Five for Harrison at Auckland Squash Open
- Dave Worsley
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
A win for a veteran of squash in New Zealand and a victory for one of the best juniors in the world at the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Squash Open.
Former professional Lana Harrison won her fifth Auckland Open title in the women's PSA Satellite tournament in straight games over Hawkes Bay's Jena Gregory using plenty of power in the process.
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Her first title dated back to 2008 there was then a 12-year gap before titles in 2020, 22 and 2023. Harrison won the 2025 title on her 34th birthday as she dominated Gregory with her high-paced and high-intensity play.
Gregory, 21, struggled to get into the match as Harrison gave her no time or space to settle for a 11-6, 11-6, 11-1 victory at the North Shore Squash Club.
With the title Harrison moves past former Commonwealth Games rep, Amanda Landers-Murphy who won four consecutive titles 2011-14.
Other big names to have won the women's title since 2000 include Leilani Joyce, Carol Owens, Shelley Kitchen, Jacqueline Hawkes and Joelle King.
The men's final between the two Malaysian teenagers went the full distance as Harith Danial who turned 19 during the tournament beat Low Wa Sern, 18.
The par had been two of the best juniors in the world of late and proved their worth with Danial taking the title 11-5, 2-11, 16-14, 10-12 10-6.
It was the first PSA Challenger title for Danial who held off his acrobatic countryman in a superb display of squash which bodes well for their futures.
Previous winners of the tournament include Martin Khight, Paul Coll, Campbell Grayson as well as recent Commonwealth Games players Evan Williams, Lance Beddoes and brothers Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe