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29/07/2010 - Some of the top players in New Zealand will be vying for big cash prizes at the Fitzherbert Rowe Manawatu Squash Open this weekend. The annual event has attracted 166 players including 20 A grader players from around the country. |
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This year, first prize is $1000.00 in the Men's and Women's Open's. A total of $12000.00 will be paid out over all draws making it New Zealand's richest Club tournament. This has been achieved by Fitzherbert Rowe increasing their annual sponsorship to SquashGym and the club investing in their own tournament. Club spokesman Grant Smith said, ‘we have held numerous National and International events but the Club and its committee really now wants to focus on our own tournaments making them fixtures on the New Zealand Squash Calendar'.
The top seed in the men's draw will be Kashif Shuja. Kashif will head a strong men's draw which includes 13 A grade players. Kashif has only been back in the country for about ten days as he spends 11 months of the year playing the PSA World circuit. Currently ranked 61 in the world he will prove hard to beat this weekend. Another strong contender for the men's top prize will be Palmerston North's Josh Greenfield. If Greenfield and Kashif were to meet in the final, Josh will be out for revenge after Kashif beat him 3 – 1 in last weekend's National Club Teams final. Other players that will be looking to upset will be Evan Williams from Tawa and Shane Johnston from Kandallah. Both regular visitors to Palmerston North, they will be tough opponents for Kashif and Greenfield to topple.
Top seed in the women's draw is Tamysen Leevey from Wellington. Tamysen came to SquashGym in April and took out the DWYERtech Services Palmerston North Open. She should prove too good for all others in the women's draw as she is in the middle of a vigorous training programme in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. On the comeback trail after having children, Leevey is getting back to some of the form that saw her reach the top 30 in the world. A wild card in the women's draw might be German exchange student Pamela Hathaway. She has just arrived in Wellington and has experience playing top level Squash in Europe. She reached a professional ranking of 138 in the world about 18 months ago and she has been seeded third for the tournament. Local hopes will once again fall on the shoulders of 17 year old Danielle Fourie. The New Zealand Junior had a great tournament last weekend at the National Club Champs and will be hoping to continue that form.
Play gets underway 5.30pm Friday Night, with matches all day Saturday and the finals set for 2.00pm (Women's) and 2.45pm (men's) Sunday. There is no charge for spectators throughout the weekend.
For More information please contact;
Michael Williams
Manager
SquashGym
0276712988
Photo: Josh Greenfield (right) against Kashif Shuja (left) in the NZ Nationals semi final from 2007
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