Cape Town – KwaZulu-Natal’s Makayla Naidoo bounced back from an early defeat to Brianna Robinson, delivering an outstanding performance at the Growthpoint SA Junior Nationals squash championships held in Cape Town.
On Friday, 14 August 2026, Naidoo triumphed over Northerns’ top seed Elzandri Janse van Rensburg in a thrilling U19 matchup.
Playing on the all-glass court at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront, Joburg Squash’s Robinson showcased her resilience in a morning match against Naidoo, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to clinch the pivotal game with a 3-2 victory.
Although Robinson appeared on track for a straightforward winner with a two-game lead, Naidoo fought back fiercely to level the match at 2-2.
Feeling confident at the start, Robinson acknowledged that she lost some focus and precision during the third game, allowing Naidoo’s aggressive play to shift the balance.
“In those critical moments, it’s essential to remain composed,” she commented. “I aimed to refocus and tighten my shot length, knowing Makayla could take advantage of any loose play.”
Robinson’s strategy proved effective as she quickly surged to an 8-3 lead in the final game. Despite Naidoo’s determined efforts to recover, the Johannesburg player secured the match.
Nevertheless, Naidoo refused to let her earlier disappointment sidetrack her quest for the national title and responded impressively against Janse van Rensburg.
Facing a 2-1 deficit, Naidoo demonstrated remarkable resilience and shot-making prowess to bring the match back to parity.
With the momentum shifting in her favor, Naidoo surged ahead in the final game.
Janse van Rensburg, a two-time Growthpoint U17 champion, struggled to find her rhythm as Naidoo took commanding control, wrapping up the last game with a score of 11-3.
The U19 men’s category also featured an exciting match between Western Province teammates Joseph Feast and Thomas Boutall, where Feast emerged with a hard-fought 3-1 victory.
Feast’s initial game win of 11-4 provided little indication of the tightly contested matches that followed, with only a few points separating the players in the subsequent games.
Boutall equalized the match by claiming the second game 11-9, but Feast regained his lead with a narrow 12-10 victory in the third.
With both players tirelessly covering the court, easy points were hard to come by.
Ultimately, Feast secured a crucial 9-8 advantage in the fourth game with a brilliant corner volley, boosted by two contentious stroke calls against Boutall that led to his victory.
Top-seeded Northerns player Juan-Corne Brand faced a tough match when Eastern Province’s Benji Newman took the first game.
However, Brand made a strong recovery, winning the next three games to keep his title hopes alive.
The Growthpoint U17 and U19 national champions will be determined on Saturday when the final matches take place at Makers Landing.
Friday’s results included:
U17
Girls
1-4: Starla Phillips (Northerns) defeated Chelsey Cameron (KZN) 3-0 (11-9 11-6 11-8), Kate van Biljon (Border) won against Rylee Howells (KZN) 3-0 (11-4 11-7 12-10).
5-8: Keira Huang (Free State) triumphed over Shannon Render (Northerns) 3-1 (11-6 11-8 7-11 11-7), Genevieve Lang (WP) beat Lala Masingi (Joburg Squash) 3-1 (11-8 4-11 11-7 11-5), Shannon Render (Northerns) bested Lala Masingi (Joburg Squash) 3-1 (11-4 11-13 11-6 11-5), and Keira Huang (Free State) defeated Genevieve Lang (WP) 3-0 (11-8 11-7 11-9).
Boys
1-4: Christian Swanepoel (Eden) overcame Cobus Schimper (Free State) 3-0 (11-5 11-9 11-8), Ruan Botha (Eden) triumphed over Ross Smorfitt (Eden) 3-1 (9-11 11-9 11-9 11-7).
5-8: Logan Kidson (Northerns) defeated Dewan Borstlap (Northerns) 3-0 (11-8 11-9 11-4), Logan Kidson (Northerns) won against Milton Posthumus (WP) 3-1 (10-12 11-1 11-3 11-9), Mathew McKenzie (KZN) defeated Dewan Borstlap (Northerns) 3-2 (11-8 11-6 9-11 9-11 11-9).
U19
Women
1-4: Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) defeated Dane Meintjies (Boland) 3-0 (11-6 11-7 11-2), Brianna Robinson (Joburg Squash) bested Makayla Naidoo (KZN) 3-2 (11-7 11-4 6-11 9-11 11-4), Makayla Naidoo (KZN) won against Elzandri Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) 3-2 (7-11 11-9 7-11 11-7 11-3), and Brianna Robinson (Joburg Squash) triumphed over Dane Meintjies (Boland) 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-3).
5-8: Hanrie Duits (Eden) defeated Benedette van Tonder (Free State) 3-0 (11-3 11-6 11-3), Benedette van Tonder (Free State) beat Emma Hill (EP) 3-1 (11-8 6-11 11-3 11-8). Tara Neville-Smiley (WP) withdrew.
Men
1-4: Juan-Corne Brand (Northerns) triumphed over Benji Newman (EP) 3-1 (9-11 11-6 11-7 11-6), Joseph Feast (WP) defeated Thomas Boutall (WP) 3-1 (11-4 9-11 12-10 11-8), Juan-Corne Brand (Northerns) bested Thomas Boutall (WP) 3-1 (11-6 11-4 6-11 15-13), and Joseph Feast (WP) overcame Benji Newman (EP) 3-0 (13-11 11-4 12-10).
5-8: Dean Katzin (Free State) beat Bandile Mahaye (KZN) 3-0 (11-7 11-9 11-5), Dean Katzin (Free State) won against Luan van Zyl (Eden) 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-3). Joel Rix (Boland) withdrew.
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