Harlequins celebrate 50th anniversary with international squash tournament
In a truly fitting way to celebrate Harlequin Squash's 50 Anniversary, a tournament that showcased some of the best squash players in the country was recently presented at the squash court of this club in Groenkloof.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, Harlequins Squash Club recently hosted the Quins50 PSA Satellite Tournament at the club in Groenkloof.
The event, which boasted a very attractive total prize money of around R50 000, was registered on the World Squash Federation’s calendar. As such the event drew players from across South Africa and as far as Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, which gave it an international status.
The main men’s and women’s Professional Squash Association (PSA) categories were supplemented by two men’s open and a ladies open section with over 70 players who signed up for it.
Tough match-ups in almost all the categories seemed to be the order of the day from day one as players gave their all, resulting in a number of lung-busting five-set matches.
The second day saw two rounds of matches which would test the fittest amongst the players and ultimately also determine who would be in the running at the business end of the tournament.
In the Ladies Open and Men’s A and B sections Chantè Leppan, Gareth Craigen and Pierce Robinson have respectively walked away with the winners trophies.
Thereafter the Women’s PSA final was first up, which saw SA number two, Haley Ward from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) square off against Limpopo representative and SA number three, Alexa Pienaar.
Photo: Supplied
Ward was quickest out of the blocks and comfortably took the first set 11-5. However, Pienaar came back very strongly in the second and turned it around to take it 11-6. Ward again jumped away quickly in the third and opened up a 10-4 lead before Pienaar fought hard to level at 10 all.
However, two mistakes could not see Pienaar complete the comeback and Ward took the set. In the fourth both players were visibly exhausted and in the end it was a bridge too far for Pienaar as Ward kept her composure to close off the match 11-8 and deservedly become champion.
The Men’s PSA final pitted club and provincial team mates, SA number two, Tristan Worth against SA number three, JP Brits.
This match was tense from the get go, with friendship and camaraderie taking a back seat, as neither player gave an inch. The match was always going to come down to small margins with Brits sneaking in the first set, 12-10.
As the match progressed both players felt the pressure, but it was Brits who picked up his game and took the second set 11-7. Worth was however never going to give up and on a number of occasions threw himself across the floor in an acrobatic and desperate attempt to reach the ball. The match moved on to 9-9 and Brits managed to hold his nerve better and close the third set 11-9, to win 3-0 and be crowned champion.
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