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Latest News from the Games
Mixed doubles action from Centre Court
Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson take on Sri Lanka in pool play at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Shelley and Glen won 3-0.
New Zealand stumbles on final day
Disappointment for the New Zealand squash team on the last day of doubles action at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The kiwis have picked up just one of the four medals they were vying for on finals day, with Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey claiming the silver in the women's doubles. The second seeds looked set to go one better after thrashing Natalie and Rachael Grinham 9/1 in the opening game of the final. But the Aussie sisters bounced back to claim the next three, and the gold medal.
Three other kiwi combinations were involved in bronze medal playoffs, but unfortunately all came up short.
Lara Heta and Louise Crome were beaten 3/1 by England in the women's doubles while Martin Knight and Campbell Grayson went down in four to Australia in the the men's event. Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson were the other pair to miss out, losing in three to Australia in the mixed draw.
New Zealand to play for four medals
New Zealand will play off for four medals on the final day of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey are guaranteed a medal in the women's doubles, winning through to the final with a thrilling 3/9 8/10 9/4 9/6 9/3 victory over fellow kiwis Lara Heta and Louise Crome. The second seeded New Zealand pair will face Australian top seeds Rachael and Natalie Grinham in the title decider. Lara Heta and Louise Crome will battle Tania Bailey and Vicky Botwright from England for the bronze.
In the men's doubles, Campbell Grayson and Martin Knight face a bronze medal match against Dan Jenson and David Palmer from England. The kiwi combination was knocked out of contention for gold by top seeded Australia in straight games.
And in a major disappointment, Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson have also missed out on vying for gold. The second seeded kiwis looked set for a comfortable win after going two games up in their semifinal, but their English opponents fought back to take the next three and a spot in the final. Kitchen and Wilson will now have to settle for a possible bronze medal, taking on the top seeded Australian pair in the third place playoff today.
New Zealand guaranteed a medal
The New Zealand squash team is now guaranteed at least one doubles medal at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The two kiwi combinations will square off in the semifinals of the women's draw. Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey have cruised into the last four after finishing top of their pool with two contrasting wins yesterday. The second seeds whistled past Scotland 3/0 in the morning, before battling to victory in five over third seeded England in the afternoon. Fellow kiwi's Louise Crome and Lara Heta (nee Petera) also advanced, but had to settle for second in their pool after going down to top seeds Australia in four.
Campbell Grayson and Martin Knight have continued their golden run in doubles squash, reaching the semifinals of the men's draw. The fifth seeds waltzed to a 3/0 win over Pakistan in the first knock-out round, and then outlasted fourth seeded England to win their 123 minute quarterfinal battle in five. They'll face top seeded Australia in the last four.
Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson are also on target to add to New Zealand's medal tally in the mixed doubles. The second seeds are through to the semifinals after a clinical straight games win over South Africa in the quarters. They'll face fourth seeded England in the last four. The English pair won through to the semis with a 3/1 win over the other kiwi pair, Lara Heta and Callum O'Brien.
Kiwis keep winning in Melbourne
The New Zealand squash team has continued its unbeaten run on day two of the doubles at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Campbell Grayson and Martin Knight are safely through to the knockout rounds in the men's doubles, after winning both matches today to make it three from three. The kiwi duo downed Trinidad in straight games first up, before taking out a gruelling one hour 40 minute battle against England in five.
In the mixed pairs, Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson downed Sri Lanka 3/0 to confirm top spot in their pool, and an automatic place in the quarterfinals. The second seeds have a bye in the first round of the knockout phase. Lara Heta (nee Petera) and Callum O'Brien are also safely through pool play, beating Mauritius 3/0 to make it three wins from three.
Lara's also teamed up with Louise Crome to secure a spot in the semifinals of the women's doubles. The kiwi combination won an epic two hour 10 minute battle against England's Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters, before thrashing Jamaica 3/0. They are now guaranteed a spot in the last four, with a match against top seeds Rachael and Natalie Grinham from Australia still to come tomorrow. Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey have had a day off from the women's doubles today, but are also expected to advance to the seminfinals tomorrow.
Perfect start to the doubles
The New Zealand squash team is unbeaten after the first day of doubles at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Shelley Kitchen's continued on with the form that secured a bronze medal in the singles, teaming up with Tamsyn Leevey for two wins in the women's doubles. The kiwi combination downed Sri Lanka in straight games first up, before fighting back from 2-1 down to beat an Australian pairing in five.
Shelley's also won her opening match in the mixed doubles, combining with defending champion Glen Wilson for a straight games win over Canada.
Lara Heta and Callum O'Brien have also started well in the mixed event, knocking over a strong English duo in the opening round in five, before strolling to a straightforward victory over Zambia in their second outing.
Heta's also teamed up with Louise Crome to dispose of Papua New Guinea in straight games in the opening round of the women's doubles.
New Zealand's men's pairing has completed a perfect day for the team. Campbell Grayson and Martin Knight have taken less than 12 minutes, including the three minutes between games, to crush the Norfolk Islands 9/0 9/0 9/0.
Relive Shelley's win
The highlights of Shelley Kitchen's superb bronze medal win can be seen on the TVNZ website ( www.tvnz.co.nz).
Go the Commonwealth Games link, click on the Live Video icon, and you can watch Shelley complete her great victory in Melbourne yesterday.
Shelley stuns Nicol to claim bronze!!
A stunning victory for New Zealand squash star Shelley Kitchen at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The ninth seeded kiwi has upset world number one Nicol David from Malaysia in four games, to take out the bronze medal in the women's singles. Shelley dropped the first game 9/5, but bounced back with some superb squash to win the next three 9/6 9/5 9/2. The 48 minute victory sparked jubilant scenes amongst the New Zealand team and supporters outside the court.
It was Shelley's third big upset of the tournament, having already accounted for England's world number seven Jenny Duncalf in the second round, and fifth ranked Englishwoman Vicky Botwright in the quarters. She will now turn her attention to the doubles events in Melbourne. Shelley teams up with Wellington's Tamsyn Leevey in the women's doubles, and partners defending champion Glen Wilson in the mixed draw.
The doubles get underway on Wednesday.
Shelley to contest bronze medal
New Zealand squash star Shelley Kitchen's giant-killing run has come to an end at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The kiwi number one has been beaten in the semifinals of the women's singles, going down in straight games to Australian world number three Rachael Grinham. Shelley pushed Grinham close in the opening game, but was pipped 10/8. From then on it was all Grinham, with the Aussie taking the next two 9/4 9/2 to wrap up victory in 38 minutes.
Shelley Kitchen will play Malaysian world number one Nicol David in the bronze medal match.
David was upset in the semifinals by the second of the Grinham sisters, Nathalie, who won their epic 120 minute battle 9/3 in the fifth.
Shelley makes the semis...
Another major upset for New Zealand squash star Shelley Kitchen in the women's singles at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The ninth seeded kiwi is through to the semifinals, after toppling English world number five Vicky Botwright in straight games in the quarters. Shelley trailed 8/4 in the first game, but then stormed back to win 10/8. From there it was one way traffic, as the New Zealand number one rattled home 9/5 9/1 to secure victory in 39 minutes.
Shelley Kitchen will face Australian world number three Rachel Grinham in the last four.
Malaysian world number one Nicol David will take on fourth ranked Australian Natalie Grinham on the other side of the draw.
Shelley wins again!!
New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen is through to the quarterfinals of the women's squash singles at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The kiwi number one has upset English world number seven Jenny Duncalf in four games.
Shelley won the first 9/6 before dropping the second 9/4. However, the ninth seeded New Zealander bounced back to take the next two 9/6 9/1, wrapping up victory in 54 minutes.
Shelley Kitchen will face England's world number five Vicky Botwright in the quarterfinals.
Shelley wins first up, but Tamsyn bows out
One each way for the New Zealand squash team on day one of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Kiwi number one Shelley Kitchen, the ninth seed, has cruised through her opening round match in just 13 minutes, crushing Naluge Guy from Papua New Guinea 9/2 9/1 9/0. However, Tamsyn Leevey has made a surprise first round exit.
Leevey has been upset by South African teenager Tenille Swartz, going down 9/5 9/6 9/4 in just 22 minutes. Shelley Kitchen will take on English fifth seed Jenny Duncalf for a place in the quarterfinals.
Knight (foreground) and Grayson are seeded 5th for Commonwealth Games Men's Doubles.
Australia dominates squash seedings
Australia threatens to dominate the Squash doubles competitions, after being seeded number one in the men's, women's and mixed events.
Stewart Boswell and Anthony Ricketts will team-up for the host nation in the men?s doubles, facing Kenya and twelfth-seed Guyana in Pool 1.
Australia's Rachael Grinham could be busy throughout the tournament - she joins her sister Natalie in the women?s doubles, and men?s number one seed David Palmer in the mixed doubles.
New Zealand's Glen Wilson and Shelley Kitchen (pictured below) have a strong incentive to overcome Australia's top ranking in the mixed doubles - the Kiwi duo will be hoping for a gold medal finish to mark Wilson?s international career finale.
 Wilson, who will turn 35 during the Games, paired with Leilani Rorani in 2002 to win gold in Manchester. World Squash Federation Chief Executive Christian Leighton has praised the depth of competition at the Melbourne Games. "The sport will be represented by an all-time record of 28 nations and 91 athletes," said Leighton. "Alongside the established squash nations, it is excellent to see countries like the Norfolk Islands competing for the first time in the doubles events in Melbourne." The Commonwealth Games Squash doubles competition commences 22 March, following the singles events, at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC).
1st Round Draw
Men?s Doubles:
Pool 1 ? Australia (Boswell/Ricketts) (seeded 1), Guyana (12), Kenya.
Pool 2 ? England (Beachill/P. Nicol) (2), Bermuda (11), Zambia, Norfolk Island (Gray/Duncan).
Pool 3 ? Australia (Kneipp/Palmer) (3), Pakistan (10), Sri Lanka
Pool 4 ? England (Matthew/Willstrop) (4), Canada (9), Kenya.
Pool 5 ? New Zealand (5), Scotland (8), Trinidad and Tobago, Norfolk Island (Christian-Bailey/Knobbs).
Pool 6 ? Wales (6), South Africa (7), Fiji, Malawi.
Women?s Doubles:
Pool 1 ? Australia (N. Grinham/R. Grinham) (1), New Zealand (Crome/Petera) (4), England (Duncalf/Waters) (5), Jamaica, Papua New Guinea.
Pool 2 ? New Zealand (Kitchen/Leevey) (2), England (Bailey/Botwright) (3), Australia (Desira/Pittock) (6), Scotland, Sri Lanka.
Mixed Doubles:
Pool 1 ? Australia (R. Grinham/Palmer) (1), South Africa (12), Sri Lanka (Guruge/Samarasinghe).
Pool 2 ? New Zealand (Kitchen/Wilson) (2), Canada (11) Sri Lanka (Tehani Guruge/Issadeen).
Pool 3 ? Australia (N.Grinham/Jenson) (3), Northern Ireland (10), Cayman Islands, Norfolk Island (Adams/Duncan).
Pool 4 ? England (4), Wales (9) and Jamaica.
Pool 5 ? Malaysia (5), South Africa (8), Guyana, Norfolk Island (Nobbs/Gray).
Pool 6 ? New Zealand (Petera/O?Brien) (6), England (Waters/Grant) (7), Zambia, Mauritius.
Singles
Lazarus Chilufya (Rsa) v Aubrey Taulo (Maw)
(7) Nick Matthew (ENG) - bye
Hartaj Bains (Ken) v O'Neil Chilambwe (Zam)
(15) Mansoor Zaman (Pak) v Gavin Jones (Wal)
Harry Leitch (Sco) v James Bentick (Svg)
(2) James Willstrop (Eng) - bye
Women's first round draw:
(1) Nicol David (Mas) - bye
(13) Runa Reta (Can) v Eli Webb (Png)
(8) Tania Bailey (Eng) v Diana Argyle (Rsa)
(12) Amelia Pittock (Aus) v Marlene West (Jam)
(3) Natalie Grinham (Aus) v Chantelle Day (Cay)
(16) Tricia Chuah (Mas) v Vanessa Florens (Mri)
(7) Madeline Perry (Nir) v Tehani Guruge (Sri)
(10) Sharon Wee (Mas) v Nicolette Fernandes (Guy)
(9) Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) v Naluge Guy (Png)
(5) Jenny Duncalf (Eng) v Louise Philip (Sco)
(14) Tamsyn Leevey (Nzl) v Tenille Swartz (Rsa)
(4) Vicky Botwright (Eng) v Sharon Chimfwembe (Zam)
(11) Tegwen Malik (Wal) v Nirasha Guruge (Sri)
(6) Linda Elriani (Eng) v Karen Anderson (Jam)
(15) Kasey Brown (Aus) v Frania Gillen-Buchert (Sco)
(2) Rachael Grinham (Aus) - bye
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