South Africa's top players gunning for national squash titles
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2021 SA National champions Dewald van Niekerk and Lizelle Muller will be defending their titles when the SA National Squash Championships take place in Cape Town from Thursday to Sunday. Picture: Carl Fourie BLD Communications 2021 SA National champions Dewald van Niekerk and Lizelle Muller will be defending their titles when the SA National Squash Championships take place in Cape Town from Thursday to Sunday. Picture: Carl Fourie BLD Communications
Cape Town — Lizelle Muller and Dewald van Niekerk know they will be in the crosshairs of their rivals when they put their titles on the line at the SA National Squash Championship in Cape Town this week.
South Africa’s best players will clash on the all-glass court at the V&A Waterfront from Thursday to Sunday for the honour of becoming SA champions.
It will be a tournament of high-octane squash, and the defending champions, who won their maiden titles at the same venue a year ago, are primed to give it their all in their bids to be known as SA’s best players.
The 25-year-old Van Niekerk is playing the best squash of his career and has dominated the SA scene over the last 12 months, but he is not looking further than his first match.
“I’m really excited about this tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the glass court in Cape Town,” Van Niekerk said.
“There are some real challenges in the draw and it’s good to see a player like Thoboki Mohohli back in the mix.
“This is a great opportunity to defend the title because few players have a chance to win the national title twice in a row, so to win it again would be awesome.
“But I am not looking too far ahead because that can only create stress for you, so it’s just a matter of focusing on one match at a time.”
Among those gunning for his title will be second seed Tristen Worth, who is one of SA’s most promising young players, while both JP Brits and Christo Potgieter have been on the winner’s podium before and know what is needed to claim the title.
Muller’s major challenge in the women’s event will come from professional player Alex Fuller, who beat her in the 2020 final in Pretoria but did not play last year.
Fuller is ranked 31 in the world and could well be the player to beat at the Waterfront.
But the 37-year-old Muller has plenty of experience and the memory of her maiden title a year ago, after several years of setbacks, has her fired up to make an impact in Cape Town.
“This will probably be my last Nationals so it’s going to be really good with a lot of challenges,” Muller said.
“I know the players will be coming hard for the title, but I am going to go out there to enjoy myself, have some fun and just take it game by game.”
Part of the SA squad which was due to go to Malaysia for the World Team Championships last year before the trip was cancelled, Muller said she was motivated to give it “one final go”.
“At one stage I almost called it quits when I had a back injury this year, but I decided that I had one more goal (the World Team Championships in Egypt in December) and I said to myself I just need to keep going a bit longer.”
Squash SA is excited to host this premier domestic event in conjunction with national sponsors Growthpoint, as well as entering partnerships with Southern Sun and the City of Cape Town.
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Squash SA and proud to extend our warmth and hospitality to the team, catering to their unique sporting and accommodation requirements,” Southern Sun chief executive Marcel von Aulock said.
“We look forward to welcoming the Squash SA team to their home away from home and supporting the sport for another year.”
The City of Cape Town is equally delighted to be hosting the event for another year and mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said: “The City of Cape Town is thrilled to be partnering with Squash SA for the Growthpoint SA Nationals.
“Following a successful event in 2021 under strict Covid-19 regulations, we are really looking forward to a fully-fledged event that will showcase not only the national squash competition but Cape Town as a premier destination for events and tourism.
“We are excited to welcome all the players, their support teams and supporters to the Mother City.”
The draw and times for Thursday are:
Women: 11.40am: 3-Alexa Pienaar (SACD) v 6-Shelomi Truter (SACD), 1pm: 4-Hayley Ward (EP) v 5-Siyoli Waters (WP), 2.20pm: 2-Lizelle Muller (SACD) v 7-Helena Coetzee (Northerns), 3.40pm: 1-Alex
Fuller (WP) v 8-Teagan Roux (Joburg Squash)
Men: 12.20pm: 3-Christo Potgieter (Joburg Squash) v 6 Rodney Durbach (WP), 1.40pm: 4-JP Brits (SACD) v 5-Ruan Olivier (Northerns), 3pm: 2-Tristen Worth (SACD) v 7-Thoboki Mohohli (Joburg Squash), 4.20pm: 1-Dewald van Niekerk (SACD) v 8-Matthew Boote (KZN)