Friday night saw more outstanding squash and great sportsmanship from players in the ANSA McAL-sponsored Lucozade Handicap Tournament, being held at the Georgetown Club on Camp Street.
Nicholas Verwey
Four matches were played in the Open category as the competition heated up. Deje Dias (-15), in his usual do-or-die style, took on the up-and-coming Mohryan Baksh (0), who showed great improvement in his approach and execution of various shots. In the first game, Baksh made a valiant bid and reached 14 points, but couldn’t quite push the last, as the long rallies took their toll.
Both players had come out to win, but the experience and will of Dias dominated the second game, which he finished 15/5 to graduate to the semi-finals on Saturday.
Nicholas Verwey continued his winning streak by overcoming Johnathan De Groot in a tight match. The outstanding play of Verwey pitted against the flair of De Groot had made for exciting viewing, with both athletes covering the court and hitting tight shots, but rising star Verwey closed off both games with the close scores of 15/14 and 15/13.
The lone girl left in the Open category, Abosaide Cadogan (0), faced Gianni Carpenter (-2) in a three-game thriller that went down to the last point. Cadogan came from behind at 9/6 to win the first game 15/13, but fell in the next game 15/8. The decider came point for point down to the wire at 14/14, when Cadogan put a low drop into the tin and Carpenter took the victory.
The final match of the evening was between Nicholas Narain (-15) and Samuel Ince-Carvalhal (-11). It was another close encounter, and the tight first game went to Narain 15/14. Both players were patient, hit to target, and showed unrelenting fitness, but Narain pipped the younger Ince-Carvalhal to the post in the first, and went on to win the second 15/9.
In the Category ‘A’ Plate, Joshua Verwey played a smooth game to defeat Teija 15/7, 15/9; and Lajaun Munroe (5) outplayed Angel Rahim (9) 15/10, 15/6, each to ensure their shot at the finals on Sunday.
The final matches begin at 11:30hrs on Sunday.
Results
Open
Deje Dias (-15) defeated Mohryan Baksh (0) 15/14, 15/5
Nicholas Verwey (-10) defeated Johnathan Degroot (6) 15/14, 15/13
Gianni Carpenter (-4) Abosaide Cadogan (-2) 13/15, 15/8, 15/14
Nicholas Narain (-15) defeated Samuel Ince-Carvalhal (-11) 15/14, 15/9
Category A Plate
Joshua Verwey (3) defeated Teja Edwards (7) 15/7, 15/9
Lajauan Munroe (5) Angel Rahim (9) 15/10/15/6
