Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games representative Rex Hedrick and Birmingham bound athlete Jess Turnbull have been crowned Australian National champions after an epic finals showdown at Darwin Squash Centre today.
After four action packed days, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games debutant Jess Turnbull took out the women’s title, with Gold Coast 2018 team member Rex Hedrick crowned men’s champion.
Turnbull faced fierce competition in the Open Women’s final, matching up against Gold Coast 2018 gold medalist Donna Lobban.
Turnbull came out firing, winning the first game, a lead which she managed to hang on to for the rest of the match, finishing with a 3-0 win (11-7, 11-7, 11-7)
Turnbull said she was honoured to have won her first Australian National Championships Open title.
“I’m stoked - this is a massive, massive deal for me,” Turnbull said.
“I was able to combat some of her [Donna’s] trickier shots and was really happy to get through it in three games.
“She’s such a high calibre player so I’m so happy to get the win,” she said.
Turnbull added that the title gives her an added confidence boost, with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games just over 30 days away.
“This was a really good lead in event, having Donna, Rach [Grinham], Sarah [Cardwell] and all the younger girls all here.
“Hopefully by the time the World Games and Commonwealth Games rolls around we’ll all be ready to fire.
“I’m pretty excited to get over there and get stuck in, representing your country is all you want to do as an athlete.
“Being able to do that in Birmingham for the first time ever is exciting, and actually my first senior national team was this year.
“2022 has been massive for me, and all my dreams are set to come true in the coming months,” she said.
It was a replay of the 2021 Australian National Championships Open Men’s final, between Rhys Dowling and Rex Hedrick.
Returning to his home court in Darwin, and with the support of a home crowd, Dowling was eager to impress.
Despite a third game comeback from Dowling, Hedrick was able to grind it out to claim his second Australian National Championships Open title in a row, winning 3-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-7).
“It was a good, clean match - we both played pretty good squash and I’m happy to come out as the winner,” Hedrick said.
“The first game was pretty crucial, I think. I got up 11-9 which kind of set the tone to be able to go on with it from there.
“It’s always a good moment winning Australian Nationals, it’s something I think I’ll look back on later on and be even more proud, but it’s still a good feeling right now,” he said.
In the U23 competition, Queenslander Nicholas Calvert and 2022 WSF World Junior Championships squad member Sophie Fadaely maintained an unbeaten streak to take out top honours.
In a tough final match to decide the U23 winner, Calvert met fellow Queenslander David Turner, ending in a 4-game thriller, a feat that Calvert was very happy to have conquered.
“It was a very tough match, we [Dave and I] had very busy schedules - we had four matches in two days so I think both of our legs were a bit dead,” Calvert said.
“It was a bit of a grind, and it took a while to get it done but I’m happy to get it done in four [games].
“In the U23s I was undefeated, and I was happy I was able to do that - all in all I’m happy with the weekend,” he said.
U23 National Women’s champion Fadaely said the overall win was a great result for her, after some tough matches this tournament against some of Australia’s best squash juniors.
“I’m feeling really good - that was a great result for me at this tournament,” Fadaely said.
“It was a tough match today against Pascale, full credit to her I was lucky to get away in three really.
“It could have gone either way really, she played well so I’m glad to get the win.
“I didn’t think it would happen [being the U23 National Champion] so I’m stoked,” she said.
Squash Australia would like to congratulate all the winners of the 2022 Australian National Championships.
Open Men - Rex Hedrick (VIC)
Open Women - Jess Turnbull (QLD)
U23 Men - Nicholas Calvert (QLD)
U23 Women - Sophie Fadaely QLD)
Premier Men - Brad Freeme (QLD)
Men’s A Grade - Doug Black (NT)
Women’s A Grade - Clare Slyth (WA)
Men’s B Grade - Henry Siviour (NT)
Women’s B Grade - Naomi Ireland (NSW)
Men’s C Grade - Isaac Belford (NT)
Women’s C Grade - Hayan Kim (QLD)
For full results - click here