Australia’s Geoff Davenport and England’s Ann Manley re-wrote WSF World Masters Squash Championships historical past in Amsterdam with landmark victories to change into essentially the most embellished World Masters gamers of all time in entrance of packed crowds on the Frans Otten Stadion.
These victories weren’t the one to tumble this week in Amsterdam, with this 12 months’s championships setting a participation report after 1070 gamers took half.
Prime seed Davenport set a brand new all-time report by claiming a seventh world championship title, profitable the 65+ closing 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 towards South Africa’s Pierr Roodt.
“I used to be so nervous this morning, essentially the most nervous I’ve ever been,” stated 66-year-old Davenport. “I needed to win for all the youngsters I coach again dwelling in Sydney as a result of they’ve been so excited.
“The report may not final lengthy, but it surely’s good to be the primary to carry the report outright.”
Davenport strikes one title forward of compatriot Brian Cook dinner and South Africa’s Craig van der Wath. Prime seed Cook dinner was defeated within the 75+ semi-finals by England’s Barry Featherstone on Wednesday, however Featherstone couldn’t capitalise, with the Englishman falling to compatriot Larry Grover, who secured a 12-10, Sep 11, 11-5, Sep 11, 11-9 victory.
In the meantime, 75+ defending champion Manley set a brand new girls’s landmark together with her sixth World Masters crown. She had overwhelmed Australia’s Margaret Hunt-Kemp in every of the final three tournaments and as soon as once more got here out on high in Amsterdam in straight video games.
“Myself and Margaret first met in 1996 once we had an England over-40s tour to South Africa,” revealed Manley. “We all know one another’s video games very nicely however that didn’t appear to assist right now! She’s very tough and it was laborious work, however I’m thrilled. Hopefully my physique will maintain up and I can defend the title in two years.”
The Dutch crowd was denied an Anjema household double as father Robert Jan was defeated in 4 video games by Finland’s Kale Leskinen within the 70+ closing. Son Laurens-Jan, the previous world No.9, cushioned the blow by profitable a prolonged 40+ closing 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 towards compatriot Piedro Schweertman.
“It began out as a little bit of a joke, me and my father taking part in this match collectively, however the night time earlier than the ultimate you all of the sudden realise ‘Wow, I may change into world champion tomorrow!’” stated Laurens-Jan. “In 2018 [when he won the 35+ trophy in Charlottesville] it was a pleasant shock, however this time there was extra stress.”
Mexico’s unseeded Marcos Mendez has been the shock bundle of the match and accomplished his dream run with one more complete victory, along with his 11-1, 11-2, 11-2 win over Nicholas Staunton which means he received the 50+ championship with out dropping a single recreation throughout his seven matches.
Mendez coaches World No.21 Leonel Cardenas again dwelling and has a background in American hardball squash. He revealed: “Once I transformed to delicate ball squash 20 years in the past, I began from zero. I now know much more about this recreation and this was a dream for me to display to myself that I may do it.”
Former PSA world high 20 gamers Nicolette Fernandes of Guyana and Samantha Teran of Mexico have been reunited within the girls’s 40+ closing on the glass courtroom, with high seed Fernandes profitable it 11-6, 11-4, 12-10.
Two extra former professionals, South Africa’s Lizelle Muller and England’s Lauren Kinsey-Briggs, took the ladies’s 35+ and 45+ titles respectively. Kinsey-Briggs, who defeated Singapore’s Joannah Yue in three video games, stated: “I really like this recreation and I actually realise how a lot I adore it once I cease. The enjoyment I’ve for it’s immense. It’s so inspiring being right here.”
Former World No.32 Peter Hill of Singapore showcased his legendary field of tips in a 12-10, 11-4, 8-11, 11-1 victory over Eire’s four-time World Masters winner Willie Hosey. Hill stated: “Once I signed as much as play right here, I stated to myself, ‘I’m coming to win.’ There’s rather a lot at stake and I’m so glad I pushed by.”
Fashionable Swede Christian Drakenberg couldn’t include his feelings after his straight-games 45+ victory over England’s James Bowden. The seven-time nationwide champion remains to be representing Sweden in European and World Crew Championships and now has two World Masters trophies.
He stated: “Individuals don’t typically see my feelings as a result of I’m fairly calm, however there may be tons occurring inside. I’ve been taking part in all my life. After all I really like my spouse and youngsters, however squash is my life. I simply love being right here and I can be coming again so long as I can. The blokes right here of their 80s are my heroes. I can hopefully be like them in just a few years!”
There have been feelings aplenty too from 65+ girls’s champion Mary Sceney as she was engulfed by her Irish supporters after beating Wales’ Jill Campion 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7. Three-time winner Sceney revealed: “That is most likely my swansong within the Masters, so I actually needed to win this one.”
Karen Meakins of Barbados defended her 50+ title by overcoming South Africa’s Linda Shannon in straight video games, and Australia’s Susan Hillier received her third World Masters with 60+ victory over Scotland’s Sue Strachan. One other Scot, Pauline Douglas, was competing in her eighth World Masters and acquired a 3rd title win by beating Aussie Gaye Mitchell 11-4, 16-14, 11-9. Canada’s Lauren Wagner received a North American duel with USA’s Hope Prockop 11-5, 11-9, 12-10.
Two Canadians lined up within the closing of the oldest age class, the lads’s 80+. Second seed Gerald Poulton beat previous buddy Howard Armitage 14-12, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6. “It’s an exquisite friendship,” stated Poulton. “I will need to have been to upwards of 20 World Masters and World Masters Video games and so forth and I really like assembly the identical individuals and new individuals. It’s what squash is all about.”
Belgian hopes sadly disappeared when males’s 55+ finalist Gilles Roger sustained a nasty Achilles harm, having received the primary recreation 11-2 towards German Predi Fritsche.
The night time’s closing match was a cracker, with dwelling favorite Omar Abdel Meguid of Egypt, who coaches on the Frans Otten Stadion and captains their Eredivisie staff, outlasting Eire’s Arthur Gaskin within the males’s 35+ closing 17-15, 11-9, Sep 11, 11-6.
There have been 15 totally different nationalities amongst the 19 title winners in Amsterdam, with 1070 opponents collaborating, breaking the report of 951 set on the 2016 World Masters in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Right now additionally noticed England retain their Nations Cup title and Wales seize the Small Nations Cup.
Click on right here to view all the outcomes from finals day.
The 2024 WSF World Masters Squash Championships passed off on the Frans Otten Stadion from 15-22 August. Discover out extra concerning the championships at wsfworldmasters2024.nl
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