Cape Town – It was a battle all the way, with stunning squash and gritty challenges, but the leading players eventually prevailed on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Senior Nationals squash championships in Cape Town on Thursday.
Playing on the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront, top seeds Hayley Ward (Eastern Province) and Dewald van Niekerk (SA Country Districts) led the way into Friday’s semifinals.
It was a day of highly competitive action, highlighted by the return of former champions Lizelle Muller (2021) and Milnay Louw (2017 and 2019), while Van Niekerk began his bid for an unprecedented sixth consecutive Growthpoint men’s title.
The nerves were evident early on but were gradually brought under control, particularly in the opening match when Muller, Van Niekerk’s older sister, marked her return to the tournament with a solid performance against Lara Patrick.
The Northerns sixth seed can put away any loose ball and produced several flashes of brilliance to keep her third-seeded opponent under pressure as she took the opening game 12-10.
But Muller’s years of experience proved decisive.
She steadily raised her level from the second game, taking control of the middle of the court and punishing anything loose as she moved through the gears to secure a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory.
Afterwards, the mother of four spoke of her delight at returning to the Growthpoint Nationals, having last competed in the tournament in 2022.
“It’s always good to be back at Growthpoint Nationals – I have missed it for a few years, and it’s amazing to be back,” Muller said.
“I didn’t really train much last year, but I have got going again, in between my family commitments, and I really enjoyed the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan interprovincial tournament last month in Mossel Bay.”
Despite her experience, Muller admitted there were still some nerves before taking to the court.
“Playing the first game is nerve-racking, and Lara played well and went for her shots, so I’m just glad I could pull it back to win 3-1. Hopefully the nerves will have calmed down tomorrow.”
Muller will face No 2 seed Helena Hudson in Friday’s semifinals after the Northerns player defeated Keschia Schlebusch (SACD) 3-0.
In another fiercely contested encounter, fourth seed Alexa Pienaar (SACD) produced remarkable comebacks against WP fifth seed Louw, recovering from 10-4 and 10-8 down in the first two games to take a 2-0 lead.
Louw fought back to reduce the deficit, but Pienaar closed out the match in four games despite squandering three match points.
In the men’s event, young third seed Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) set up a semifinal showdown with older brother Damian after overcoming a stern challenge from 2019 champion JP Brits.
The tournament’s elder statesman brought all his experience and attacking flair to bear, racing through the opening game 11-4 with an avalanche of winners.
But 20-year-old Groenewald, who employs a rarely seen double-handed style, showed considerable resilience.
A year at Drexel University in the United States has also helped him develop the ability to handle challenges of this nature.
“It was a very tough match, because JP is my coach and a very experienced player,” Groenewald said.
“The first game he played really well at a high pace and took the ball short.
“But my brother just told me to get the ball past him and stay tough, which I managed to do in the end, and I’m very happy to get through to the next round.”
In the girls’ U15 Growthpoint Nationals, being played simultaneously, Western Province’s seventh seed Aakiefah Taliep produced the upset of the day when she recovered from losing the opening game to defeat second seed Kimeya Moonisami of KwaZulu-Natal.
Moonisami appeared comfortably in control in the first game, conceding just three points, but Taliep responded strongly to take charge of the next three and secure a hard-earned four-game victory.
It was one of several fiercely contested matches in the girls’ section.
Third seed Simi Shwababa (Border) was pushed all the way by Eastern Province’s Janel Hall before prevailing 11-9 in the fifth, while No 4 seed Mia Bakkes (Northerns) had to recover from 2-0 down against Western Province fifth seed Jenna-Leith Wyllie before winning the deciding game 12-10.
Thursday’s results were:
Seniors: Women
1-Hayley Ward (EP) bt 8-Kim McDonald (WP) 3-0 (11-9 11-8 11-7), 2-Helena Hudson (Northerns) bt 7-Keschia Schlebusch (SA Country Districts) 3-0 (11-7 11-7 12-10), 3-Lizelle Muller (SA Country Districts) bt 6-Lara Patrick (Northerns) 3-1 (10-12 11-2 11-7 11-4), 4-Alexa Pienaar (SA Country Districts) bt 5-Milnay Louw (WP) 3-1 (12-10 12-10 7-11 11-9),
Seniors: Men
1-Dewald van Niekerk (SA Country Districts) bt 8-Reuel Videler (SA Country Districts) 3-0 (11-6 11-9 11-3), 2-Damian Groenewald (Northerns) bt 7-Judah Phillips (Northerns) 3-0 (11-6 11-7 11-6), 3-Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) bt 6-JP Brits (SA Country Districts) 3-1 (4-11 11-3 11-4 11-9), 4-John Anderson (Joburg Squash) bt 5-Dean Venter (EP) 3-0 (11-7 11-4 11-4),
U15: Girls qualifying round
1-Chanel Leppan (Northerns) bt 8-Kaitlin Saayman (Free State) 3-0 (11-5 11-6 11-2), 4-Mia Bakkes (Northerns) bt 5-Jenna-Leigh Wyllie (WP) 3-2 (9-11 9-11 11-9 11-3 12-10), 3-Simi Shwababa (Border) bt 6-Janel Hall (EP) 3-2 (13-11 6-11 9-11 11-9 11-9), 7-Aakiefah Taliep (WP) bt 2-Kimeya Moonisami (KZN) 3-1 (3-11 11-9 11-4 11-8).
U15: Boys qualifying round
1-Ponatshego Molefe (Joburg Squash) bt 8-Emile Erasmus (Northerns) 3-1 (11-6 11-4 6-11 11-6), 4-Zander Smit (Boland) bt 5-George Hung (Free State) 3-2 (11-3 11-13 11-0 7-11 11-5), 3-Zayd Badroodien (WP) bt 6-Keeran Morrison (EP) 3-0 (11-6 11-9 11-5), 2-Rupert Good (WP) bt 7-Phethahatso Motsoeneng (Limpopo) 3-0 (11-4 11-8 11-4).
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