Top seeds take out Central Open

Content supplied by: Squash Central

Lana Harrison (pictured in white) and Allan Bailey took out their respective titles in the Janes Gallery-sponsored Central Open Squash tournament on the weekend.

Held at New Plymouth’s Kawaroa Park Squash Club, Bailey had to fight for his title when he competed against local Max McDonald.

Bailey looked in trouble during the men’s open final going down one game with the second very tight.

McDonald withdrew during the game because of injury, giving Bailey his title.

The Men’s Open match for third and fourth turned out to be the match of the tournament with a huge battle between Braedyn Henderson of Matamata Squash Club and Lana Harrison of Henderson Squash Club in Auckland. 

With several of the games going into overtime it came down to the fifth game and a lot of referee decisions for Harrison to come out the victor looking somewhat exhausted after playing six high level matches over the weekend as she played in both the men’s and women's draws. 

While Harrison had to settle for third in the men’s, after losing to McDonald in give sets in the men’s draw, her run in the women's was easier as she dominated the field with only New Plymouth’s Tamsyn Leevey, ex commonwealth games star, challenging and taking a game from Harrison in the women's final. She was unable to stop her taking the title in four games.

Other division winners were:

Men’s Div 1- James Matthews (Hawera)

Women’s Div 1- Tanissha McNeil (Edgecumbe)

Men’s Div 2 - Shandon Scott (Whanganui)

Women’s Div 2 - Emily Braithwaite (Reporoa)

Men’s Div 3 - Logan Terrill (Kawaroa Park)

Women’s Div 3 - Lorinda McKay (Kawaroa Park)

Men’s Div 4 - Connor Gracie (Reporoa)

Women’s Div 4 - Aimee Brewster (Whanganui)

Men’s Div 5 - Scotty Payne

Women’s Div 5 - Natalie Hall (Reporoa)

Men’s Div 6 - Craig O’Sullivan (Kawaroa Park)

Women’s Div 6 - Arnika Watson (Kawaroa Park)

Men’s Div 7 - Braith Kalin (Kawaroa Park)

Women’s Div 7 - Bailee Riddick (Kawaroa Park)

A huge thank you to the amazing organisers for another well run tournament and to the sponsors Janes Gallery and Subway.