National Champs underway in Auckland

No major upsets in the first round of Senior National Championships at North Shore Squash Club.

All of the major seeds have progressed safely to the second round of the 2014 National Championships in Auckland this afternoon.

The only minor upsets to occur were the seventeenth seeds (in both the men's and the women's opens) prevailing over the sixteenths in tight tussles.  Steph Smith (Wellington) unseated Waikato's Lassie Cull in a see-sawing four set match.  In the men's open James Cooper of BOP defeated Waikato's Phil Buscke in a marathon five setter.

The other highlight of the first round were Canterbury's Sim sisters (Eliza and Emma) drawing each other in the first round.  Familial ties were put on hold for a time as the two played each other for the umpteenth time, but first in a major National Championship.  Higher seeded Eliza won, but not without Emma giving her a scare by taking the second game.

The second round gets underway at North Shore Squash Club from 6pm tonight.  Entry for spectators is free.

Results

Men's Open

First Round Results

Martin Knight (1) bt David Guest 11-4 11-2 11-3
James Cooper bt Phil Buscke 11-7 5-11 11-4 6-11 11-3
Zac Millar (8) bt Matt Smith 11-6 11-9 11-9
Michael Sunderland bt Sion Wiggin 11-7 11-9 11-7
Lance Beddoes (5) bt Bryce Redman 11-1 11-3 11-2
Cameron Jamieson bt James Skiffington 8-11 11-6 11-1 11-4
Willie Bicknell bt Jackson Beresford 11-9 11-6 11-7
Kashif Shuja (4) bt Aaron Kopittke 11-1 11-3 11-4
Paul Coll (3) bt Ben Thornton 11-4 11-3 11-6
Sam Atkins bt Todd Redman 11-6 11-4 11-3
Michael Pittams bt Neil Rossin 11-3 11-7 11-6
Ben Grindrod (6) bt Ben Calvert 6-11 11-4 11-6 11-1
Chris van der Salm (7) bt James Smith 11-9 11-8 13-11
Matiu Te Kani-McQueen bt Mike Weston 11-6 11-8 11-5
Adam Odering bt Joseph Watts 12-10 3-11 10-12 11-4 11-3
Campbell Grayson (2) bt Luke Cooper 11-4 11-7 11-2

Women's Open

First Round Results

Joelle King (1) bt Karen Roberts 11-1 11-4 11-3
Steph Smith bt Lassie Cull 4-11 11-9 11-9 11-5
Alana Sincock bt Sophie McClymont 11-7 11-9 6-11 11-9
Abbie Palmer bt Michelle Heron 11-7 11-7 11-7
Rebecca Barnett (5) bt Kaitlyn Watts 11-3 11-9 11-9
Lisa Cowlard bt Juee Bhide 11-4 11-7 11-6
Sacha Pou-Tito bt Jackie Tapp 9-11 11-8 11-7 11-7
Amanda Landers-Murphy (4) bt Nicki Blake 11-3 11-4 11-4
Kylie Lindsay (3) bt Taylor Ashton 11-9 11-2 11-5
Eliza Sim bt Emma Sim 11-6 9-11 11-3 11-6
Trina Moore bt Holly Donnelly 11-3 11-6 11-9
Ellie Epke (6) bt Devon Wright 12-10 11-2 11-6
Danielle Fourie (7) bt Sophie O'Connell 11-3 11-6 11-5
Georgina Shelton-Agar bt Gemma Gee 11-8 11-7 11-4
Sue Kim bt Jacinta Matson 11-7 6-11 11-9 12-10
Megan Craig (2) bt Vanessa Larsen 11-3 11-2 11-4