Matewere retains General Alliance Squash title
Top-seed James Matewere seems to have turned the K700 000 General Alliance Insurance National Squash Tournament into a personal asset after winning it for the third successive time with a 3-2 triumph over third-seed Aubrey Taulo in the final on Sunday.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the final at Blantyre Sports Club was not that Matewere has taken the glory, but that he struggled to retain the crown against an opponent he easily beat in straight sets during the 2015 final.
After defeating second-seed Julius Taulo 3-1 in the semi-finals last weekend, it was expected that Matewere could have an easy ride in the final but Aubrey was not a mere pushover as the game was decided after exhausting the entire five sets.
Matewere won the second, fourth and fifth sets 12/10, 11/6 and 11/9, respectively, while Aubrey did it in the first and third sets 11/7 and 11/8, in that order.
“This was the toughest final I have ever played so far,” Matewere admitted after the victory that earned him K80 000 first prize. “Aubrey did not give me too many chances to come back after taking a lead and I am lucky to have emerged victorious.”
On his part, Aubrey, who received K40 000 runner-up prize, congratulated the champion but said he will do his best to snatch the crown next year.
The tournament attracted over 40 male contestants and eight female players. The ladies’ section finals saw Yiwonda Banda beating Christina Yiannakis 3-1.
General Alliance Insurance Limited marketing manager Chiletso Matambo, who was accompanied by Squash Malawi president Jimmy Kawaye and Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) executive secretary George Jana during prize presentation, said they will continue bankrolling the annual competition.
