Suari, Vai clinch finals at PNG Squash Open

By MELTON PAIS
Madako Suari Jr maintained his standing as the country’s No.1 men’s player after defeating Michael Rucklinger 3-0 in the Moni Plus Papua New Guinea Squash Open final in Port Moresby over the weekend.
Suari — the 2015 Pacific Games gold medallist — had too much fire power for Western Highlands’ Rucklinger, eventually winning
Suari — who coaches junior squash players at the Port Moresby Racquets Club — won 11-1, 11-2, 11-3.
His victory puts him in the box seat to secure a spot in the national squash team for next year’s Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.
In the women’s division, Lynette Vai beat the Nicole Gibbs 3-0 in the final.
Vai, who won gold at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, easily accounted for Gibbs to push her claims for a spot in the national squash team.
Vai is based in Melbourne but she made time available for the tournament.
Sauri, Rucklinger, Vai and Gibbs were among a strong field of competitors at the tournament which started on Friday and ended yesterday.
PNG Squash Rackets Federation president Eli Webb had earlier said that the tournament would be used develop the sport in the country and identify players for the Pacific Games.
According to Webb, the tournament attracted more than 60 squash athletes from Kokopo, Lae, Mount Hagen, Goroka, Port Moresby and Australia.