Race for Glory: The Pursuit of Growthpoint Nationals in Squash Begins
Cape Town – The quest for national squash dominance escalated over the weekend as South Africa’s elite athletes secured their entries for the Growthpoint SA Nationals, which are scheduled to take place at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront from August 20 to 22.
Eight qualifying hubs across the nation hosted playoffs, creating an exciting lineup that includes veteran champions, current stars, and a wave of emerging talent eager to make their mark on this year’s premier domestic stage.
Leading the national championships are the top seeds, Hayley Ward from Eastern Province and Dewald van Niekerk from SA Country Districts. Both athletes confirmed their positions with commanding performances in their respective regional qualifiers.
Ward displayed her skill at the Gqeberha hub, defeating fellow EP player Jacqui Ryder 3-0. Simultaneously, five-time champion Van Niekerk reinforced his status as a contender for the men’s title with a decisive 3-0 win over Gareth Craigen in Potchefstroom.
Nevertheless, both athletes recognize the tough challenges that lie ahead in Cape Town.
This year’s women’s draw features a robust mix of experienced players and youthful energy, particularly without defending champion and six-time winner Alex Commins.
Former champions Milnay Louw and Lizelle Muller are set to compete, fully aware of what it takes to claim a national title.
Louw, who won the trophy in 2017 and 2019, secured her spot by overcoming Megan Shannon in the Western Province qualifiers, while 2021 champion Muller triumphed at the Eden hub in Mossel Bay.
Among those aiming to usher in a new era are second seed Helena Hudson and Teagan Russell from Joburg Squash.
Hudson continued her impressive ascent by winning the Northerns qualifier in Pretoria, and Russell emerged victorious in Johannesburg.
The women’s field is further strengthened by Alexa Pienaar, Kim McDonald, and Keschia Schlebusch, all of whom secured qualification victories over the weekend and are confident in their abilities to challenge the higher seeds.
The men’s competition promises to be equally exhilarating.
Van Niekerk leads the seedings, closely followed by Northerns’ Damian Groenewald, who advanced smoothly through the Pretoria qualifier with a straight-games win over Connor Earl.
Groenewald’s younger sibling, Luhann, is recognized as one of South Africa’s brightest talents, showcasing his maturity with a 3-0 victory over Ethan Robinson in the KZN Midlands qualifier.
Ruan Olivier also heads into the championships in top form after winning the Western Province qualifier, while John Anderson and Dean Venter have gained momentum through impressive performances on the Assore PSA circuit and other regional events.
These seasoned players are unlikely to make things easy for the younger competitors.
Former national champion JP Brits, who won the Eden qualifier in Mossel Bay, remains one of the most accomplished competitors, equipped with the tactical prowess to challenge any opponent.
Several qualifying tournaments provided thrilling matches.
The most gripping encounter occurred in Bloemfontein, where Reuel Videler narrowly defeated Judah Phillips in a five-game match.
After losing the first game, Videler mounted a strong comeback, ultimately clinching the final game 11-9 after surviving a late surge.
In other matches, Schlebusch showed resilience by bouncing back from an initial game loss in the North West women’s final to defeat Elske Garbers 3-1, while Louw also overcame a setback in the third game to secure her spot in Cape Town.
With less than two months until the nation’s top domestic squash event begins, the qualifiers have emphasized the wealth of talent currently present in South Africa.
The established champions have claimed their spots, top seeds have validated their rankings, and a cadre of emerging stars is poised to challenge the status quo.
The qualifiers and seedings are:
Women: 1 Hayley Ward (EP), 2 Helena Hudson (Northerns), 3-4 Lizelle Muller (SACD), 3-4 Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash), 5-8 Milnay Louw (Western Province), 5-8 Alexa Pienaar (SACD), 5-8 Kim McDonald (Northerns), 5-8 Keschia Schlebusch (SACD),
Men: 1 Dewald van Niekerk (SACD), 2 Damian Groenewald (Northerns), 3-4 Ruan Olivier (Northerns), 3-4 Luhann Groenewald (Northerns), 5-8 John Anderson (Joburg Squash), 5-8 JP Brits (SACD), 5-8 Dean Venter (EP), 5-8 Reuel Videler (SACD)
The regional qualifying results were:
Eden hub (Mossel Bay)
Women: 1 Lizelle Muller (SACD); 2 Hanrie Duits (SACD)
Men: JP Brits (SACD) bt Gerard Mitchell (EP) 3-1 (11-5 5-11 12-10 11-5)
EP hub (Gqeberha)
Women: Hayley Ward (EP) bt Jacqui Ryder (EP) 3-0 (11-2 11-7 11-3)
Men: Dean Venter (EP) bt Rudi van Niekerk (SACD) 3-0 (11-8 11-8 11-4)
Free State hub (Bloemfontein)
Women: 1 Alexa Pienaar (SACD); 2 Jordin Phillips (Northerns)
Men: Reuel Videler (SACD) bt Judah Phillips (Northerns) 3-2 (4-11 11-7 11-7 8-11 11-9)
KZN Midlands hub (Maritzburg)
Women: 1 Kim McDonald (Northerns); 2 Maxine Gouweloos (KZN Midlands)
Men: Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) bt Ethan Robinson (Joburg Squash) 3-0 (11-9 11-7 11-5)
Joburg Squash hub (Johannesburg)
Women: 1 Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash); 2 Brianna Robinson (Joburg Squash)
Men: John Anderson (Joburg Squash) bt Jarrod Cousins (Northerns) 3-0 (11-5 11-9 11-9)
Northerns hub (Pretoria)
Women: 1 Helena Hudson (Northerns); 2 Lara Patrick (Northerns)
Men: Damian Groenewald (Northerns) bt Connor Earl (Northerns) 3-0 (11-7 11-3 11-4)
North West hub (Potchefstroom)
Women: Keschia Schlebusch (SACD) bt Elske Garbers (SACD) 3-1 (10-12 11-6 11-9 11-4)
Men: Dewald van Niekerk (SACD) bt Gareth Craigen (SACD) 3-0 (11-6 11-6 11-2)
WP hub (Cape Town)
Women: Milnay Louw (WP) bt Megan Shannon (WP) 3-1 (11-5 11-4 9-11 11-5)
Men: Ruan Olivier (Northerns) bt Mighael Lombard (WP) 3-0 (11-8 11-2 11-6)