McDonald shines as she upsets the second seed in SA Squash Nationals

Cape Town played host to an exhilarating opening day of the SA Squash Nationals on Thursday, as surprise results and commanding performances lit up the courts at the V&A Waterfront.

The standout moment of the day came from seventh seed Kim McDonald, who stunned second seed Alexa Pienaar with a clinical 3-0 victory. McDonald, representing Northerns, completely outplayed her higher-ranked opponent, who struggled to find her rhythm against the aggressive and composed display.

A qualified doctor currently working at a clinic in Siteki, Eswatini, McDonald credited her tactical approach for the win.

“I knew I just had to take my chances,” she said. “The court can be quite dead at the front, and I concentrated on mixing it up while keeping a good length.”

Her victory sets up a tantalising semifinal clash against defending champion Alex Commins from Western Province. The seasoned Commins booked her place with a routine 3-0 win over rising star Lara Patrick, appearing both sharp and focused as she begins her hunt for a sixth national title.

In the men’s division, top seed Dewald van Niekerk began his campaign for a historic fifth consecutive national title with a dominant 3-0 victory over teammate Luke van Vuuren. The Gqeberha native, representing SA Country Districts, produced a composed and powerful performance, underlining his status as tournament favourite.

There was also a breakthrough moment for Luhann Groenewald, the 19-year-old sensation and two-time U19 Growthpoint champion, who delivered a big result by dispatching fifth seed Reuel Videler. The young talent played with maturity and precision, booking himself a place in the semifinals — where a stern test against Van Niekerk awaits.

“That takes a bit of pressure off,” Groenewald said of his win. “I just aim to go out and give it my best against Dewald tomorrow.”

With upsets already unfolding and big names flexing their muscles, the tournament is shaping up for an electrifying finish — and Friday’s semifinals promise even more drama at the heart of Cape Town’s iconic venue.

The outcomes from Thursday’s matches were as follows:

Women’s results:1-Hayley Ward (EP) bt 8-Helena Hudson (Northerns) 3-0 (11-4 11-5 11-8)7-Kim McDonald (Northerns) bt 2-Alexa Pienaar (SACD) 3-0 (12-10 11-6 11-7)3-Alex Commins (WP) bt 6-Lara Patrick (Northerns) 3-0 (11-3 11-3 11-4)4-Teagan Russell (Joburg Squash) bt 5-Shelomi Truter (SACD) 3-1 (11-13 11-9 11-1 11-9).

Men’s results: 1-Dewald van Niekerk (SACD) bt 8-Luke van Vuuren (SACD) 3-0 (11-2 11-2 11-5)2-Damian Groenewald (Northerns) bt 7-Jonty Matthys (SACD) 3-0 (11-3 12-10 11-3)3-JP Brits (SACD) bt 6-John Anderson (Joburg Squash) 3-1 (11-9 6-11 11-8 11-3)4-Luhann Groenewald (Northerns) bt 5-Reuel Videler (SACD) 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-9).