Yarrawonga junior Tom Saddler and Benalla local Greg Murphy claimed the division three title at the Master Junior Squash Tournament in Melbourne.
The Master Junior Squash Tournament, run by the Victorian Masters Squash Association in Melbourne, had a Benalla flavour this year, with local player Greg Murphy teaming up with junior Tom Saddler to take out the division three title on May 31.
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Murphy, the master, and Saddler, a Yarrawonga junior that competes in the Benalla competition under the tutelage of his coach and mentor, his father Adam Saddler, competed at the unique one-day tournament at Westerfolds Squash Club in Templestowe.
The gruelling annual event sees an under-22 ‘junior’ pair up with an over-35 male or over-30 female ‘master’, competing against other pairs across a full day of action, with each round consisting of the master facing the opposing master, the two juniors squaring off, and a doubles contest to finish.
Murphy and Saddler each went unbeaten across all of their singles matches, while only losing one doubles match together to claim the division three crown, a fair effort considering there are 11 divisions across the tournament, which saw 88 participants travel from as far as Mildura and Leeton to compete.
While it is no doubt a competitive event, with the Victorian Masters Squash Association each year selecting a junior female and junior male “Master’s Apprentice” each year, both of which receive a $400 cash prize, there is also a more practical side, with the VMSA running the tournament to give up-and-coming juniors, such as Saddler, a sense of what playing the game for fun is like and how the social side of the sport is just as important.
