RODNEY DURBACH

Rankings:
Currently ranked 24 in the world and 4 in South Africa.

He has spent most of the past five years based in London where he has trained under the watchful eye of John Milton, presently Sweden’s National coach.

Together with Glenn Whittaker, Craig Wapnick and Mike Tootill, Rodney was a member of the National team, which finished runners-up to hosts, Egypt, in the inaugural All Africa Championships in 1996. In 1998 together with Natalie Grainger, Rodney won the National Doubles title. They then won a bronze medal for South Africa when they finished joint third in the Mixed Doubles Championship at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The Austrian Open title went his way in March 1999 and he continued in this winning trant in August 1999 when he captured his first senior National title defeating Glenn Whittaker in the final of the Liberty Championships at the Wanderers. Rodney was also named Squash Player of the Year for 1998 at the presentation. In September 1999 he lifted his first PSA title by defeating Whittaker in an entertaining Billion Air Classic final at the Supersport Show staged at the MTN Sundome. Rodney was selected as a member of the National team, which competed in the World Team Championships in Cairo, Egypt in November 1999. South Africa finished 8th.

During 2000 he was based again in Hertfordshire where he played for the Broaxbourne Squash Club, which won the National Club Title. In the semi-finals he defeated Peter Marshall, then ranked 11 in the world. The team finished third in the Super Cup Series.

During the 2001 Jarvis Cup Rodney represented Northerns. He emerged unbeaten: beating Lazarus Chiluyfa (Gauteng B) 3-1: accounting for Adrian Hansen (KZN) in 4 games and then in the semi-finals in the Gauteng vs Northerns encounter beating Whittaker for the loss of only 13 points. In the positional play-off he defeated Craig Wapnick (WP) 3-1.

Rodney has again represented Broaxbourne during 2001. He is also playing in the Dutch league for HSRC and in the Bundusleague.

Rodney had a highly successful week during the 2001 Milo S A Challenge. Ranked 29 in the World he was seeded 8th. He survived a tough first round encounter with Qualifier, Renier Lavigne of France. His next victory was an upset against Egyptian Omar Elborolossy, the second seed, which set him up for the final clash with Frenchman Thierry Lincou, runner-up to David Palmer (Aus) in the Hong Kong Open. In a gruelling 100 minute encounter played in front of a capacity crowd at the Supersport Show at Centurion, Durbach lost 15-10 in the decider to the third seed Thierry Lincou of France.

Rodney has been appointed captain of the National team including Whittaker, Tootill and Hansen to play in the World Team Championships in Melbourne in October.
Playing Experience:

Spending 6 months of the year in England, Rodney is now domiciled in Cape Town. He is gradually dominating the South African men’s squash scene.

In 1998 he annexed the Western Province Open Title, the Northern Gauteng Open title and the South African Mixed doubles title with Natalie Grainger. Rodney was selected as a member of the South African team, which competed in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur where together with Natalie Grainger he won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles.
1999 has seen him successfully defend his Western Province title : defeat Glenn Whittaker ranked 1 at the annual interprovincial : win the Liberty National title and capture his first PSA title at the Billion Air Sundome Challenge in September.