Sarah-Jane Perry took the British National title for the first time, while Nick Matthew made it for a record-breaking No7 title (pic: Steve Cubbins) Records tumbled at the British National Squash Championships when World No3 Nick Matthew beat England team-mate Daryl Selby in the men’s final in Manchester.
The straight games victory (11-5, 11-3, 11-2) saw the 34-year-old defending champion from Sheffield clinch his 7th title – more than any other man or woman in the 42-year history of the championship and surpassing the 6-title record set by Cassie Jackman in 2004. “It was a massive goal of mine to break the (title) record,” said Matthew.
The women’s final showed the surprising victory of World No 16 Sarah-Jane Perry, as she was able World No5 Alison Waters and the World No3 Laura Massaro (12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7), the reigning and the previous champion in consecutive matches, to deserve to be the new and 1st time British Champion. “To beat two of the top five players in the world back to back, neither of whom I’d ever beaten before is pretty special, and I’m quite proud of myself,” Perry concluded.
