Squash: King hits out with new freedom

Joelle King will be one of several New Zealand reps in action at the Havelock North Open this weekend.

Havelock North Open Squash

Former world No4 Joelle King is relishing her new status on the international squash scene.

"Now I'm 53rd ranked I'm a free goer. It's quite different from when I was a top-10 or a top-five player ... the only expectations on me are from myself," King said on the eve of her second assault on the Havelock North Open this weekend.

King's rankings dropped during the nine-month spell she had while she recovered from an Achilles tendon operation last August. This month's British Open, where she reached the quarterfinals, was her first international event back after four build-up tournaments in New Zealand.

"If anyone had told me before I went to Britain I was going to reach the quarterfinals I would have been pretty happy."

King, 26, of Waikato, will be the top seed in the women's open division and the seventh seed in the men's open division of this weekend's 100-player event which is also a New Zealand Super 8 and Professional Squash Association tournament. Last year she only competed in the men's open division and finished fifth.

"I'm just pretty happy to be back playing. I'm so lucky the operation was perfect," she said.

"I haven't set any goals for this weekend. Both draws will be tough so I will take one game at a time and if I can raise the level in each one I will be happy ... getting matchplay and raising the level is the priority."

King's next international event will be in August.

"I'm lucky there will be plenty of opportunities including the North Island and national championships to play in before then."

Earlier this week, she was struggling to readjust to the New Zealand time zone after returning home from Britain on Monday. It was obvious King had to get back into the swing of international travel again.

However, she should have recovered by the time she takes the court tomorrow.

Fellow New Zealand rep, Bay of Plenty's Amanda Landers-Murphy, will be the second seed in the women's open division.

Bay of Plenty's Evan Williams, who has won the recent South Australia and South Waikato Opens, will be the top men's seed.

Fellow New Zealand reps, Kashif Shuja, of Palmerston North, and Lance Beddoes, of North Shore, are seeded behind him.

"It's the strongest draw in Squash Eastern's history by far. We've got 16 A graders across the men's and women's open draws and we've got four of New Zealand's top 10 men," tournament director Dean Remihana said.

Auckland-based former New Zealand junior rep Bryce Redman, who is still a member of the Hawke's Bay club, will carry the province's hopes in the men's open division.

Remihana balloted 40 players out and they will get to play in a tournament next weekend.

Hawke's Bay Lawn's Mel Goodchild will be the Bay's top women in action and she will play in men's division two along with Auckland junior Anna Hughes, who will also tackle the women's open division.

The best of the host club players, Jordan Le Comte, is the second seed in men's division two.

Play starts tomorrow night and finals are on Sunday.