Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open: Wood and van Niekerk Victorious

Wildcard Cheyna Wood and defending champion Dewald van Niekerk have claimed the titles at the Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open, both winning four games in their respective finals at the Parkview Squash Centre.

Wood was featuring in a Tour event for the first time, and she came through the tournament as the wildcard in the women’s event, and she started off her week with a win over No.7 seed Kimberley McDonald, before then getting the better of Amanda Malinga in straight games in the last eight.

She then defeated No.5 seed Yasshmita Jadishkumar to make it through to the final, where the South African came up against compatriot and No.2 seed Teagan Leigh Roux. Wood lost the first game on a tie-break, but fought back to win the next three to claim victory in her maiden appearance on Tour.

In the men’s event, top seed Dewald van Niekerk successfully defending the title he won in 2021, beating Iranian Sepehr Etemadpoor in a four game battle in the final.

Van Niekerk started his week with a straight games win over Reuel Videler, before then getting the better of Zimibabwean No.1 Blessing Muhwati in the quarter finals of the Challenger 3 level competition. After beating Christo Potgieter in four games in the semis, the South African moved through to the final.

The top seed came up against Etemadpoor, the tournament’s No.3 seed, in the final of the competition, and the pair were level after two games, with both taking one 11-8 each. However, from there it was all van Niekerk, with the South African dropping just ten points across the next two games to secure his first title of the season, and defend the crown he claimed last year.

Results: Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open
Men’s Final
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 (65m)

Women’s Final
[WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt [2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) 3-1: 12-14, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [7] Christo Potgieter (RSA) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 (45m)
[3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) bt [2] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (27m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) bt Mariska Wiese (RSA) 3-1: 8-11, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 (14m)
[WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt [5] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7 (21m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [5] Blessing Muhwati (ZIM) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-8 (21m)
[7] Christo Potgieter (RSA) bt [4] Sami Ghasedabadi (IRI) 3-1: 11-13, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 (37m)
[3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) bt [8] Ruan Olivier (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 15-13, 11-3 (32m)
[2] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt [6] Tristen Worth (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 15-13, 11-5 (24m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) bt [6] Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-2 (9m)
Mariska Weise (RSA) bt Tayla Diepenbroek (RSA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 (16m)
[WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt Awanda Malinga (RSA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-0 (21m)
[5] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) bt [1] Jenny Preece (RSA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 13-11 (27m)

Men’s Round One
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt Reuel Videler (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (29m)
[5] Blessing Muhwati (ZIM) bt Ali Tajahmadi (IRI) 3-0: 11-1, 11-0, 11-1 (12m)
[7] Christo Potgieter (RSA) bt Tayne Turnock (ZIM) 3-0: 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 (23m)
[4] Sami Ghasedabadi (IRI) bt Gary Wheadon (RSA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (32m)
[3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) bt Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 18-16 (58m)
[8] Ruan Olivier (RSA) bt [WC] Hayden Worth (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (24m)
[6] Tristen Worth (RSA) bt Jonny Matthys (RSA) 3-0: 13-11, 11-6, 11-6 (28m)
[2] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt Sahand Kabirjabbari (IRI) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-1 (14m)

Women’s Round One
[2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) bt Jess McDonald (RSA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-1, 11-4 (14m)
[6] Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) bt Elske Garbers (RSA) 3-1: 3-11, 14-12, 11-9, 11-6 (24m)
Tayla Diepenbroek (RSA) bt [8] Bongi Seroto (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 16-14, 11-4 (30m)
Mariska Wiese (RSA) bt [4] Makgosi Peloakgosi (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (22m)
Awande Malinga (RSA) bt [3] Shelomi Truter (RSA) 3-1: 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (28m)
[WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt [7] Kimberley McDonald (RSA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 (21m)
[5] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) bt Savannah Ingledew (RSA) 3-1: 11-6, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6 (31m)
[1] Jenny Preece (RSA) bt Rachel Shannon (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 (23m)