Knight impressive in South Island win

Top seed Martin Knight produced an almost error-free squash performance to down fellow Wellingtonian Graeme Wilson in the PSA Canterbury and South Island Open in Christchurch yesterday.

"One or two (errors). I can remember at least one in there," Knight conceded, after taking the final 11-0 11-6 11-6 in 40min at the Christchurch Squash Club courts.

It was the second PSA men's world tour win of Knight's career, following success in a satellite tournament, the Barossa Valley Open, at the end of April.

The 24-year-old showed he meant business from the first game of the final, not allowing his opponent to win a single rally with some gruelling rallies one lasting a marathon 146 shots and 4min according to the match officials.

"I started off just trying to get a good length and take him behind me," Knight said afterwards. "He's quite dangerous on the forehand side in the middle of the court, so I tried to keep him out of that area."

The tactic worked well for the world No.98, 80 places ahead of Wilson in the PSA rankings.

"I was able to attack and volley and take him in short."

Knight said the result should advance his ranking a few spots ahead of his next international assignments, the Malaysian Open at the end of July and the Australian Open.

All four members of the New Zealand junior men's world championship team were using the tournament for top match play. It was pleasing for national squad head coach Anthony Ricketts that Evan Williams and Cameron Jamieson both reached the semi-finals.

All the Australian seeds were knocked out in the first round.

Williams was pushed by Canterbury No.1 Scott Gardiner in a five-game quarter-final.

Shayle Higginson confirmed her top seeding in the women's open final, but only after a five-game thriller with talented Marlborough 15-year-old Megan Craig, seeded seventh.

Higginson retained her Canterbury title after 46min, winning 9-6 9-3 0-9 8-10 9-7.

At times Higginson threatened to overpower her slightly built opponent with booming drives on both wings, but Craig hung in and revealed considerable shot-making abilities, along with some wall-hugging retrieves.

When Higginson's length fell away on occasion, the youngster often produced lovely touch or a short angled forehand kill shot.

A New Zealand junior elite squad member, Craig won the fourth game after the top seed held match balls at 8-6 and 8-7.

The fifth game was all locked up at 7-7 and both players smacked pressure shots into the tin before Higginson snared the final two points.

Not afraid to put her body on the line, Higginson made one knee-skidding attempt to retrieve a shot in the front court and looked physically fairly shattered at the finish.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Ian Gardiner   #1   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Excellent final. Excellent tournament. Excellent report from Tim Dunbar in The Press Monday. Dean's photo of Knight and Wilson in The Press should be on the website too.

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