Adnaan Mohamed
Groenewald Brothers Shine
The Growthpoint Nationals in Cape Town served up rallies of grit and guile on Friday, with Dewald van Niekerk and Alex Commins keeping their championship bids firmly in play, while the Groenewald brothers showed that the future of South African squash is already pressing hard at the glass.
Defending champion Van Niekerk, the man who has ruled the domestic court for nearly half a decade, fended off 19-year-old Luhann Groenewald in a semifinal that was as much a passing-of-the-torch preview as it was a title bout.
The Northerns teenager swung with courage and stamina, but Van Niekerk’s control and precision were like a player who always finds the perfect length after eventually wearing his opponent down 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 in 37 lung-busting minutes.
That victory sets up a repeat final against Luhann’s elder brother Damian, who played the immaculate straight drive to sink former champ JP Brits 3-0.
The 21-year-old held his nerve, showing patience and placement, while forcing the 34-year-old into wild, risky shots. It was the kind of disciplined squash that announces a player not just chasing the ball, but chasing greatness.
On the women’s side, Commins gave a ruthless reminder of why she once climbed to 22 in the world rankings. Playing with the sharpness of a volley kill, she dismantled Kim McDonald 11-2, 11-3, 11-3, conceding only eight points in a flawless display. For Commins, every outing is about raising the bar higher:
“You just have to find a way to get the job done. You can’t relax against anyone.” Tomorrow, she meets Hayley Ward, who justified her top seed with a commanding 3-0 victory over Teagan Russell, injecting pace and aggression at every opening.
Beyond the senior spotlight, the juniors added fresh bounce to the tournament. KZN’s top seed Rylee Howells tightened her grip on the U15 girls’ crown with back-to-back wins, while the boys’ U15 division is heading for a nail-biting finish, with all four contenders locked at one win apiece—Saturday’s final matches will decide who stands tall when the dust settles.
With Van Niekerk chasing a record fifth title, Commins hunting her sixth, and the Groenewald brothers showing the sport’s next chapter is already on court, the Growthpoint Nationals are shaping up like a rally that just keeps getting bette with each point harder, faster, and more thrilling than the last.
Friday’s results were:
Seniors
Women – Semifinals
1-Hayley Ward (EP) bt 4-Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash) 3-0 (11-3 11-6 11-5), 3-Alex Commins (WP) bt 7-Kim McDonald (Northerns) 3-0 (11-1 11-1 11-6)
Pool 5-8
Helena Hudson (Northerns) bt Lara Patrick (Northerns) 3-1 (11-4 11-13 11-2 16-14), Alexa Pienaar (SACD) bt Shelomi Truter (SACD) 3-0 (11-6 11-8 11-8), Alexa Pienaar (SACD) bt Helena Hudson (Northerns) 3-0 (11-4 11-9 11-5), Lara Patrick (Northerns) bt Shelomi Truter (SACD) 3-0 (11-3 11-9 14-12).
Men – Semifinals
1-Dewald van Niekerk (SACD) bt 4-Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) 3-0 (11-3 11-8 11-9), 2-Damian Groenewald (Northerns) bt 3-JP Brits (SACD) 3-0 (11-8 11-3 11-4).
Pool 5-8
John Anderson (Joburg Squash) bt Luke van Vuuren (SACD) 3-1 (11-5 9-11 15-13 14-12), Reuel Videler (SACD) bt Jonty Matthys (SACD) 3-2 (9-11 11-9 10-12 11-2 11-9), John Anderson (Joburg Squash) bt Jonty Matthys (SACD) 3-0 (11-9 11-1 11-6), Reuel Videler (SACD) bt Luke van Vuuren (SACD) 3-1 (10-12 11-7 11-8 11-9)
U15– Girls: Pool 1-4 – Rylee Howells (KZN) bt Jasmaine Rust (Free State) 3-0 (11-1 11-4 11-7), Genevieve Lang (WP) bt Alyssa Arcangeli (Northerns) 3-0 (11-8 11-5 11-8).
Pool 5-8 – Nhlalala Masingi (Joburg Squash) bt Mienke Stander (Boland) 3-0 (11-6 11-6 11-9), Faatima Packery (EP) bt Hanja Gildenhuys (Eden) 3-2 (11-5 11-7 10-12 10-12 11-2).
Boys– Pool 1-4 -Liam Fehrsen (EP) bt Ashton Burger (EP) 3-2 (9-11 11-4 11-7 3-11 11-9), Codey Abrahams (Eden) bt Zander Smit (Boland) 3-1 (11-3 9-11 11-8 11-4).
Pool 5-8- Milton Posthumus (WP) bt Tiaan Goosen (Northerns) 3-1 (11-4 9-11 11-6 11-4), Jeremy John (KZN) bt George Hung (Free State) 3-0 (11-9 12-10 11-4).
