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Dutch Hope van der Heijden Relishing DPD Open - Professional Squash Association - PSA World Tour
Netherlands’ World No.31 Milou van der Heijden will be one of the home favourites in action when the DPD Open Squash takes place in Eindhoven from April 9-14.
The PSA World Tour Gold tournament will host 48 of the best male and female players when they descend on the Dutch city next month to battle it out for the titles.
The tournament will be held at the new DPD headquarters in Eindhoven to mark the grand opening of their new distribution centre and will feature a total prize fund of $212,000 split equally between the men’s and women’s draws. Home hope van der Heijden can’t wait to see squash come back to the Netherlands.
“I’m very pleased,” said Dutch No.1 van der Heijden.
“Obviously for me to play in the event, but also for the Dutch squash fans it is very exciting to have such strong draws in both events. I think it’s going to be a great week.
“Everyone has been talking about it for a while, so it's exciting that it is almost here now.”
The last time a major squash tournament was held in the Netherlands was the 2011 PSA World Championships in Rotterdam and 28-year-old van der Heijden – who resides in Eindhoven – is looking forward to performing in front of her home crowd once again.
“The last time I played a PSA tournament in the Netherlands was qualification of the World Championships in Rotterdam back in 2011, so that is a long time ago. I think this will be completely different, as I now get to play on the glass court in such a great venue.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a great experience and I hope the crowd will get behind me, like other home crowds do at other tournaments.”
Van der Heijden recently captured her biggest PSA title to date after she defeated France’s Coline Aumard in the final of the Annecy Rose Open and she says she is hoping to carry that winning momentum into next week’s tournament.
“Winning at the Annecy Rose was great, I played well during that tournament. That is definitely the momentum I’m trying to keep going. Every tournament is different though, but winning a tournament never hurts your confidence I think.”
The Dutch player will begin her tournament against England’s World No.22 Millie Tomlinson in round one, with van der Heijden getting the better of her English opponent earlier this season at the Oracle NetSuite Open in San Francisco.
“Me and Millie have been playing each other since juniors. We’ve had some battles, so, this time will be no different.
“Millie is strong all around and has been playing well. I will need to be on top of my game and see where it can take me.”
Van der Heijden will be joined in the draw by women's wildcard Tessa ter Sluis and Roshan Bharos, who takes the wildcard spot in the men's event.
Opening round matches of the DPD Open will be played on Tuesday April 9 at a purposely built squash arena at the DPD premises and at Squashtime, a 15-court facility in Eindhoven, which is the home of Dutch National Champion van der Heijden. From April 10-14 all matches will be played on the glass court.
Tickets for the DPD Open are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.
For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook and Instagram or visit the event's website.
Sports return to Tap Seac with Macau Squash Open 2019 - Macau Daily Times
Liu Kwai-chi (right) and Manuel Chan Gassmann
The Macau Squash Open is returning from April 10 to 14 with a strong line-up of athletes from 17 countries and regions competing for the USD50,000 prize and title.
This year’s tournament is the 8th edition and the matches will be part of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Bronze, which is one of the top-ranking tournaments on the circuit.
According to William Kuan Vai-lam, chairman of the organizing committee, the tournament will bring together 48 players from 17 countries and regions, including Egypt, Peru, India, Japan, and Hong Kong.
The line-up includes title defenders and some of the world’s best players. There is Diego Elias, ranked ninth in the world from Peru; Saurav Ghosal, ranked 12 from India; Omar Mosaad, third seed of the tournament; and Yip Tsz-fung, defending champion from Hong Kong.
Also competing for the championship are local athletes Liu Kwai-chi and Manuel Chan Gassmann, invited to the tournament by wild card. The former will face Japanese Satomi Watanabe and the latter Malaysian Ivan Yeun.
The tournament will be staged in two phases: games of the round of 32, 16, and the quarter-finals make the first phase; and the semi-finals and final in the second phase.
The first phase will take place from April 10 to 12 at the Macau Bowling Center in Cotai with free seating, while the semi-finals and final on April 13 and 14 respectively at Tap Seac Square in a tailor made all-glass court.
A carnival will also be held on April 14, which is the date for the final, at Tap Seac Square for the general public. There will be booth games and squash experience. Staff reporter
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Northland sport detail: squash, waka ama, bowls, Kauri Club grant recipients - New Zealand Herald
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Squash results.-
Results from the Junior Quadrangular tournament held in Hamilton between Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland over the weekend.
Northland finished second behind Auckland who won for the tenth consecutive time. This was the best result for a Northland team since they were first involved in the tournament in 2013.
Scores:
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Auckland (17) beat Northland (1)
Northland (11) beat Waikato (7)
Northland (10) beat Bay of Plenty (8)
Waka ama results.-
Finals results from the national secondary schools waka ama competition in Rotorua from March 26-29.
Whangārei Girls' High School:
Under-16 girls - W6 250-metres championship final: 2nd (1:05.02)
Under-16 girls - W6 500m championship final: 4th (2:37.21)
Kaitaia College:
Under-16 girls - W6 250m championship final: 7th (1:07.35)
Dargaville High School:
Under-19 boys - W6 500m plate final: 4th (2:21.54)
Te Kura Taumata o Panguru:
Under-19 girls - W6 500m plate final: 7th
Te Kāpehu Whetū:
Under-19 girls - W6 250m bowl final: 11th
Bowls results.-
Whareora Indoor Bowling Club:
March 27
1st - Alan McFarlane, Eleanor Holt, Paddy Holt, Heather Jaggard - 2 wins, 27 points
2nd - Stuart Smith, Don Tucker, Ian Goffin - 2 wins, 13 points
Open Pairs (March 30):
1st - John Tierney, Lyn Brittain
2nd - Don Simpson, Kia Ward
3rd - Marcel Ruedi, Topsy Wynyard
4th - Dave Ross, Dallas Campbell
Kamo Bowling Club:
Kamo Dairy & Lotto Domestic Drawn Triples (March 21):
1st - Marie Parker, Steve McAdam, Ray Bradley: 3 wins 39 points
2nd - Ron Kilduff, Dave Drummond, Gary Wolfgram: 3 wins 36 points
McLeod Bay Indoor Bowls Club:
Joy at the Bay, Competition Pairs (March 26)
1st - John Thompson and Ineke Buik: 2 wins 1 draw 11/27.
2nd - Graeme Richards and Helen Rozell: 2 wins, 1 loss 13/28.
3rd - Ken Rozell and Barbara Thompson: 2 wins, 1 loss 10/20
TEC - Jack Mortimore and Norma Boland
Dargaville Bowling Club:
Stott A/C Open Triples (March 24):
1st - Monty Stott, Jim Vallance and Steve Mrkusich: 3 wins, 22 ends.
2nd - Diane Klomp, Helen Nevill and Sue Rokstad: 3 wins, 21 ends, 46 points.
3rd - Bryce and Eileen Wyatt and Chris Garea: 3 wins, 21 ends, 41 points.
March 26
1st - Mike, John and William. 2 wins, 16 ends.
2nd - Ray, Lorraine and Roy. 2 wins, 12 ends.
Kauri Club grant recipients.-
Seventeen Northland sportspeople from 10 sporting codes received grants from the Kauri Club, Sport Northland announced yesterday .
Grant applications were assessed by the Northland Sports Talent Development Panel which was made up of representatives from the Far North, Kaipara and Whangārei districts and Sport Northland.
Grants were awarded twice a year and varied in size with the highest being $500. The funding would assist athletes in covering expenses incurred in travelling to events outside the region and overseas.
April 2019 Kauri Club recipients:
Alice McGregor (Whangārei): Karate
Anna Moselen (Whangārei): Squash
Brooke Fraser (Whangārei): Competitive Aerobics
Chay Edwards (Mid North): Inline Hockey
Emilia Finer (Mid North): Swimming
Esdmonde Parangi (Far North): Rugby League
Jessie Taylor (Whangārei): Netball
Kaleb Stevens (Mid North): Tennis
Makayla Templeton (Whangārei): Cricket
Mya Turner (Whangārei): Touch
Nathan Parkes (Whangārei): Cricket
Riley-Jack Vette-Blomquist (Whangārei): Squash
Rongomaiwahine Murphy (Whangārei): Karate
Ryan Townsend (Whangārei): Gymnastics
Te Kauwhata Kauwhata (Whangārei): Surfing
Tyler Jespen (Whangārei): Swimming
Zane Cooper (Mid North): Inline Hockey
Bill Lothian’s Community Sport: Squash, netball, tennis - Edinburgh Evening News
Bill Lothian’s Community Sport in the Evening News, only at your newsagent on Tuesday.
This week features netball finals for two local schools, Corstorphine AC women vets in road race triumph, Dean squash champions, tennis double for Lucia, Heineken champions rugby cup visits the Citadel Youth Centre, Musselburgh Windsor walking footballers, Hearts swimmer Kate is a serial winner, 0rienteer Rachel wins sprint even at British selection races, kick-boxing gold for Wolfpack’s Ciaran, local squash youngsters parade their skills at the Grange club, Leith rugby festival and Meadows tennis open day.
To feature, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 07730 303475.
Please note all photographs welcomed but high resolution (one megabyte?) preferred.
Alan Clyne: Olympic snub inevitable for squash - the Games have gone hipster - HeraldScotland
ALAN Clyne is chuckling quietly when he says that the Olympics have “gone hipster” but he undoubtedly has a point.
Where once the event shone a spotlight every four years on traditional sporting endeavour like weightlifters straining, gymnasts tumbling, and athletes striving to go faster, higher or stronger, in recent times there has been a move towards including more avant-garde disciplines that stretch the interpretation of sport to its very limits.
In a move to “remain relevant to sports fans of all generations” next year’s Summer Games in Japan will see surfing and skateboarding included for the first time, while last month it was announced that in Paris in 2024 there will be medals handed out to break dancers and climbers.
It has meant more frustration for traditional sports like squash that have again been overlooked. Clyne has been one of the leading figures in the Scottish game for more than a decade and has represented his country at three Commonwealth Games. Adding an Olympic appearance to that CV before the 32-year-old retires now looks increasingly unlikely.
“The campaign to get squash into the Olympics is something that has gone on throughout my entire career,” said Clyne. “We believe each time we have a good case to be included but always end up rejected.
Alan Clyne (right)
READ MORE: Meet Scotland's game changers
“There was a lot of positivity ahead of London 2012 and then they decided not to add any new sports which was devastating. Since then, though, it feels like it’s moved further away. It doesn’t seem like it’s on the Olympics’ agenda to include squash.
“I felt that [getting rejected] was inevitable this time. I didn’t have as much positivity ahead of the decision as I maybe had a few years ago. They seem to be moving more towards younger, newer, more hipster sports.
“We feel that squash contains all the Olympic ideals as it’s tough physically and mentally, and played all around the world. But maybe that’s not what they’re going for at the moment.”
Not that squash was desperately craving IOC approval. At elite level, the game is thriving as seen at the recent PSA World Championships in Chicago where men and women equally shared a $1m prize pot. It leaves Clyne feeling positive about the future of the sport.
“I don’t think not being included in the Olympics is to the detriment of squash,” he added. “We’ve got a great sport and we’re building our tour nicely. We’re becoming more innov-ative with glass courts that you can put up anywhere and that’s helping build it as a spectator sport rather than just one that people play rather than watch.”
As well as Chicago, Clyne has played in New York and Pittsburgh already this year. All that globe-trotting would seem to require the patience of an understanding partner but Clyne has no problems on that front given his new wife is Olivia Blatchford, the 2017 US national champion.
Alan Clyne (right)
READ MORE: Gutted Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham re-sets sights on earning further cracks at Champions Cup glory
“It’s lucky that my wife is a squash player too so she’s on the road a lot as well and we sometimes play in the same events which is great,” Clyne said. “At the moment she’s got the US nationals coming up so she’s focusing on that. So we’re in different countries but that’s just the nature of the job.
“I’m going to be based in Edinburgh ahead of the European Team Championships at the start of May which is always a big event for us. It’s going to be a busy few months.”
Clyne, the world No.49, isn’t neglecting the domestic game either. The Inverness-born player won the national championships for the ninth time this month, and will start among the favourites as the Springfield Scottish Squash Open returns to the calendar for the first time in 18 years on Wednesday thanks to the backing of a new sponsor.
“It’s great to have this event back as it’s one I’ve never played in,” he said. “The last time it was held at the Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth in 2001 I travelled down on a coach from Inverness to watch it. I remember [former world No.1] John White playing and that inspired me as someone starting out in the sport.
John White (right)
READ MORE: Forgotten Greens documents Scotland's abandoned golf courses
“It’s great to have it back on the calendar as it’s been a long time coming. Obviously these tourn-aments require prize money to make it a professional event and to attract players so it’s great that Springfield are supporting squash in Scotland and have enabled this event to take place.
“There will be players from all around the world involved, as well as a number of Scottish players who got wildcard spots. So it’s great that people can come to Oriam in Edinburgh to watch our local players taking on some of the world’s leading talents.
“In future I think they’d like to put up a glass court somewhere iconic in Scotland, although the weather might have an influence on that! But the future for the game in this country seems positive.”
School sports: Singapore Chinese Girls' School retain B Div squash title with 4-1 win over Methodist Girls' School - The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - Throughout the Schools National B Division girls' squash final on Wednesday (April 3), a favourite cheer among the Singapore Chinese Girls' School (SCGS) supporters was how their fellow student Rachel Tan "takes no Ls".
The chant proved both catchy and prophetic as the 16-year-old never looked like losing as she easily beat Methodist Girls' School (MGS) captain Michelle Lai 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 to secure the gold medal for her team.
Hers was the fourth match which clinched the tie at the Kallang Squash Centre before teammate Waverly Wu defeated MGS' Gabrielle Chong 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 to complete the overall 4-1 scoreline.
SCGS also won last year's final by the same margin.
Rachel, who is SCGS' vice-captain, pumped her fist and grinned at her supporters after winning her match. She ended the season with a perfect record from her eight matches.
"I was very happy because it's my last year in SCGS and I wanted to end it on a good note," she said. "I was nervous because it was the final, but I just told myself to do my best and forget everything else."
There was also added motivation for the SCGS team this year, as they were runners-up to the same opponents in the C Division competition two years ago.
And they begun strongly as SCGS captain Lim Yu Xuan and Hanaan Khaleel Hussein Abo Al Thinin both won their respective singles ties 3-0 to give the defending champions a 2-0 lead.
MGS' Cheyenne Mah halved the deficit after she overcame Felicia Ong 11-6, 11-8, 11-6, but it proved a short reprieve.
SCGS captain Yu Xuan, 16, acknowledged there was pressure to retain their title.
But she coped with those nerves by focusing on each point in the match instead of the raucous crowd, whose cheers after every point drowned out the voice of the marker announcing the score.
Her MGS counterpart Michelle, 15, rued her jittery start. She said: "I know I started off really badly, so I had to calm myself and think because my brain was like TV static... I gradually managed to calm myself down, but it wasn't in time."
This was MGS vice-captain Erin Chan's first B Division match this year after recovering from a torn elbow ligament and, while it ended with a loss, she was not disheartened.
The 15-year-old said: "I should be sad because it's our last year and I want to win, but I feel so proud after watching my teammates play and watching them each break their own mental barriers in squash.
"It's the friendship that will last... If I look back on this year, I wouldn't really care that I won or lost, I would care more that my team and I had so much fun together."
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