DONNELLY ON A ROLL

BEST FORM SO FAR: Willz Donnelly stretches to make a shot. Donnelly is coming off his highest finish at the New Zealand squash nationals. He took fifth place in the open men’s division, improving on his eighth placing at last year’s event. Picture supplied

SQUASH

Willz Donnelly believes he’s playing the best squash he’s ever played, after his highest finish at the New Zealand senior nationals.

The 19-year-old finished fifth overall in the open men’s division after coming into the competition seeded 10th.

“It was the best I’ve played; I’m really happy with how I performed,” he said.

Donnelly beat the seventh seed, Anthony Lepper, in the round of 16 in a five-set thriller in which he came back to win the last three sets (7-11 9-11 11-9 12-10 11-7).

It was his first victory against Lepper in three years.

Unfortunately for the Gisborne squash prodigy, Donnelly came up against the second seed and tournament runner-up, Lwamba Chileshe, in the quarterfinals and lost in three sets (11-4 11-4 14-12).

He was able to bounce back in his final game, the fifth/sixth playoff, to get his first win against ninth-seeded Joel Arscott (9-11 12-10 11-8 11-5).

“Don’t get me wrong, I was wanting to take the whole thing out. But, I’m really happy with the games I did win and to have some upset wins.”

The competition — the biggest event on the national squash calendar — is “the one you want to peak for”, Donnelly says.

Last year he placed eighth, and he says his game has improved a lot since then.

“I want to use this platform to thank my friends, family and everyone else who supports me, especially my parents.”