ALEX FULLER REIGNS AT SQUASH NATIONALS
Cape Town’s Alex Fuller claimed her fifth national title by winning the 2024 Growthpoint SA Nationals Squash Championships.
Fuller knocked off Port Elizabeth’s Hayley Ward in four games at the recently concluded championships held at the V&A Waterfront.
With the win, the 30-year-old added to the titles she won in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022.
“It is special to win again after last winning in 2022 and it’s a different feeling now because I don’t have the same expectations I felt on the pro tour,” said Fuller.
“Hayley’s play has improved so much, and we had a good match in the Growthpoint Interprovincial so I knew it would be tough.”
Fuller, the top seed competing, saw off the challenge from Ward, eventually establishing control to win 11-5 9-11 11-7 11-6.
A member of the Rondebosch-based WPCC Squash Club, Fuller has represented Western Province 10 times at the senior level and has represented South Africa at the World Juniors, World University Games, and the Women’s World Team Champions.
RECORD-BREAKING
In the men’s championship final, Dewald Van Niekerk delivered a masterclass of patience and shot control to defeat Damian Groenewald from Pretoria.
Van Niekerk holds the title for the last four years having won in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
He equaled a record held by KwaZulu-Natal’s Steve Coppinger, who was the champion from 2010 to 2013.
“It does feel pretty good because Steve was a top player on the pro circuit so to equal his record is awesome. I think I will be back next year to see if I can get another one,” said Van Niekerk.
Van Niekerk’s opponent’s skill was also impressive.
“I always knew it would be a hard one because Damian is such a difficult player who looks to attack a lot of the time, so it was a matter of trying to focus on my game plan and stick to that.”
All of Van Niekerk’s victories at the Growthpoint SA National Squash Championships over the last four years have come in Cape Town which has been home to the tournament since 2020.
With an all-glass squash court at the V&A Waterfront’s centre court, the athletes put on an exhilarating show for fans over three days.
Fans will also get more squash action this coming weekend when the u15,u17, and u19 players take to the glass court from 15-18 August 2024.
