Knight ends early at South Island Champs

An injury has wrecked Martin Knights title bid at the South Island Championships in Invercargill

Disappointment for top seed Martin Knight at the South Island Squash Championships in Invercargill.

The top seed's title chances evaporated on court today, when he injured himself in the final.  Knight suffered a calf strain in the third game of a riveting match against fellow touring professional Campbell Grayson and was unable to continue.  At the time, the two players were locked at one game apiece and an epic battle was unfolding.

Knight says when the injury occurred he wasn't sure what had happened.

"I thought Campell had hit me because my calf hurt in two places, but then I realised he was in front of me.  I actually played the next shot okay because my weight was on my left foot but as soon as I tried to move onto my right I knew something wasn't right".

Knight expects the injury to keep him sidelined for up to a month.  He will see a physio tomorrow, but is almost certain he has torn his calf muscle.

"I'm hoping for the best, but planning for the worst" he said.

Knight is currently on a break from the PSA World Tour, but a busy domestic schedule is now up in the air.  He will miss an exhibition match with Grayson in Whangarei this week and is almost certainly out of the Wellington Open at the weekend.  The North Island Championships the following weekend are also in doubt.

Meanwhile, there was no such drama in the women's draw, with top seed Joelle King claiming the title with consummate ease.  The world number 13 was far too good for Auckland's Rachel McLeod in the final, winning 11-3, 11-5, 11-4.  King did not drop a game for the duration of the tournament.

Results...
Men
Semifinals
1)Martin Knight (Auckland) def 4)Shaun Madden (Southland) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
2)Campbell Grayson (Auckland) def 3)Lance Beddoes (Auckland) 11-13, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8
Final
2)Campbell Grayson (Auckland) def 1)Martin Knight (Auckland) 5-11, 17-15, 2-6 Knight injured

Women
Semifinals
1)Joelle King (Waikato) def 4)Tanya Colyer (Southland) 11-2, 11-2, 11-5
2)Rachel McLeod (Auckland) def 3)Holly Donnelly (Auckland) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3
Final
1)Joelle King (Waikato) def 2)Rachel McLeod (Auckland) 11-3, 11-5, 11-4

Full draw/results...http://www.squashcity.co.nz/