First Round Qualifying Results from NZ Classic

Results from the first round of the New Zealand International Classic are in, with four Kiwi winners to celebrate.

Devoy Squash & Fitness's Ben Grindrod was the first Kiwi through to the qualifying final, beating Australia's Rohan Toole in three sets to get there.  Zac Millar and Chris Lloyd both won all-Kiwi battles in four sets to set up a meeting with each other in the qualifying final later on Wednsday.  Millar won a New Zealand Junior Open final rematch with Chris van der Salm; while Herne Bay's Chris Lloyd beat SquashGym Palmerston North local hope Regan Smith.

SquashGym Palmerston North's Matt Nation gave the home club something to cheer about, winning the longest match of first round qualifying.  Nation beat West Australia's Tim Cowell (ranked 218 in the world) in a gruelling five set match to progress to the qualifying final.

Other Kiwis in action were Andrew Ellis (beaten 3/1 by Adrian Leanza of the USA) and Tom Nash (beaten 3/2 by Finland's Jaako Vahamaa).

Qualifying finals will be played later on Wednesday evening.

Qualifying Round One Results

Ben Grindrod (NZ) beat Rohan Toole (Australia) 11 – 5, 11 – 1, 11 - 8
Wojtek Nowisz (Poland) beat David Clegg (Australia) 11 – 4, 11 – 5, 11 - 5
Zac Millar (NZ) beat Chris van der Salm (NZ) 11 – 9, 11 – 8, 5 – 11, 11 - 1
Chris Lloyd (NZ) beat Regan Smith (NZ) 11 – 5, 11 – 6, 8 – 11, 11 - 6
Adrian Leanza (USA) beat Andrew Ellis (NZ) 8 – 11, 11 – 6, 11 – 4, 11 - 6
Matt Nation (NZ) beat Tim Cowell (Australia) 11 – 4, 15 – 13, 6 – 11, 4 – 11, 11 - 9
Jaako Vahamaa (Finland) beat Tom Nash (NZ) 12 – 14, 4 – 11, 11 – 8, 13 - 11, 11 - 5
Pablo Rawden (England) beat Jason van der Walt (NZ) 11 -4, 11 – 3, 11 - 4