Territory squash stars Rhys Dowling and Joseph White to clash for NT Open semi-final place at Darwin Squash Centre

TWO Territorians will go head-to-head at 10am on Saturday for an NT Open semi-final spot at Darwin Squash Centre.

Territory squash star Rhys Dowling winds up during his straight-sets defeat of qualifier Will Curtis in the opening round of the NT Open at Darwin Squash Centre. Picture: IVAN RACHMAN

TWO Territorians will go head-to-head at 10am on Saturday for an NT Open semi-final spot at Darwin Squash Centre.

Third-seeded Rhys Dowling has long been the torchbearer for Territory squash, but a challenger — teenager Joseph White — is emerging.

White, 18, is following a similar path to 21-year-old Dowling and both are in the Brisbane-based Winning Edge high-performance program.

He has also been picked to represent the Australian junior team in Poland in August at a tournament Dowling competed in when he was younger.

White had to win two qualifying matches on Thursday just to reach the main draw, then knocked out eighth-seeded countryman Courtney West 6-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-0 in dramatic circumstances last night.

An ambulance was called for West, who was experiencing sharp pains in his back and could not continue.

“It’s really good — it’s my first-ever quarter-final in a PSA (Professional Squash Association) event,” White said.

“It’s pretty good to be playing someone I’ve been playing since I was eight or nine.

“There is no pressure on me, because he’s the one everyone is expecting to make that semi-final.”

Dowling, ranked 163 in the world, won in much more comfortable fashion — 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 — over another qualifier, William Curtis, to book his last-eight place.

Squash NT manager Sarah Douglas said it was “great” to have a local player guaranteed to be in the semi-finals.

The only other men’s seed to lose was Thomas Calvert, to qualifier Darcy Evans.

Seeds Zac Alexander, Rohan Toole, David Clegg, Mithran Selvaratnam and Adam Murrills are through.

The NT’s female players — Kylie Twomey, Naomi Dobson, Shari Fuller and Jessica Osborne — all bowed out.

Osborne placed seventh in the under-17 age group at national level in March.

Irish former world No. 3 Madeline Perry ousted second seed Sarah Cardwell in straight sets. Christine Nunn, Sam Foyle — who upset No. 7 seed Jasmine Chan — Lisa Camilleri, Jessica Turnbull, Lakeesha Rarere, Stephanie Wighton and Tamika Saxby also progressed.