THURSDAY, 13 AUGUST 2026
BOTHA SPRINGS UPSET AT GROWTHPOINT JUNIOR SQUASH NATIONALS
- Cracking start to Growthpoint Squash Junior champs at V&A Waterfronts Makers Landing in Cape Town
V&A Waterfront, Makers Landing, Cape Town: Eden player Ruan Botha produced one of the most notable upsets on the opening day of the Growthpoint South African Junior Nationals squash championships when he defeated second seed Logan Kidson of Northerns in Cape Town on Thursday.
With the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront taking centre stage, South Africa’s leading U17 and U19 players showcased their skills as the qualifying rounds got under way.
The U17 and U19 divisions will continue until Saturday, setting the stage for the Growthpoint Senior Nationals and U15 championships, which will be held from August 20 to 22.
Thursday’s winners advance to the top-four playoffs, which will be played on a round-robin basis to determine the national champions, while the losers will contest the fifth-to-eighth playoffs.
Most of the results went according to the seedings, but Botha’s victory over Kidson was one of the day’s standout results.
In the final U19 boys’ match, fifth-seeded Eastern Province player Benji Newman also produced an impressive comeback, overcoming fourth-seeded Boland player Joel Rix 3-1 after dropping the opening game.
Another significant result came in the boys’ U17 division when sixth seed Ross Smorfitt (Eden) took out third seed Dewan Borstlap (Northerns) 3-1.
Botha was in control for most of his encounter with Kidson, winning 11-5 11-7 11-7, and said afterwards that his focus had been on keeping things simple.
“I felt if I played well I would have a chance, so it was all about trying to keep it tight down the wall and do the basics,” said Botha, who has been involved in squash for as long as he can remember.
Newman and Rix were involved in an entertaining opening game, with both players covering every corner of the court before Rix claimed it 11-6.
But Newman stuck to his game plan and, drawing on his recent experience at the World Junior Championships in Canada, kept his composure to take the next three games 11-5 11-5 11-5.
The U19 women’s section produced the closest match of the day when fourth-seeded Dane Meintjies of Boland eventually outduelled fifth seed Tara Neville-Smyly of Western Province in five games.
After a titanic third game went Neville-Smyly’s way 13-11, Meintjies found herself trailing 2-1 but regrouped impressively, dropping just eight points in the final two games to win 11-2 and 11-6 and secure her place in the top-four playoffs.
Top seeds Starla Phillips (U17) and Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (U19), both from Northerns, avoided any major upsets, although Free State’s Keira Huang pushed Phillips hard before going down 3-0.
Christian Swanepoel of Eden in the U17 boys’ division and Northerns’ Juan-Corne Brand in the U19 men also negotiated their opening matches comfortably to book places in the top-four playoffs.
The qualifying round results were:
U17
Girls: 1-Starla Phillips (Northerns) bt 8-Keira Huang (Free State) 3-0 (11-8 12-10 11-6), 2-Kate van Biljon (Border) bt 7-Lala Masinga (Joburg Squash) 3-0 (11-8 11-7 11-6), 4-Chelsey Cameron (KZN) bt 5-Shannon Render (Northerns) 3-0 (11-8 11-5 11-9), 3-Rylee Howells (KZN) bt 6-Genevieve Lang (WP) 3-1 (11-13 11-5 11-1 11-2).
Boys: 1-Christian Swanepoel (Eden) bt 8-Mathew McKenzie (KZN) 3-0 (11-5 11-4 13-11), 7-Ruan Botha (Eden) bt 2-Logan Kidson (Northerns) 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-7), 6-Ross Smorfitt (Eden) bt 3-Dewan Borstlap (Northerns) 3-1 (9-11 11-7 11-3 11-7), 4-Cobus Schimper (Free State) bt 5-Milton Posthumus (WP) 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-8)
U19
Women: 1-Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) bt Emma Hill (EP) 3-0 (11-0 11-3 11-5), 2-Brianna Robinson (Joburg Squash) bt 7-Hanrie Duits (Eden) 3-0 (11-5 11-5 11-2), 3-Makayla Naidoo (KZN) bt 6-Benedette van Tonder (Free State) 3-0 (11-4 11-3 11-1), 4-Dane Meintjies (Boland) bt 5-Tara Neville-Smyly (WP) 3-2 (11-9 5-11 11-13 11-2 11-6).
Men: 1-Juan-Corne Brand (Northerns) bt 8-Luan van Zyl (Eden) 3-0 (11-7 11-1 11-4), 2-Joseph Feast (WP) bt 7-Bandile Mahaye (KZN) 3-0 (11-0 11-2 11-8), 3-Thomas Boutall (WP) bt 6-Dean Katzin (Free State) 3-0 (11-3 11-4 11-5), 5-Benji Newman (EP) bt 4-Joel Rix (Boland) 3-1 (6-11 11-5 11-5 11-5).
Ends.
FREE TO USE PICTURES WITH CAPTIONS
Ruan Botha1: Seventh seed Ruan Botha of Eden caused a notable upset when he defeated second seed Logan Kidson of Northerns 3-0 in the boys’ U17 section on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday.
Ruan Botha2: Seventh seed Ruan Botha of Eden caused a notable upset when he defeated second seed Logan Kidson of Northerns 3-0 in the boys’ U17 section on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday.
Starla Phillips: Top seed Starla Phillips of Northerns won her opening match when she defeated eighth seed Keira Huang of Free State 3-0 in the girls’ U17 section on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday.
Kate van Biljon: Second seed Kate van Biljon of Border won her opening match when she defeated seventh seed Lala Masinga of Joburg Squash 3-0 in the girls’ U17 section on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday.
Dane Meintjies: Fourth seed Dane Meintjies of Boland won her opening match when she defeated fifth seed Tara Neville-Smyly 3-2 in the girls’ U19 section on the opening day of the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday.
Photo Credits: Gallo Images/Petri Oeschger
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