North West’s Christo Potgieter successfully defended his national men’s and mixed doubles titles at the Tswalu SA national tournament hosted by the Johannesburg Country Club courts.
Partnered by Alwyn Venter, also of North West, Potgieter defeated Alan McGuigan and Daniel Smith from Pietermaritzburg in straight games, 11-6 11-8.
Potgieter and Venter dominated play in the first game, leading 5-1 and 9-4 before clinching the game at 1-6. Points seesawed until 8-all in the second game but the Midlands’ pair were unable to make a breakthrough, eventually succumbing 11-8.
The more experienced Cheyna Tucker and Milnay Louw combined to outplay the University of Johannesburg pairing of Kacey Leigh Dodd and Alexa Pienaar 11-8 11-4 in the women’s final.
Dodd and Pienaar ran up a 7-4 lead in the first game but were unable to sustain the pressure, losing the next seven consecutive points to the superior placings of Tucker and Louw.
In the mixed final defending champions Potgieter and Louw raced through the first game 11-3 against Michael Wood and Tucker.
The second game provided tense squash with points even until 7-all when Potgieter and Louw edged to a 9-7 lead.
Tucker and Louw regained the hand-in and held a game point at 10-9 but athletic retrieving by Potgieter levelled the score at 10-all and soon the match was clinched at 11-10.
Picture of the victorious (from left to right): Tucker, Louw, Potgieter and Venter courtesy of Jeffrey Shulman