Kitchen hopes dream will come true at NZ Open

A bit of time-out and returning home earlier than expected to train bodes well for world squash No10-ranked player Shelley Kitchen's first hit-out of her A1 NZ Women's
Squash Open campaign.
Kitchen pulled out of the World Games in Taiwan recently as she was suffering from a virus and extreme exhaustion.
"I was supposed to go on to tournaments in Malaysia and Singapore but I wasn't feeling well so I decided to return two weeks early to New Zealand and train instead," Kitchen said when the Northern Advocate  met her at the Kaitaia Squash Club on Monday.
Originally from Kaitaia, Kitchen made the journey north from her Auckland base to play an exhibition match with friend and fellow competitor, the world No2 Natalie Grainger from the United States.
"It has been an intense build-up [to the NZ Open] and I have been playing really well since I came back," she said.
The 29-year-old said the time on court against Grainger  gave her some indication of how she would go at the NZ Open.
Kitchen lost the fifth and final set by two points to Grainger, losing the furious and evenly-matched battle, 3-2.
The NZ Open at Mount Maunganui, which began on Tuesday with qualifying matches, has attracted 14 of the top 20 seeded women in the world, and Kitchen was expecting a tough field.
Having already qualified, Kitchen plays her first round of the NZ Open at Bayfair Shopping Centre today  against world No14 Annie Au from Hong Kong, who  she will not be taking lightly.
"I played Annie in March this year and won 3-1 but it was a tough match.
"She has beaten a couple of players in the top  10 before and is a rising star."
Part of a week-long Mt Maunganui Festival of Squash, the NZ Open is also a Gold Star event - a top-tier and good prizemoney event - on the Women's International Squash Players Association circuit.
The NZ Men's Classic, featuring the top players from NZ, Australia and Hong Kong; and the Mt Maunganui Open will also be contested this week at the Festival of Squash.
This year is the first time the NZ Women's Open has been contested in 16 years.
"There has only been four gold star events this year - and now there's the NZ Open which has US$45,000 in total up for grabs, is played on glass courts at the shopping centre and has TV coverage, which all raises its profile," Kitchen said. "It's a really big deal for the sport."
While she is New Zealand's top female squash player, Kitchen has yet to secure an Open title - and it would be a dream come true to win it this year.
Despite facing top-class competition, Kitchen  believes in her preparation, ability and that her opposition are all beatable.
* The final of the Women's Open  is on Sunday at 3.30pm.