Photo: Squash New Zealand
Kiwi wildcard Ollie Dunbar's has given the 2025 New Zealand Squash Open a shot in the arm on the opening day with a massive upset victory in the first round.
The 18-year-old Wellingtonian has played the match of his life to beat Portugal's world No 54 Rui Soares three games to one, to move through to the second round.
Ranked more than 200 places below Soares at world No 257, Dunbar came out firing, taking the first game 11-6.
And while he dropped the second 11-7, he bounced back to dominate the last two 11-3, 11-4 winning the match in 47 minutes.
"That's definitely the biggest win of my career," he said.
"It was great to do that at home, I've got my Dad here and a few clubmates came to watch so it's pretty cool."
Dunbar said he came into the game with no expectations.
"There was great support for me from the crowd and I just went out there and tried to keep it simple and play my game."
Photo: Squash New Zealand
Dunbar faces a tough task in the second round, with his opponent being third seed and world No 12, You Ng Eain of Malaysia.
Three other Kiwis were in action on day one, including five-time Commonwealth Games champion Joelle King who was battling a knee niggle.
King's restricted movement meant she was unable to rely on her trademark retrievals and Malaysian Aira Azman took full advantage, winning in straight games.
Earlier in the day, Auckland wildcard Ella Lash put up a brave fight against another Malaysian Ainaa Amani, also going down in straight games.
Wildcard Anthony Lepper from Auckland suffered the same result, beaten by Spain's Bernat Jaume.
The New Zealand Squash Open is being contested until Sunday at Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal, where a glass court has been installed on stage, with defending men's champion, New Zealand's Paul Coll getting his campaign underway at 5.30pm tomorrow against Japan's Ryūnosuke Tsukue.
Coll's wife, Belgium's Nele Gilis-Coll, is the defending women's champion.
She starts her campaign at 6pm on Wednesday against Egypt's Nour Heikal.
