Grove Park can now boast two current British Champions. First Rod Boswell claimed the National Over 65 title with a 3-1 win in the final held on Sunday at the National Squash Centre at Eastlands, Manchester. Then Laura Mylotte, made it two by beating Scotland’s, Senga Macfie, in a tense five-setter to claim the Over 35 title. Yawar Abbas was close to making it three for the club but was stopped in the final of the Over 40 event by Ulsterman, Graeme Stewart.
First on court was Rod. The 3/4 seed from Lancashire David Sturlock, who had knocked out the World Champion in 5 games the day before, had the better of the early exchanges. Sturlock’s clever use of the boast helped him take a one game lead. However, as the match progressed Rod took control of more rallies and started stepping forward to cut out the crosscourts on the volley. He earned himself a 2-1 lead but the fourth was tight all the way. At match point, under pressure, Sturlock played the ball back at himself. Rod was poised right behind him: an easy stroke to win the match …… no, Rod wrapped his racket around his opponent and played the shot anyway and promptly lost the point. However, Rod made no mistake at the second time of asking to claim the British Over 65 Title to go with the British Over 60 title he won five years ago. 5-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-7 {40m}
Yawar was looking to win his third National Over 40 Title against the second seed, Graeme Stewart, from Northern Ireland. Yawar allowed the talkative Ulsterman to open a big lead in the first game but came storming back at him to take the first game. He did the same in the second, going well behind before fighting his way back, but this time was forced into a tie break. After two easy boasts clipped the top of the tin, the game was levelled at 1-1. After this, the already physical match became even more scrappy as almost every rally ended with an appeal to the marker. Yawar uncharacteristically started to let his frustration show as the match and the title slowly slipped away from him . 9-11, 13-11, 11-7,11-7 {50m}
Hear interviews with Yawar and Graeme on the Kevin T Sport website which also includes match reports & interviews with the main draw finalists, Nick Matthew, Daryl Selby, Laura Massaro & Jenny Duncalf.
Laura was in the Over 35 Final against the former World No.16 Senga Macfie. Senga, the 42 year old Scot had won the Over 40 title earlier in the day. Laura didn’t start well (maybe affected by the MC introducing her as Fiona Mylotte from Northern Ireland!). Senga’s tight, looping shots to the back of the extremely slow all-glass showcourt were causing Laura all sorts of problems. The first game was over all to fast, but the next three games were much tighter. The momentum of the match kept shifting depending on whether Laura could break out from Senga’s long, slow backhand rallies. Whenever the ball strayed mid-court or to the front, Laura used her superior power to great effect. Laura just managed to force the match in to a decider. The fifth match couldn’t have start better as Laura raced to a 7-0 lead. Perhaps Laura’s greater stamina and Senga’s previous match were having an effect. Senga did start to fight back but Laura held out to claim the British Title – 3-9, 9-7, 6-9, 9-7, 9-4 {50m}
See more photos of the Nationals(by squashsite’s Steve Cubbins) in the gallery.