A strong field will assemble at the Devoy Squash and Fitness Centre in Tauranga this weekend to contest the Pak n Save Bay of Plenty Open squash tournament. This is the pinnacle tournament on the Bay Squash calendar, and also doubles as a PSA Satellite event where world ranked players compete to gain points and move up the rankings.
The men’s draw includes an impressive 17 A grade players, and is led by top seed Evan Williams who is currently ranked 102 in the world. Evan is a regular visitor to Tauranga and has taken out the local event 3 times in the past. “Tauranga is a great squash location. New complex and knowledgeable, friendly members. Great to catch up with friends and looking forward to playing the best of the Bay.”
Promising BOP junior Glenn Templeton is also hoping for a good weekend as he builds towards the World Junior Champs in Malaysia in July. “Having such a good draw at my local club is great as it means I get the kind of matches I need to take the next step in my game” said the 9th seed.
World number 148 Emma Millar from Hamilton heads the women’s draw which boasts a number of top juniors eager to topple the defending Champion. “I am looking forward to playing at Devoy again, it always feels like a home club after spending a couple of years training there with Kylie Lindsay. Defending a title always makes it interesting – and working towards gaining world ranking points adds a little more incentive”.
The event caters for all levels of player from beginner to expert, and has attracted 160 entries from around the country. Matches start Thursday night (23 May), and run through until Sunday afternoon. Entry is free and the bar and kitchen will be open all weekend for spectators to come and enjoy some of NZ’s best squash talent.
The full draws can be found on the Devoy Squash Website, or in iSquash