British Finalist Tesni Keen To Be Second Welsh Winner

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Cardiff’s Sian Johnson has won a British squash title – and now fellow Welsh player Tesni Evans goes for the big one. Johnson lifted the British National Championships women’s over-60 title and will be backing Evans and in the main final this afternoon. World number 12 Evans plays England’s Alison Waters, a four-time British champion, […]

Cardiff’s Sian Johnson has won a British squash title – and now fellow Welsh player Tesni Evans goes for the big one.

Johnson lifted the British National Championships women’s over-60 title and will be backing Evans and in the main final this afternoon.

World number 12 Evans plays England’s Alison Waters, a four-time British champion, in Sunday’s final at Manchester Squash Centre.

Welsh champion. British women’s over-60 title winner Sian Johnson.

While Tesni’s brother, who reached the men’s quarter-finals, flew out from Manchester Airport to America for Professional Squash Association events, his sister will be taking on the highly experienced Waters.

The 25-year-old Evans, who was born in Cardiff and lives in Rhyl, defeated defending champion and top seed Laura Massaro 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 in the semi-finals.

England’s Massaro led 7-3 in the second, but Evans secured five successive points and kept up the pressure to open a two-game lead. When Evans led 8-2 in the third it looked all over, but the gutsy Massaro tough back 9-10 before a stroke call by the referee decided the issue.

Johnson, who has made well over 100 international appearances for Wales, won the women’s over-60 title with a 3-1 win against former World age group champion Karen Hume from Kent.

In the men’s draw at the British Championships James Willstrop booked his place in the final for the ninth time, beating Daryl Selby 11-9, 11-4, 11-2 in 35 minutes. Willstrop plays Nick Matthews in the final.

Leicester’s George Parker, who won the inaugural Welsh Open Championships at Rhiwbina SRC in Cardiff last year, lifted the British under-21 crown.

British squash finalist Tesni Evans.

Rhiwbina will again host the event between Wednesday, May 9 to Sunday, May 12.

Welsh professional players Joel Makin, Peter Creed and Emyr Evans could all compete in the $10,000 World Tour tournament.

There were competitors from Pakistan, India, England, Scotland, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Kuwait, Ireland and hosts Wales competing in the Welsh Open during 2017 and a similar mix is expected again.

Results in British finals:

Men’s under-21 final: George Parker beat Richie Fallows 11-13, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7 (63m).

Women’s under-21 final: Georgina Kennedy beat Alison Thomson 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 (23m).

British Squash Championships – Masters finals:

Men’s 35: Andy Whipp beat Peter Bilson.

Men’s 40: James Goodrich beat Mick Biggs.

Men’s 45: Nick Staunton beat Rob Staunton.

Men’s 50: David Youngs beat Yawar Abbas 11-3, 11-4, 11-3.

Men’s 55: Mark Woodliffe beat Greg Loach

Men’s 60: Allen Barwise beat Ian Bradburn.

Men’s 65: John Goodrich beat Terry Belshaw 15-13, 15-9, 15-9.

Men’s 70: Barry Featherstone beat Philip Ayton (retired) 3-1.