Sun 1st, Finals Day
Just one match today for all
the graded players, then the WSA/BSPA finals
Fiona Moverley (Eng) 3-1 [4] Nele Gilis (Bel)
11/7, 7/11, 12/10, 11/6 (51m)
[1] Daryl Selby (Eng) 3-1 [2] Shaun Le Roux (Rsa)
12/10, 12/10,
3/11, 12/10 (68m)
Fiona's Back, Three in a row for Daryl
Unseeded Fiona Moverley,
returning to WSA action after a four-year break, collected the
WSA Edinburgh Open title with a hard fought four-game win over
Belgian teenager Nele Gilis in the first of the day's
finals at Edinburgh Sports Club.
 The
28 year old Yorkshirewoman was fastest out of the blocks, taking
an early 4-1 lead which she extended to 7-3. Gilis started to
find her game, lengthening the rallies as she fought back to
7-8, but two unforced errors gave the momentum back to Moverley
who took the lead 11-7.
Moverley had the edge early in the second, but this time her 5-2
lead was pegged back, Gilis levelling at 6-all then continuing
to force the pace as she levelled the match 11-7.
 There
was hardly a point between them in the third, and both were
fired up and playing determined squash. At 9-all a Moverley slip
at the front gave Gilis a game ball, but Moverley took three
points in a row to regain the lead 12-10.
After Gilis took the first two points in the fourth, it was
Moverley mostly in command of the rallies, and she took the lead
and slowly eked out an advantage, Gilis getting frustrated with
some errors. From 8-6 Moverley put in a dropshot that was too
tight, powered a ball deep for match ball and then another drop
to claim the title.
 "She's
a real battler," said Moverley, "it looked like she was tired
but she never stopped.
"I knew I needed to move her around and play my short game when
I could, and I did that well for the most part. She's better
than me at a hard hitting game, so I needed to mix it up and I
was pleased with how I played at the end.
"It feels great to win another WSA title [her fourth]. After
five years off the circuit, mainly because of lack of funds, I
thought it was time to give it another go and I'm really
enjoying it. I should be back in the top 100 now, I just need to
get a few more tournaments in.
"I'm having a great time playing in Hull, where squash is really
on the up with all the work at the Humber Junior Squash Academy
and the support that Dr Allam is giving to all the squash
projects in the area, long may it continue!"
Daryl the comeback king
 In
the men's BSPA final defending champion Daryl Selby made
it three Edinburgh titles in a row and five overall with a
finely balanced win over second seed Shaun Le Roux,
himself a former Edinburgh champion.
The packed crowd in Edinburgh Sports Club's "bearpit" court five
were treated to two fiercely contested opening games with
neither player able to make any significant headway against the
scoreboard.
It was Le Roux who had the first opportunity, eking out a lead
from 7-all, earning two game balls at 10-8. Selby, who has made
a habit of saving game balls this weekend, did it again as he
dug in for some long rallies, and took the next four points to
lead 12-10.
 The
second game was a carbon copy, Le Roux again edged ahead for
10-8, Selby again taking the next four for another 12-10!
Le Roux came out firing in the third, was quickly 6-1 up and
with Selby seemingly saving some energy it was quickly 10-1,
then 11-3 to reduce the deficit.
 It
was pretty much the same story in the fourth, Le Roux again
forging ahead, 7-3 and at 10-5 we were surely in for a decider.
Not to be though, as Selby mounted another comeback, this time
seven points in a row with Le Roux unable to find a finish.
Selby's precision was too much in the end as the South African
maybe tried a little too hard to find a winner, clipping the tin
three times before Selby finally took the match with a dropshot
leaving his opponent stranded.
 "I've
certainly saved a few game balls this weekend," said a delighted
winner. "
"Shaun's tough to play, he volleys well and he's very accurate
with his drives, he's difficult to beat. It could easily have
been one-all, although I wouldn't have let the third go if it
had been.
"To be honest in the fourth I was starting to try to build up
some momentum for the fifth, but I think he got a bit nervous
and I played a few good rallies that got me back into it, I was
feeling better as that game went along.
"I've been coming here for maybe 10 years now, and it's a
fabulous tournament every year. Big credit to Simon, JJ, the
club members and spectators and sponsors, they all make it what
it is, and the quality of the entries and the matches are
testament to how good it is. It's great to see such commitment
in all the graded events too."
"Very happy to win my fifth title here, I haven't won a PSA
title since 2012 so it's nice to get a trophy on the shelf early
in the year, hopefully there's more to come!"
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