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New Zealand International Classic 2014
11-15 Jun, Palmerston North, $10k |
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15-Jun, Final:
Knight too strong in NZ Classic final
New Zealand’s Martin Knight has
proved too strong for his Australian opponent Matthew Karwalski
in the final of the Fitzherbert Rowe Lawyers New Zealand
International Squash Classic played at SquashGym.
Knight redeemed himself after finishing runner up in last year’s
tournament where he lost in five sets to Scotland’s Alan Clyne. The
tournament also doubled as the North Island Championships.
Knight was dominant in a three game victory and he got off to a fast
start. He raced away to a 7-1 lead in the first game and by the time
Karwalski woke up, the first set was all over 11–3 in 14 minutes.
Knight was full of energy and put pressure on Karwalski in most
rallies with Karwalski not helping himself with a number of errors.
Knight also picked his moments to unleash some fantastic forehand
winners.
The second game followed much the same pattern as the first. Knight
raced away to a 4–0 lead with Karwalski making more errors
particularly on the backhand side due to Knight’s pressure. At 5-1
the pair played a huge rally which resulted in Knight hitting a
superb forehand winner which seemed to break Karwalski’s spirit.
Knight then powered on to an 8–1 lead in the set. A mini fight back
from Karwalski was too little too late as Knight took the game 11–5
in 13 minutes.
Starting the third, Knight was wary of keeping the pressure up as he
knew Karwalski was fresh having had an easy run through to the
final, whereas Knight had a tough hour long semi-final against Paul
Coll. It was nip and tuck at the start of the third with both
players trading points early on. At three all Knight started to pull
away with a combination of long structured rallies that forced
Karwalski into more errors, particularly on that troublesome
backhand side. All of a sudden, Knight led 8–3 and the title was
within sight.
Knight was not going to let the tournament go now. Three more
Karwalski errors under immense pressure from Knight and the match
was over.
 “I
didn’t think the score line would read that easy and the match was
tougher than it looked. I was really happy with how I played and I
made very few mistakes.
"I was able to build good pressure which ultimately led to Matt
making some errors,” Knight said after the 40 minute match.
“We had contrasting routes to the final and winning my match in
three yesterday against Paul (Coll) was key to keeping enough energy
in the tank for today.”
Knight will miss the next leg of the New Zealand swing of PSA
tournaments in Christchurch but will return for the final tournament
in Invercargill later this month.
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Video Replays
Murrills and Barnett win the North Island Champs |
  New
Zealand Classic 2014
11-15 Jun, Palmerston North, $10k |
Round One
12 Jun |
Quarters
13 Jun |
Semis
14 Jun |
Final
15 Jun |
[1] Martin Knight (Nzl)
11-6, 11-2, 11-1 (33m)
Manoel Pereira (Bra) |
[1] Martin Knight
11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3
[7] Lance Beddoes |
[1] Martin Knight
11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (57m)
[4] Paul Coll |
[1] Martin Knight
11-3, 11-5,
11-4 (40m)
[2] Matthew Karwalski |
[7] Lance Beddoes (Nzl)
11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (26m)
[Q] Tristan Eysele (Rsa) |
[8] Jean-Pierre Brits (Rsa)
6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 13-11 (47m)
Arthur Moineau (Fra) |
Arthur Moineau
12-10, 11-8, 11-7
[4] Paul Coll |
[4] Paul Coll (Nzl)
11-5, 11-2, 11-3 (26m)
[Q] Hannan Tarmidi (Mas) |
Jaako Vahamaa (Fin)
7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9 (42m)
[3] Jan Koukal (Cze) |
[3] Jan Koukal
4-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4
[Q] Kashif Shuja |
[3] Jan Koukal
5-11, 11-1, 8-11,
11-6, 11-3 (36m)
[2] Matthew Karwalski |
[Q] Kashif Shuja (Nzl)
6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 (63m)
[6] Adam Murrills (Eng) |
[Q] Ben Grindrod (Nzl)
11-6, 14-16, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6 (60m)
[5] Matias Tuomi (Fin) |
[5] Matias Tuomi
11-5, 12-10, 11-5
[2] Matthew Karwalski |
[wc] Chris van der Salm (Nzl)
11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Matthew Karwalski (Aus) |
11-Jun, Qualifying Finals:
Tristan Eysele (Rsa) bt Scott Galloway (Nzl)
11/6, 11/4, 11/7 (22m)
Kashif Shuja (Nzl) bt Zac Millar
11/4, 11/5, 11/7 (23m)
Ben Grindrod (Nzl) bt Joshua Greenfield (Nzl)
11/4, 11/6, 11/7
Hannan Tarmidi (Mas) bt Mike Lewis (Usa)
11/7, 11/4, 11/4
11-Jun, Qualifying Round One:
Tristan Eysele (Rsa) bt
Corbin Faint
11/6, 11/2, 11/1 (19m)
Scott Galloway bt Andrew Ellis
11/9, 11/8, 11/9 (24m)
Zac Millar bt Tatu Knuutila (Fin)
11/8, 11/15, 11/8, 11/3 (36m)
Kashif Shuja bt Victor Romero
11/5, 11/5, 11/5 (21m)
Ben Grindrod bt Luke Jones
7/11, 11/1, 11/2, 11/6 (20m)
Joshua Greenfield bt James Skiffington
11/6, 11/5, 9/11, 5/11, 11/3 (34m)
Mike Lewis (Usa) bt Jason van der Walt
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (27m)
Hannan Tarmidi (Mas) bt Max Trimble
12/10, 11/9, 11/2 (24m)
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14-Jun:
Trans-Tasman Final at
International Squash Classic
It will be a New Zealander and Australian clashing in tomorrow’s
final of the Fitzherbert Rowe Lawyers New Zealand International
Squash Classic after Martin Knight and Matthew Karwalski won today’s
semi-finals in contrasting styles.
 The first semi-final saw top seed
Martin Knight take on countryman
and team mate Paul Coll. Knight renowned for his intense play and
ability to play long rallies, ground Coll down over the course of
the match winning a tight three setter, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 in an epic
57 minutes. Knight was out for revenge tonight after going down to
Coll in three sets at the recent Auckland Open.
It was a good result for Knight that shows he is still a notch above
his rapidly improving Commonwealth Games team mate.
 Knight will now face Australian Matthew Karwalski in tomorrow’s
final after Karwalski defeated World number 60 Jan Koukal from the
Czech Republic, 5-11, 11-1, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3 in an incredibly short
36 minutes.
Koukal played a very attacking game and was not
interested in playing long rallies which was in
complete contrast to the Knight and Coll semi-final earlier in the
evening.
Knight will go in to tomorrow’s final with confidence having never
lost to Karwalski in their previous four meetings. The most recent
was in Canada in 2013 with Knight winning three sets to one. In
Karwalski’s favour is the fact that today’s 36 minute match is the
longest he has been on court this tournament. He will be fresher
than Knight who has had a tougher run through to the final.
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Live Streaming,
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13-Jun:
Top seeds through to quarters
The seedings have proved correct at the Fitzherbert Rowe Lawyers New
Zealand International Squash Classic with the top four set to
contest the semi-finals. The quarter finals also saw two of the
kiwi’s progress into the final four with top seed Martin Knight and
fourth seed Paul Coll advancing through.
 In
the first quarter final of the evening, Knight met fellow New
Zealander and training partner Lance Beddoes. Knight
got off to a great start winning the first set but Beddoes came
bouncing back in the second to make it one all. Knight
then got back into his grove and powered away in the third and
fourth sets.
“Lance and I have been playing a lot recently as we are the only two
full time professionals based in Auckland at the moment, that has
its advantages and disadvantages for both players, but it means we
know each other’s game well.” Knight said.
Knight will now meet his other New Zealand team member, Paul Coll
who won a tight three set match against Frenchman Arthur Moineau.
The all New Zealand semi-final is a good result for tournament
promoters as it guarantees a home player in Sunday’s final. Knight
and Coll played each other recently in the Auckland Open final in
which Coll upset Knight three to love.
“Paul was far too good for me that day, I was coming off a slight
injury but no excuses as I was well out played. He has not got his
ranking inside the top 90 by accident,” Knight said of Coll.
 On
the other side of the draw, local hope and qualifier Kashif Shuja
got off to a hot start against Czech Republic player Jan Koukal.
Shuja raced to a two sets to love lead and seemed to be cruising.
Koukal looked sluggish and made a number of errors. In the third
game the momentum changed, Koukal appeared to liven up and still
playing an attacking game eliminated those errors that
hampered him in the first two sets.
Shuja appeared to get frustrated and lost the third and fourth sets.
By this stage the momentum was all with Koukal and a fine display of
shot making in the fifth saw him close it out 11 – 4.
The last quarter final of the night was between Matias Tuomi of
Finland and Australia’s Matthew Karwalski. Karwalski the
tournament’s second seed was dominant throughout the match and
clinched a three set win.
 Karwalski
has been un troubled so far and will go in to tomorrow’s semi-finals
with the freshest set of legs out of the four players, havingspent
less than an hour on court.
“I feel like I am hitting the ball well and moving well, now that I
am 28 I try to conserve myself in the earlier rounds of tournaments
if I have the opportunity to, it can definitely help later on in an
event, “Karwalski said.
Karwalski now meets Koukal in the second semi-final and the two have
never played before.
“I watched a bit of his (Koukal) game tonight and he is a very
relaxed player, there is a rumour that he is carrying an injury but
that will still not make him easy to beat, we all carry niggling
injuries at this level.”
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Live Streaming,
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Live Streaming,
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12-Jun:
Four Kiwis through to quarters
 Motivation
for the Fitzherbert Rowe Lawyers New Zealand International Squash
Classic has not been hard to come by for Palmerston North based
Kashif Shuja.
Shuja was forced to qualify for the event yesterday and was drawn
tonight against sixth seed Adam Murrillis (England). After a slow
start in the first set, Shuja ramped up the pressure in the next
three to win his first round in four sets.
“I wasn’t concerned about the result in the first set, I just wanted
to push Adam around the court and wait for the ball to slow down.
When it did I was able to step in and attack”, Shuja said after his
sixty three minutes on court.
“I have really been preparing myself for this event on my home
courts and it is great to play an International event in front of
friends and my supporters.”
Shuja will now meet third seed and one of the tournament favourites
in the final eight, Jan Koukal of the Czech Republic. Koukal
was surprisingly pushed to five sets by Finland’s Jaakko Vahamaa
winning 11 – 9 in the decider.
Koukal comes to Palmerston North having played in tournaments all
over the world and already has three wins this year in Brazil,
Canada and recently in Australia.
 Top
seed and last year’s runner up Martin Knight was not troubled
in his opening round clash against Brazilian visitor Manoel Pereira
winning three straight sets in a thirty three minute tune up. Knight
now faces his fellow Commonwealth Games team member Lance Beddoes,
who was just as un-troubled against South African Tristan Eysele.
Beddoes won in three in twenty six minutes.
 Fourth
Seeded Kiwi Paul Coll continued the good night for the New
Zealanders defeating qualifier Hannan Tarmidi from Malaysia in three
sets. Coll’s win meant four New Zealanders are through to the last
eight.
The only home player not to make it through was qualifier Ben
Grinrod. Grinrod went down in a gutsy five setter to Finland’s
Matias Tuomi in what was one of the matches of the night.
All eyes though in tomorrow’s quarter finals will be on the home
town hero Shuja and Czech visitor Koukal. Their last meeting was in
Prague in 2012 at Koukal’s home club.
The roles will be reversed tomorrow and Shuja will also be looking
to change the 2012 result as Koukal came out victorious that day.
The other quarter finals see an all Kiwi clash between Martin Knight
and Lance Beddoes, Arthur Moineau meets Paul Coll, and Australian
second seed Matthew Karwalski plays Matias Tuomi.
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Live Streaming,
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Live Streaming,
Replays and updates |
11-Jun:
Qualifying complete in Palmerston North
 Top
local hope and former top 40 PSA ranked Kashif Shuja showed
his skill and experience to book a place in the main draw at the New
Zealand International Squash Classic at Palmerston North tonight.
Shuja was clinical in beating countryman Zac Millar in straight
games and will be hoping for a kind draw tomorow. He will be joined
by fellow New Zealander Ben Grindrod who dispatched the home
club’s other local hope former full-time pro Josh Greenfield in a
tight 3 games.
Grindrod who hails from the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand
showed his improvement and time well spent recently
training in England.
The two New Zealanders were joined by qualifying top seed Tristan
Eysele who was too sharp for New Zealand junior Scott Galloway,
winning 3–0 in 22 mins, while Malaysia’s Hannan Tarmidi
showed he will be no push-over either with a good performance in
beating USA’s Mike Lewis, also in straight games.
Round One
 The morning's first round of Qualifying went the way of seeds - top
seed, South African Tristan Eysele beat local junior Corbin
Faint in straight games, while on court opposite, fellow New Zealand
junior player Scott Galloway edged past countryman and PSA
journeyman Andrew Ellis, also in 3 games.
Earlier home town favourite and 2012 Classic champion Kashif
Shuja beat clubmate and former Mexican Davis Cup player Victor
Romero in 21 mins. Romero, a new convert to squash after a
professional tennis career, made his PSA debut as a local player.
New PSA member Zac Millar also from New Zealand beat the
higher seeded Tatu Knuutila from Finland in a tough 4 setter.
In the later matches, New Zealander Ben Grindrod beat local
junior Luke Jones in 4 games, USA’s Mike Lewis beat another
local Jason van der Walt, 3 games to 0 in 27mins. In the closest
match of the round former top 100 PSA member and local Josh
Greenfield made a welcome return to tournament squash after 3
years and beat the higher seeded New Zealander Jamie Skiffington in
5 sets, while in the final match of the round, second qualifying
seed Hannan Tarmidi from Malaysia, beat another New Zealand
junior Max Trimble also in 3 games. |
Live Streaming, Replays and updates
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