NZ Nationals

New Zealand Nationals 2006
01-03 Sep, Christchurch

03-Sep, Finals:
[2] Callum O'Brien (Waikato) bt [1] Kashif Shuja (Auckland)
9/2, 3/9, 9/7, 9/7 (70m)
[1] Shelley Kitchen (Northland) bt [2] Jaclyn Hawke (Otago)
9/1, 9/0, 9/7

Kitchen & O'Brien take NZ titles
Gary Denvir reports ...

Shelley Kitchen and Callum O'Brien have been crowned champions at the New Zealand National Squash Championships in Christchurch.

Kitchen celebrated a climb to number 12 in the world rankings this week, with a straight games victory over Jaclyn Hawkes in the final. The kiwi number one looked set for a comfortable victory after dropping just one point in the opening two games, but an incident early in the third seemed to stir Hawkes into action. The second seed bled profusely after being hit in the face, but somehow managed to fight to a 7-6 lead, before Kitchen bounced back to close out the match 9-7.

Meanwhile, it was third time lucky for Waikato's O'Brien in the men's draw. O'Brien lost both the 2004 and 2005 finals to Remuera clubmate Shuja, but in 2006, the second seed turned the tables, beating Shuja in a thrilling final lasting 70 minutes.

02-Sep-06:
Kitchen & Kashif on
course in Christchurch
Gary Denvir reports ...

Shelley Kitchen and Kashif Shuja remain on target to defend their respective titles after day two of the New Zealand National Squash Championships in Christchurch.

Kitchen breezed into the final of the women's event, dropping just two points in the quarterfinals against Wellington's Jenny Gearing, before cruising past Waikato teenager Joelle King 9-2 9-2 9-4 in the semis. The world number 12 will face Otago's Jaclyn Hawkes in the title decider, with the second seed dropping three points in a quarterfinal demolition of Auckland's Kerry Wicket, before edging out New Zealand teammate Louise Crome in four.

Shuja also had few problems in reaching the final of the men's draw. The kiwi number one downed Auckland's Graeme Wilson in straight games in the quarterfinals, to set up a potentially tricky semifinal against Campbell Grayson. The pair met in the final of the Central Open in New Plymouth last weekend, with Shuja winning in a five game thriller. However, Grayson couldn't repeat his heroics in Christchurch, pulling out with a thigh injury while trailing two games to love. Shuja will face Waikato's Callum O'Brien in the final. O'Brien's through after clawing his way back from 2-1 down in his semifinal against Auckland's Josh Greenfield, winning 9-1 in the fifth.

Men's Semifinals
1. Kashif Shuja (Auckland) bt 4. Campbell Grayson (Auckland)
     9-4 9-3 injured
2. Callum O'Brien (Waikato) bt 3. Josh Greenfield (Auckland)
     8-9 9-6 8-9 9-4 9-1
Quarterfinals
1. Kashif Shuja (Auckland) bt Graeme Wilson (Auckland)
     10-8 9-3 9-3
4. Campbell Grayson (Auckland) bt Martin Knight (Wellington)
     9-10 6-9 9-6 9-6 9-1
3. Josh Greenfield (Auckland) bt Scott Gardiner (Canterbury)
     9-5 9-0 9-5
2. Callum O'Brien (Waikato) bt Jared Conning (Auckland)
     9-7 9-2 9-5

Women's Semifinals
1. Shelley Kitchen (Northland) bt 4. Joelle King (Waikato)
     9-2 9-2 9-4
2. Jaclyn Hawkes (Otago) bt 3. Louise Crome (Auckland)
     10-8 9-0 7-9 10-8
Quarterfinals
1. Shelley Kitchen (Northland) bt Jenny Gearing (Wellington)
      9-0 9-0 9-2
4. Joelle King (Waikato) bt Sally Hawkes (Auckland)
      9-2 9-5 3-9 9-1
3. Louise Crome (Auckland) bt Kylie Lindsay (Waikato)
      9-5 9-2 9-2
2. Jaclyn Hawkes (Otago) bt Kerry Wickett (Auckland)
     9-0 9-2 9-1

Callum O'Brien

Day One Over in Christchurch
Gary Denvir reports ...

There have been no major upsets on day one of the New Zealand National Squash Championships in Christchurch.

The top four seeds in both the men's and women's draws are safely through to the quarterfinals, with defending champions and title favourites Kashif Shuja and Shelley Kitchen leading the charge.

Shuja has cruised through his opening two matches, brushing aside Waikato's Mark Dunwoodie 9-1 9-0 9-0 first up, before crushing Canterbury's Grant Craig 9-0 9-0 9-1.

Kitchen has also made light work of her day, notching up a 9-0 9-1 9-2 victory over Wellington's Emma Millar, before cruising to a 9-1 9-3 9-4 win against Vicki Beker from Bay of Plenty.

Results:

Men
First Round
1. Kashif Shuja (Auckland) def Mark Dunwoodie (Waikato) 3-0
Grant Craig (Canterbury) def Nigel Lloyd (Auckland) 3-2
Paul Tuffin (Canterbury) def Chris Lloyd (Waikato) 3-0
Graeme Wilson (Auckland) def Josh King (Wellington) 3-0
Martin Knight (Wellington) def Alistair Preston (Canterbury) 3-0
Shane Johnston (Wellington) def Kent Darlington (Canterbury) 3-0
Corey Love (Wellington) def Chris McEldowney (Central) 3-1
4. Campbell Grayson (Auckland) def Robbie Wyatt (Waikato) 3-0
3. Josh Greenfield (Auckland) def Greg Johnston (Canterbury) 3-0
Tim Preston (Canterbury) def Matt Taylor (Auckland) 3-1
Scott Gardiner (Canterbury) def Paul Bedford (Bay of Plenty) 3-0
Sam Atkins (Wellington) def Brent Lewis (Northland) 3-0
Jared Conning (Auckland) def Adrian Mennell (Southland) 3-0
Michael Bill (Waikato) def Nick Duckett (Wellington) 3-2
Kade Atkinson (Canterbury) def John Bentley (Auckland) 3-0
2. Callum O'Brien (Waikato) def Clark Ellery (Canterbury) 3-0

Second Round
1. Kashif Shuja (Auckland) def Grant Craig (Canterbury) 3-0
Graeme Wilson (Auckland) def Paul Tuffin (Canterbury) 3-0
Martin Knight (Wellington) def Shane Johnston (Wellington) 3-0
4. Campbell Grayson (Auckland) def Corey Love (Wellington) 3-0
3. Josh Greenfield (Auckland) def Tim Preston (Canterbury) 3-0
Scott Gardiner (Canterbury) def Sam Atkins (Wellington) 3-0
Jared Conning (Auckland) def Michael Bill (Waikato) 3-0
2. Callum O'Brien (Waikato) def Kade Atkinson (Canterbury) 3-1

Women
First Round
1. Shelley Kitchen (Northland) def Emma Millar (Wellington) 3-0
Vicki Beker (Bay of Plenty) def Karen Walton (Canterbury) 3-0
Kathryn Austin (Bay of Plenty) def Alana Sincock (Otago) 3-0
Jenny Gearing (Wellington) def Michel Galloway (Bay of Plenty) 3-0
Sally Hawkes (Auckland) def Jess Wilson (Wellington) 3-0
Nadine Cull (Waikato) def Tanya Colyer (Bay of Plenty) 3-1
Tracey Flux (Auckland) def Larissa Stephenson (Auckland) by default
4. Joelle King (Waikato) def Katrina Palmer (Canterbury) 3-0
3. Louise Crome (Auckland) def Alison Wilson (Wellington) 3-0
Shayle Higginson (Canterbury) def Amanda Cranston (Central) 3-2
Tracy Walker (Bay of Plenty) def Mickayla Kerr (Wellington) 3-1
Kylie Lindsay (Waikato) def Natasha Fowles (Auckland) 3-0
Kerry Wickett (Auckland) def Theresa Simons (Waikato) 3-0
Paula Darlington (Central) def Shona Kaio (Waikato) 3-0
Jackie Laurenson (Central) def Lana Harrison (Auckland) 3-0
2. Jaclyn Hawkes (Otago) def Cherie Fletcher (Canterbury) 3-0

Second Round
1. Shelley Kitchen (Northland) def Vicki Beker (Bay of Plenty) 3-0
Jenny Gearing (Wellington) def Kathryn Austin (Bay of Plenty) 3-2
Sally Hawkes (Auckland) def Nadine Cull (Waikato) 3-0
4. Joelle King (Waikato) def Tracey Flux (Auckland) 3-0
3. Louise Crome (Auckland) def Shayle Higginson (Canterbury) 3-0
Kylie Lindsay (Waikato) def Tracy Walker (Bay of Plenty) 3-0
Kerry Wickett (Auckland) def Paula Darlington (Central) 3-2
2. Jaclyn Hawkes (Otago) def Jackie Laurenson (Central) 3-0

Shuja & Shelley set to
defend NZ National titles
Gary Denvir reports

Kashif Shuja and Shelley Kitchen will defend their titles at the New Zealand National Squash Championships in Christchurch this weekend.

Shuja heads into the tournament in superb form, having won two of the three PSA World Tour events in New Zealand this month, the Bay of Plenty and Central Opens.

His main rivals for the title are expected to be Callum O'Brien, Josh Greenfield and Campbell Grayson. Grayson has already given the kiwi number one a run for his money in the last few days, pushing Shuja to five games in the final of the Central Open in New Plymouth.

Kitchen is the red hot favourite to retain the women's title, in a draw which includes all four of the New Zealand women's team who head to the World Championships in Canada next month.

Team-mates Jaclyn Hawkes, Louise Crome and Joelle King are all seeded to make it through to the semi-finals.

Kitchen, having won in Whakatane and Auckland in the last weeks, comes into the tournament in good form.

"I won both titles in three, but I would not say they were comfortable wins by any means. I mean, I did not drop a game, so it looked like it was easy, but it wasn't really.

"But I have so many tournaments every year now that you don't really spend much time thinking about the last one.

"Even if I don't win in Christchurch it is just going to be 'oh well', then off to the British Open."

"To be honest I would actually like the New Zealand nationals to be later in the year because right now I would prefer to be in England preparing for the British Open.

"It is not an ideal lead into it, because I only get a week before the Open starts."

to the New Zealand Herald

Kashif Shuja

Men's Seedings:

1. Kashif Shuja (Auckland)
2. Callum O'Brien (Waikato)
3. Josh Greenfield (Central)
4. Campbell Grayson (Auckland)

Women's Seedings:

1. Shelley Kitchen (Northland)
2. Jaclyn Hawkes (Otago)
3. Louise Crome (Auckland)
4. Joelle King (Waikato)

The first round is on Friday.