THURSDAY, 06 AUGUST 2026
TOP JUNIORS SET FOR GROWTHPOINT SQUASH SHOWDOWN
- Northerns pair Janse van Rensburg, Brand head U19 seedings
- Two scintillating weeks of Growthpoint Squash action to be staged at V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
V&A Waterfront, Makers Landing, Cape Town: South Africa’s leading young squash talent will battle for national honours when the Growthpoint Junior National Championships take centre stage at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from August 13 to 15.
Hosted by the City of Cape Town, the prestigious tournament will be played on the all-glass court at Makers Landing, where the country’s best U17 and U19 players will compete for the national titles in one of the highlights of the junior squash calendar.
Heading the seedings in the premier U19 divisions are Northerns stars Elzandri Janse van Rensburg and Juan-Corne Brand, both of whom have already established impressive reputations on the national junior circuit.
Janse van Rensburg enters the tournament as the player to beat after winning the girls’ U17 title in both 2024 and 2025. Having dominated that age-group, she now steps up to the U19 division, where she will be aiming to continue her remarkable run of success.
Brand is equally familiar with championship success, having claimed the boys’ U17 national crown in 2024. Now competing in the top junior age group, he will be looking to add the U19 title to his growing list of achievements.
Despite their top billing, both players know there will be little margin for error, with several talented challengers eager to upset the favourites over the three-day tournament.
In the girls’ U19 competition, Janse van Rensburg opens her campaign against Eastern Province’s Emma Hill, while second seed Brianna Robinson of Joburg Squash meets Hanrie Duits of Eden.
Third seed Makayla Naidoo of KwaZulu-Natal faces Benedette van Tonder of Free State, and Boland’s Dane Meintjies takes on Tara Neville-Smyly from Western Province in what promises to be another closely contested quarterfinal.
The boys’ U19 draw is equally competitive. Brand starts against Eden’s Luan van Zyl, while second seed Joseph Feast of Western Province plays Bandile Mahaye from KwaZulu-Natal.
Western Province’s Thomas Boutall meets 2025 U17 champion Dean Katzin of Free State, while one of the most intriguing opening-round contests features fourth seed Joel Rix of Boland against Eastern Province’s Benji Newman, who will be looking to make a deep run in the tournament.
The U17 divisions also promise high-quality competition.
Northerns’ Starla Phillips tops the girls’ draw and opens against Keira Huang of Free State, while Border’s Kate van Biljon faces Lala Masingi of Joburg Squash. KwaZulu-Natal’s Rylee Howells meets Western Province’s Genevieve Lang, and Chelsey Cameron (KZN) takes on Shannon Render (Northerns).
In the boys’ U17 section, Eden’s Christian Swanepoel is the top seed and begins against Mathew McKenzie of KwaZulu-Natal. Logan Kidson and Dewan Borstlap, both from Northerns, are also among the leading contenders, while Free State’s Kobus Schimper completes the top four seeds.
The players will first compete in a qualifying round, with the winners going into the top four for the round-robin phase to decide the overall winner, and the losers contesting positions 5-8.
With national titles on the line and many of the country’s brightest young players eager to make their mark, another exciting chapter in South African junior squash is expected to unfold on the spectacular all-glass court at Makers Landing.
Following the Growthpoint Junior National Championships the Growthpoint SA Squash Nationals will at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from August 20 to 22.
Girls
U17
Qualifying round: 1-Starla Phillips (Northerns) v 8-Keira Huang (Free State), 2-Kate van Biljon (Border) v 7-Lala Masingi (Joburg Squash), 3-Rylee Howells (KZN) v 6-Genevieve Lang (WP), 4-Chelsey Cameron (KZN) v 5-Shannon Render (Northerns).
U19
Qualifying round: 1-Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) v 8-Emma Hill (EP), 2-Brianna Robinson (Joburg Squash) v 7-Hanrie Duits (Eden), 3-Makayla Naidoo (KZN) v 6-Benedette van Tonder (Free State), 4-Dane Meintjies (Boland) v 5-Tara Neville-Smyly (WP).
Boys
U17
Qualifying round: 1-Christian Swanepoel (Eden) v 8-Mathew McKenzie (KZN), 2-Logan Kidson (Northerns) v 7-Ruan Botha (Eden), 3-Dewan Borstlap (Northerns) v 6-Ross Smorfitt (Eden), 4-Kobus Schimper (Free State) v Milton Posthumus (WP).
U19
Qualifying round: 1-Juan-Corne Brand (Northerns) v 8-Luan van Zyl (Eden), 2-Joseph Feast (WP) v 7-Bandile Mahaye (KZN), 3-Thomas Boutall (WP) v 6-Dean Katzin (Free State), 4-Joel Rix (Boland) v 5 Benji Newman (EP).
Ends.
FREE TO USE PICTURE WITH CAPTION
Elzandri Janse van Rensburg: Elzandri Janse van Rensburg will be looking to make an impact when she competes in the Growthpoint Junior Nationals squash championships on the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from August 13 to 15.
Photo Credit: Petri Oeschger
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