Cape City – The street to the Growthpoint SA Nationals begins from June 19 to 21, when South Africa’s main squash gamers battle for locations within the nation’s premier championship by eight regional qualifying occasions.
These tournaments, staged at hubs throughout South Africa, will decide the eight males and eight girls who advance to the Growthpoint SA Nationals, to be held on the V&A Waterfront in Cape City from August 20 to 22.
Whereas the highest seeds will probably be anticipated to progress, expertise has proven that nothing will be taken with no consideration in elite sport.
The regional qualifiers have constantly produced high-quality contests and this yr’s version is unlikely to be any totally different.
Within the males’s competitors, defending champion Dewald van Niekerk stays the participant to beat.
The Gqeberha-born star has dominated the nationwide scene since claiming his first title in 2021 and will probably be chasing an unprecedented sixth consecutive crown.
Few have managed to significantly problem Van Niekerk’s supremacy, however the Groenewald brothers from Pretoria, Damian and Luhann, will probably be desperate to slender the hole.
Damian has completed runner-up to Van Niekerk in every of the previous two years and has strengthened his credentials by the publicity gained within the Assore PSA collection, which was added to the home calendar this yr.
The extra competitors has sharpened his sport and will present the platform for a breakthrough marketing campaign.
Luhann, in the meantime, has continued his growth whereas finding out in the US.
One of many nation’s most promising younger skills, he will probably be eager to check his progress in opposition to South Africa’s prime gamers.
The ladies’s draw seems extra open following the absence of six-time champion Alex Commins, creating a chance for a brand new title to emerge.
Jap Province’s Hayley Ward has positioned herself as a number one contender after ending runner-up to Commins in every of the previous two occasions.
Competing professionally since 2022, Ward has claimed three PSA titles abroad and will probably be desperate to convert her rising expertise into nationwide success.
Nevertheless, she faces a formidable discipline.
Former champions Lizelle Muller and Milnay Louw stay main threats, whereas Northerns participant Helena Hudson has been considered one of South Africa’s standout performers within the Assore tournaments, reaching a number of finals and persevering with to search out methods to thrive in opposition to elite opposition.
With nationwide locations on the road, the regional qualifiers promise three days of intense competitors because the nation’s finest gamers take step one in direction of Growthpoint SA Nationals glory.
The hubs and prime seeds for the Growthpoint regional qualifiers are:
Eden hub (Mossel Bay)
Girls: Lizelle Muller (SACD); males: JP Brits (SACD)
EP hub (Gqeberha)
Girls: Hayley Ward (EP); males: Dean Venter (EP)
Free State hub (Bloemfontein)
Girls: Alexa Pienaar (SA Nation Districts); males: Reuel Videler (SA Nation Districts)
KZN Midlands hub (Maritzburg)
Girls: Kim McDonald (Northerns); males: 1 Luhann Groenewald (Northerns)
Joburg hub
Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash); males: John Anderson (Joburg Squash)
Northerns hub (Pretoria)
Girls: Helena Hudson (Northerns); males: Damian Groenewald (Northerns)
North West hub (Potchefstroom)
Girls: Keschia Schlebusch (SA Nation Districts); males: Dewald van Niekerk (SA Nation Districts)
WP hub (Cape City)
Girls: Milnay Louw (Western Province); males: Ruan Olivier (Northerns)
