A first for New Zealand squash player Ella Lash as she scored her maiden PSA Challenger title to assist her young professional career.
The title came in almost the most unlikely of locations on the international glass court in Temuka at the Trust Aoraki Midlands PSA as the top seeded Lash ranked 117 in the world and aged 19 accounted for third seed Jena Gregory from the Hawkes Bay who is ranked 211 and aged just 21.
Lash cruised through the first two games, dropping just three points in the process as Gregory struggled to find her shots. But Lash started the third with a number of unforced errors and Gregory took the initiative taking the score through to a game point, however the fight of Lash showed through as then starved off numerous game balls to win 13-11 and take the match and the title.
In the men’s final it was a repeat of three other occasions in New Zealand with top seed and world No 89 as well as former world junior champion Rowan Damming of the Netherlands defeating kiwi No 2 and tournament second seed Elijah Thomas.
Thomas ranked 100 tried everything he could on the glass court in Temuka in front of the large supportive crowd as the first game went the way of the top seed 13-11.
The second game was more straight forward in favour of Damming who had an answer to just about every shot from Thomas. However, the New Zealander showed he wasn’t finished yet as he took the third game 12-10 by regaining his length on shots and remaining patient.
In the fourth Damming applied the pressure and forced errors out of a now frustrated Thomas in his seven PSA Challenger final, for two previous titles.
Thomas who has already played in seven nations this year will be looking for his first National Championships title with the tournament in Auckland this week and Paul Coll under an injury cloud.
In the women’s draw Lash will be second seed with Kaitlyn Watts moving into top spot after Joelle King’s injury withdrawal.
Results: Trust Aoraki Midlands PSA
(1) Ella Lash bt (3)Jena Gregory 11-2, 11-1, 13-11 (27 minutes)
(1) Rowan Damming (Netherlands bt (2) Elijah Thomas 13-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5 (58 minutes)