Nottinghamshire’s Declan James and Derbyshire’s Millie Tomlinson thoroughly justified their top seedings in the British Under-23 Championships at Hunts County Squash Club yesterday by easing to victory in their respective finals.
Both won in straight games, Tomlinson beating Surrey’s Alison Thomson, a joint third seed, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 in 44 minutes, while James defeated Richie Fallows, the second seed from Essex, 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 in 51 minutes.
Tomlinson’s win was an early birthday present for the world universities champion, who turns 23 today, and completed a marvellous tournament for the world no.60, since she did not drop a game during the whole event. She faced Essex Junior Elise Lazarus in her first match, a welcome return to competitive action for the Redbridge player. Elise finished 11th overall but produced some decent squash considering her absence from top level action. Hertfordshire’s Grace Gear and Lucy Turmel who lives in Suffolk but trains at the Colchester Garrison both notches impressive victories. In the 5-6 play-off, Grace came through 11/9, 7/11, 11/7,11/7.
For James, it was a sweet success as well, as it helped ease the frustration of his straight-games loss to Surrey’s Charles Sharpes in last year’s final.
His victory was harder earned, though, since he needed five games to despatch Ashley Davies, the joint third seed from Derbyshire, in the semi-finals.
Georgina Kennedy, the second seed from Kent, retired from the women’s event while trailing 11-6, 10-2 to Northumbria’s Lucy Beecroft, a 5/8 seed, in the quarter-finals.