South African Christo Potgieter is the winner of this year’s Safeguard Zimbabwe Open Squash Championship with a 3-1 victory over his fellow countryman Jimmy Schlebusch in the final staged at Suburbs Squash Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

Schlebusch took the first game 11-3 but that was to be his last success in the match as Potgieter won the second 11-4, triumphed 11-5 in the third and wrapped up the contest with a 11-8 victory in the fourth. He takes with him a cash prize of $1000 while the runner up won himself $500.

In the women’s final, Zoe Hall defeated Zimbabwean Yvonne Mubure 3-2 in a tightly fought contest to take back to Ireland $750 with $500 being given to the loser.

Zambian Freddy Chishimba conquered local Peter Cunningham 3-1 in the veterans final whose first prize was $300 and $150 for the losing finalist.

The local pair of Neil Nesbitt, his playing partner Mike Burns lost their doubles title to Potgieter and Schlebusch, the South Africans sweeping the match 3-0 to walk away with $500 while the losers got $300.

Nesbitt and Burns had won the doubles final at the tournament since it was revived by the Matabeleland Squash Association in 2004.