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Joelle King (Ngāti Porou) has beaten Tesni Evans of Wales to win the New Zealand Squash Open title in Tauranga today.
King made quick work of the match, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 in 37 minutes. It was Evans' first final in more than three years.
King, who is based in Bristol, England away from whānau in Aotearoa, was emotional lifting the Open trophy.
“It was a tournament I’ve been waiting for so long to play in front of my fans and family who haven’t seen me play since I was a little girl,” said King.
Speaking of her opponent, King added, “We’ve been through some tough times. It’s a lonely sport, so when you find someone you get along with, you stay tight. We’re in each other’s corner and I’m very happy to come off the winner today.”