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The Herald
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Hosts underdogs going into USSA squash championship
Madibaz's squash elite are present and correct for their biggest test of the year when they take on their peers at the University Sports SA tournament in Gqeberha from Sunday. The event, which takes place at Crusaders Squash Club, will welcome more than 100 student-athletes and officials from across the country for a week of high-octane competition in individual and team formats. The last time Mandela University hosted the competition, in 2018, the Gqeberha team finished runners-up to UJ. Coach Jason le Roux said even though they might have less depth than back then, a top-five finish remained their goal. He expected it to be tough going against defending champions UP-Tuks and NWU. 'But it is an excellent opportunity for the players to test themselves,' he said. Even so, with Zunaid Lewis coming in to provide stability at No 3, he said there was already a noticeable improvement within their ranks. 'The guys have worked incredibly hard and we're hoping that extra year of experience will count in our favour,' Le Roux said of his charges, who will no doubt enjoy underdog status. Mike Donaldson, at No 1, will lead the men's squad with Luke Muller, Lewis, Stewart Frieslaar and Adrian Mitchell playing the supporting roles. Donaldson, originally from East London but now one of Eastern Province's top players, will be key to the team's fortunes even though he will face stiff competition at the top of the order. The late withdrawal of Nicole Heuer from the women's side due to unforeseen circumstances is a blow. This means the team remain unchanged from 2024. Despite this setback, Le Roux remained upbeat. 'The experience they gained last year means they know what to expect. They've prepared well and are ready.' Tanith Moreton, Savannah Barron, Bianca Lansdown and Michaela Hill make up the women's contingent. Looking at the tournament as a whole, Le Roux predicted a fierce battle between UP-Tuks and NWU for team honours. 'Much will depend on how those squads have developed since last year. 'Tuks had a young team who won the title, so you'd expect them to be even stronger.' Though North West might not have made a forward step as significant as the team from Pretoria over the past 12 months, he said they were always tough to beat. 'Then you have teams like UJ and Maties. They'll be in the mix, depending on their consistency throughout the week.' New individual champions are guaranteed as 2024 titlists Tristen Worth and Helena Hudson are not in the field. NWU's Gareth Craigen tops the men's seedings, while 2024 runner-up Lara Patrick of UP-Tuks heads the women's draw. Individual competition is from Sunday to Tuesday with the team event following from Wednesday to next Friday. — Full Stop Communications The Herald
The Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Van Niekerk breaks drought at Madibaz squash tournament
Gqeberha's Rudi van Niekerk went into full beast mode in the final against Jason le Roux to secure his first Madibaz Open squash title at Mandela University on Sunday. In a modified format, where each game was played to nine points with sudden death at 8-8, the Londt Park player triumphed 9-2 9-3 9-8 over his university rival. Along with the shorter games, tournament director Le Roux introduced an innovative bonus point system where players could select a point in each game which would score double should they win the rally. 'This was designed to create a fresh dynamic for the players, especially since they often compete in events with identical formats,' Le Roux said. 'The players really embraced it and we'll definitely consider using it again, depending on the tournament's level.' Though games were shorter, the round-robin format ensured players had more matches than in a traditional knockout tournament. Le Roux said the Madibaz Open would revert to the traditional scoring format when it served as a qualification event for the University Sports SA team, which it often does. The final proved an ideal showcase for the bonus-point feature, particularly in the tense third game. The 37-year-old Van Niekerk started strongly, using speed and attack to dominate the first two games. With a clear lead at seven points in each, he successfully nominated the bonus point to close out both games. Desperate to extend the match, Le Roux pushed back in the third. Leading 6-5, he called for the bonus point and won the rally to move to 8-5, which gave him three game points. But Van Niekerk, determined to avoid a fourth, rallied with two precise backhand drop shots to narrow the gap to 8-7. He then called for his bonus point to set up a potential match point. In a tense rally where both played cautiously, Van Niekerk ultimately forced an error from Le Roux to take the game 9-8 and, with it, the match. Van Niekerk, who represents SA Country Districts in provincial squash, was elated to secure the title after three previous runner-up finishes. 'It felt amazing to finally get the win. I really enjoyed the new format — it made you think more strategically,' he said. 'My plan was to start each game cautiously and then attack as I settled in.' Having ruptured his Achilles tendon in December 2023, Van Niekerk spent much of 2024 recovering and this victory marks a promising return to form. 'I'm feeling good now, though after a tough week on court I can still feel the effects,' he said. The Madibaz Open champion also had a strong showing at the recent SA Country Districts interprovincial, where he lost only one match. 'So I'm excited for what's ahead this year.' In the women's section, which featured mostly second- and third-league players, Madibaz student Tanith Moreton emerged top of the class. Former Madibaz student Hayley Ward and Janet Byrnes both competed in the men's A section, with Ward impressively finishing third overall. — Full Stop Communications The Herald
