Cape Town – Dewald van Niekerk will chase a remarkable sixth consecutive title when he heads the men’s field at the Growthpoint SA Senior Nationals squash championships in Cape Town from August 20 to 22.
The SA Country Districts star has not been beaten at the championships since 2020, when he lost to Rodney Durbach in Pretoria. He claimed his first national title the following year and has since gone from strength to strength.
Last year, Van Niekerk surpassed Steve Coppinger’s record of four successive titles, set from 2010 to 2013, and he will now be aiming to extend his remarkable reign on the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront.
However, the championships promise fascinating contests in both the men’s and women’s divisions, with the country’s leading players facing strong challenges from experienced campaigners and ambitious younger contenders.
In the women’s draw, defending champion and six-time winner Alex Commins has not entered, leaving Eastern Province No 1 Hayley Ward as the top seed.
Ward, one of South Africa’s leading international players, has finished runner-up for the past two years and will open her campaign against Western Province’s Kim McDonald.
The second seed is Northerns’ Helena Hudson, who has impressed in the Assore tournaments this year. She faces SA Country Districts No 7 Keschia Schlebusch.
Third seed and 2021 champion Lizelle Muller, also representing SACD and Van Niekerk’s sister, takes on Northerns’ Lara Patrick, while fourth seed Alexa Pienaar faces Western Province’s Milnay Louw.
That could prove one of the most intriguing opening-round encounters, with both players possessing considerable experience on the national stage. Pienaar is a former University Sport SA champion, while Louw lifted the national title in 2017 and 2019.
In the men’s section, Van Niekerk’s biggest threats are likely to come from the Groenewald brothers, Damian and Luhann, who are seeded second and third respectively.
Damian pushed Van Niekerk to five games when the pair met at the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan interprovincial tournament in July, underlining his ability to challenge the champion.
He begins his campaign against fellow Northerns player Judah Phillips, who has enjoyed an impressive season and will relish the opportunity to test himself against one of the country’s leading players.
Luhann Groenewald, meanwhile, is regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest young prospects, but faces a demanding opening assignment against 2019 champion JP Brits.
The other first-round encounter sees fourth seed John Anderson of Joburg Squash take on Eastern Province’s Dean Venter, another emerging player who has been working hard to take his game to the next level.
With Van Niekerk chasing a sixth successive crown and Ward aiming to convert two years of runner-up finishes into a national title, the stage is set for three days of high-quality squash in which every point could prove crucial.
Estienne de Klerk, Group CEO of Growthpoint Properties, said they were excited to provide players with this opportunity.
“The Growthpoint SA Senior National Squash Championships brings together the very best of South African squash, from established champions to the next generation, showcasing the depth of talent in South African in this sport,” he said.
“Growthpoint is proud to provide Space to Thrive by supporting a championship that gives these athletes a national stage on which to compete at their best.”
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town has again thrown its support behind the championships, with Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith highlighting the importance of the event.
“The City of Cape Town is proud to continue its support for the Growthpoint SA Squash Nationals in 2026,” Smith said.
“It has been both a privilege and a point of pride for the City to serve not only as the host city, but as a valued partner in delivering one of the premier events on the national squash calendar.
“The championships have become an important platform for raising the profile of squash while creating opportunities to develop the country’s most talented athletes.”
The V&A Waterfront is also looking forward to hosting the tournament for the sixth consecutive year, head of public relations Donald Kau said.
“The Growthpoint SA Nationals tournament continues to bring incredible energy to our neighbourhood while showcasing the V&A Waterfront as a destination for world-class experiences,” Kau said.
“Sport has a unique way of bringing people together, and this event creates an opportunity for visitors, families and squash enthusiasts to enjoy the excitement of top-level competition in an open and welcoming environment.
“We are excited to host the tournament again this year, not only to celebrate sporting excellence but also to invite people to connect, engage and experience all that our neighbourhood has to offer.”
The Growthpoint Junior Nationals U15 championships will be played at the same time.
The Senior Nationals first round draw is:
Women
1-Hayley Ward (EP) v Kim McDonald (WP), 2-Helena Hudson (Northerns) v 7-Keschia Schlebusch (SA Country Districts), 3-Lizelle Muller (SA Country Districts) v 6-Lara Patrick (Northerns), 4-Alexa Pienaar (SA Country Districts) v 5-Milnay Louw (WP).
Men
1-Dewald van Niekerk (SA Country Districts) v 8-Reuel Videler (SA Country Districts), 2-Damian Groenewald (Northerns) v 7-Judah Phillips (Northerns), 3-Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) v JP Brits (SA Country Districts), 4-John Anderson (Joburg Squash) v 5-Dean Venter (EP)
The U15 Nationals draw is:
Girls
1-Chanel Leppan (Northerns) v 8-Kaitlin Saaiman (Free State), 2-Kimeya Moonisami (KZN) v 7-Aakiefah Taliep (WP), 3-Simi Shwababa (Border) v 6-Janel Hall (EP), 4-Mia Bakkes (Northerns) v 5-Jenna-Leigh Wyllie (WP).
Boys
1-Ponatshego Molefe (Joburg Squash) v 8-Emile Erasmus (Northerns), 2-Rupert Good (WP) v 7-Phethahatso Motsoeneng (Limpopo), 3-Zaid Badroodien (WP) v 6-Keeran Morrison (EP), 4-Zander Smit (Boland) v 5-George Hung (Free State).
