LEE HORTON REPORTS
Essex’s Lauren Briggs added the British National Championship Over-35 title to her amazing list of title victories when she swept all before in Manchester at the weekend..
Lauren, a former professional tour player who trains at The Connaught Club in Chingford, finished second in last year’s World Masters in South Africa but went one better at the British Nationals defeating Kate Bradshaw in three in the semis and then overcoming Natalie Lawrence in the final 11/6, 11/3, 11/2 (20m).
Elsewhere, Nick Matthew successfully defended his Nationals title, extending his record number of victories to nine as he beat first-time finalist Joe Lee in straight games.
Matthew was in charge for the majority of the match, pulling clear early in the first game, building on an early advantage in the second and holding off a late challenge from Lee in the third to finish the match 11/6, 11/4, 11/8 (40m).
And Laura Massaro became four-time British National Champion as she beat Sarah-Jane Perry in straight games at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.
It was a repeat of the 2015 final, which Perry won in five, and although the new world #8 threatened to extend the match, Massaro got the better of two close final games.
MASTERS RESULTS:
W40: [¾] Keeley Johnson 3-0 [1] Shayne Baillie 11/3, 11/3, 11/9 (23m)
W45: [1] Andrea Santamaria 3-0 [2] Sam Mueller 11/7, 12/10, 11/5 (21m)
W50: [1] Rose Bamber 3-2 [¾] Fiona McLean 18/16, 10/15, 15/11, 12/15, 15/13 (61m)
W55: [2] Jill Campion 3-2 [¾] Lesley Sturgess 11/15, 6/15, 15/8, 15/12, 15/7 (37m)
W60: Julie Field 3-1 Eunice Bond 15/6, 11/15, 15/4, 15/9 (29m)
M80: Patrick Kirton 3-1 Lance Kinder 15/9, 15/10, 13/15, 15/6 (25m)
M50: [2] Stephen McLoughlin 3-2 [1] Yawar Abbas 13/11, 6/11, 6/11, 11/7, 11/6 (57m)
M55: [1] Mark Woodliffe 3-0 [2] John Parkes 11/5, 11/5, 11/7 (29m)
M70: [1] Phil Ayton 3-0 [2] Rod Boswell 15/13, 15/13, 15/10 (28m)
M75: [1] Adrian Wright 3-0 [2] Geoff Coe 15/6, 15/4, 15/3 (19m)
W35: [1] Lauren Briggs 3-0 [2] Natalie Lawrence 11/6, 11/3, 11/2 (20m)
M40: [1] Peter O’Hara 3-0 [2] Danny Massaro 11/9, 11/5, 11/8 (36m)
M60: [¾] Stephen Johnson w/o [¾] Simon Evenden simon ill
M65: [2] Ian Graham 3-1 [¾] Terry Belshaw 11/4, 12/15, 15/12, 16/14 (46m)
M45: [1] Nick Taylor 3-1 [2] Peter Marshall 8/11, 12/10, 11/7, 11/5 (53m)
M35: [1] Andy Whipp 3-0 [¾] Darren Lewis 11/1, 12/10, 11/6 (26m)
