Local Squash: Haruzi nets national squash title with win over pupil

This time it was the more experienced man who was victorious.

By LEO DAVIDSON
squash sport 88 (photo credit: )
squash sport 88
(photo credit: )
In the final of last year's Israeli Squash Nationals, Ido Avron defeated his coach Dovik Haruzi to become the Israeli national champion. On Friday, they met again in this year's final, and this time it was the more experienced man who was victorious. Avron, who turned 19 this year and was therefore ineligible to play as a Junior, was defending his title in the only bracket in which he was allowed to compete. Haruzi, 36, ended up winning both the open competition and the over-35s event. A small crowd gathered to watch what would be a hotly contested match. Haruzi won the first game 11-6, which seemed to demoralize his opponent, whose form vanished in the second game, when he hit unforced errors time and again. In the end Avron decided to cut his losses, missing two serves at the end of the game to lose 2-11 and leaving himself a mountain to climb if he was to win the match. In the third game, Avron returned to form but still struggled to score against his trainer. After several long rallies, the younger player managed to win the game 11-8. The fourth game was similarly closely-fought, and even when Haruzi had four match points, it still looked like Avron might make a comeback, winning two long points before finally making a mistake and losing 11-8. Following the awards ceremony, at which he picked up two trophies, Haruzi told The Jerusalem Post, "I am so happy. Last year I lost in the final, and I took it very hard. I did everything to beat him, I worked very hard every day, and I am so happy to have won." Avron left immediately after the ceremony, and could not be reached for comment.