Kashif and Leevey indicated that they would be back again next year to defend their titles and also made mention that allot more of the top players will be circling the Manawatu Open on their Calendars once word gets out about the success of this year’s event.
Overall there were 165 entries in this year’s tournament making it one of the biggest Manawatu Opens in recent times. With Fitzherbert Rowe on board as sponsor for another three years the tournament has a bright future.
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