Hayley Ward and Dewald van Niekerk lead the charge into the semi-finals as former champions return and a new generation of squash stars make their mark.
Cape Town, South Africa (21 August 2026) – The Growthpoint SA Senior Nationals got off to a lively start in Cape Town, with top seeds Hayley Ward and Dewald van Niekerk among those booking their places in Friday’s semi-finals.
The action played out on the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront, where the country’s top squash players were pushed through some seriously competitive opening-round battles.
For Van Niekerk, the tournament is about more than simply making the next round. The SA Country Districts player is chasing an unprecedented sixth consecutive Growthpoint men’s title, and his campaign is still firmly on track.
There was also a welcome return to the Nationals for former champions Lizelle Muller and Milnay Louw.
Muller (photographed in the title image), the 2021 champion and Van Niekerk’s older sister, marked her return to the tournament after last competing in 2022. She initially found herself under pressure against Northerns sixth seed Lara Patrick, who edged the opening game 12-10.
But the experienced Muller gradually found her rhythm, taking control of the middle of the court and turning the match around to claim a 3-1 victory.
“It’s always good to be back at Growthpoint Nationals. I have missed it for a few years, and it’s amazing to be back.”
The mother of four has been balancing her return to competitive squash with family commitments, but clearly still has plenty left in the tank.
Another comeback caught the eye as fourth seed Alexa Pienaar overturned huge deficits against Louw. Pienaar fought back from 10-4 and 10-8 down in the opening two games to take both before eventually closing out a four-game win.
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The 20-year-old had to dig deep against 2019 champion and coach JP Brits, who raced through the opening game 11-4. Groenewald, who plays with an unusual double-handed style, responded with a determined fightback to secure his place in the last four.
“My brother just told me to get the ball past him and stay tough.”
Western Province seventh seed Aakiefah Taliep produced one of the day’s biggest upsets, recovering from a one-sided opening game to beat second seed Kimeya Moonisami of KwaZulu-Natal in four games.
With the semi-finals now set, the leading players will be back on court on Friday.
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