Squash: Joyce takes tough road to summit

By Suzanne MacFadden

New world No 3 squash star Leilani Joyce hopes the two women ahead of her on the ladder don't retire before she gets a crack at them.

That would be too easy - Joyce wants to make it to No 1 the gritty way.

The Hamilton 25-year-old yesterday won the women's and men's plate titles at the Morrinsville Open while suffering from the flu.

It's a good sign for Joyce, who has a whirlwind tour ahead of her next month and the chance to consolidate her place in the world's top three.

Her ranking is the best by a New Zealander since Susan Devoy's unbelievable reign at the top of the world seven years ago.

Joyce is now poised to pounce behind Australians Michelle Martin and Sarah Fitz-Gerald - who have both been world champions and world No 1s.

"I'd like to beat them before they retire. They've both been such a formidable force on the world circuit since Susan retired," she said.

"This is by far my best season. I'm running ahead of my schedule."

Joyce had aimed to make it into the top four by the end of this year, but leaped ahead with three big tournament wins on the international circuit.

"I've grown up a lot in the last five years. I've experienced lots of setbacks and I'm more realistic now," she said.

"I'm so, so happy with how it's gone. But I don't want to race ahead of myself.

"You can't look at it as being just two spots away from No 1. It depends who you play on the day - every player in the top 10 is so tough. I just want to stay up there."

Joyce is expecting to be second seed for the Australian Open, with her "good buddy" Fitz-Gerald recovering from knee surgery.

But she has a crazy run up to the tournament next month. She plays in the Browns Bay Open and on the night of the final flies to Amsterdam. The day after she arrives she anchors the New Zealand team in the World Cup teams event.

"The day after that ends, I fly to Australia. It's quick-fire stuff," she said.

Joyce puts her new success down to good food, good funding and good family and friends.

She is on a new diet, with a lot more iron through red meat. "It's not a regime - I'm absolutely hopeless at depriving myself of the luxuries of food. It just complements my training.

"I have a great team around me at the moment - my coaches, trainers, family and sponsors. We're all working together to get me right up there."