Squash: Teen showing talent to emulate King's success

Rhiarne Taiapa will be Hawke's Bay's big hope in the under-15 section of the national junior squash championships in Napier next week. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Rhiarne Taiapa's squash coach Joel Le Comte has labelled her a future Joelle King ... if she wants to continue to put in the work.

"Like Joelle she thrives on the physical side of the game and hits a firm ball," Le Comte said comparing his 13-year-old Havelock North Squash Club clubmate he has coached for five years with the Kiwi professional who reached No5 on the world rankings last year and was a gold and silver medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

"I'm predicting Rhiarne to be knocking on the door of New Zealand Junior World team selection in 2017 and making it in 2019," Le Comte said.

Should the Hastings Intermediate School Year 8 student achieve her long-term goal it will be because she has bought into one of Le Comte's staunch beliefs.

"No Facebook and no texting on the morning of a match ... no electronics full stop. If you do that you aren't switched on to the upcoming match," Le Comte said.

"I'm happy with that and it seems to be working," Taiapa said.

Taiapa will get another gauge where she is at in her quest when she competes in the national junior championships in Napier next week. Despite having only recently turned 13 she will be among the top four seeds in the under-15 age group.

"I want a top three finish," Taiapa said.

She has played the top seed Anna Hughes of Auckland once before and was beaten in straight sets.

The youngest open women's grade winner in her club championships, Taiapa, has had the ideal buildup to the nationals.

She won the Eastern Junior Open title and this month finished second at the AIMS tournament in Tauranga when beaten 3-1 by Kaitlyn Watts of Palmerston North in the final.

The B2 graded Taiapa was the only "out of town" winner when she won the under-15 title at the recent Wellington Junior championships.

She trains for 90 minutes a day five days a week and has sacrificed netball to spend more time on the squash court.

"I'm more into individual sports than team ones," Taiapa said.

She is eyeing a career as a squash development officer.

"I want to encourage more kids into the sport. When I was at AIMS a lot of my mates who knew nothing about squash came and watched me in the final and saw squash for the first time. They were impressed by the sport ... it won't be a hard game to sell," Taiapa said.

She smiled when informed of the comparison between her and King.

"Yes, she's my hero. Joelle is so strong on the court and she has a cool personality."

The individuals section of the nationals, which begin on Thursday, October 3 and continue until the following Sunday, will involve 216 players and five age groups - under-19s, under-17s, under-15s, under-13s and under-11s.

The Hawke's Bay and Hawke's Bay Lawn clubs will be used.

Auckland 15-year-old and A2 grader Elle Epke will attempt to retain her under-19 girls title. Her Eden Epsom clubmate Hayley Hughes is the second seed.

Waikato A grader Zac Millar will aim for a second consecutive under-19 boys title. His toughest competition is expected to come from Wellington 15-year-old Scott Galloway and Aucklander James Cooper.

Taiapa will play No2 for the Eastern girls team in the teams section of the nationals which begins on Monday, October 7 and ends the following Wednesday. Last year she played for the Eastern team which finished sixth and Taiapa said the team will aim for a top five finish this year.