Seb & Gina are the Champions

It’s finals day at Inverness Tennis & Squash Club – you can Watch Live, follow on Live Scoring and our Twitter Feed, and we’ll have reports, photos and roundup right here …

2021 Springfield Scottish Squash Open FINALS

 [4] Georgina Kennedy (Eng) 3-0 [8] Grace Gear (Eng)         11-0, 11-3, 11-3 (20m)

[1] Sebastien Bonmalais (Fra) 3-0 [5] Emyr Evans (Wal)    12-10, 11-5, 11-7 (48m)

DRAWS & RESULTS   LIVE SCORING   WATCH LIVE     PHOTO GALLERY

Georgina Kennedy and Sebastian Bonmalais are the 2021 Springfield Scottish Squash Open Champions after they completed straight games victories over Grace Gear and Emyr Evans in today’s finals at Inverness Tennis & Squash Club in the Scottish Highlands.

No stopping Seb & Gina

Fourth seed Gina Kennedy claimed the title with a dominant performance in the all-English women’s final, seizing the initiative immediately as she stormed to an 11-0 scoreline in the first game.

Grace Gear, the eighth seed, had dug out some gritty victories on the way to the biggest final of her career, but today Gina’s pace, court coverage and relentless attacking proved too much – as it has for so many opponents in her impressive run of form since returning from her college studies in the US.

Grace got more into the match in the next to games, but it wasn’t enough as Gina completed the victory 11-0, 11-3, 11-3 to claim her tenth title of 2021!

“It feels really good, I’ve been excited for this tournament for a while,” said Gina, “I’ve heard such great things about Inverness and this club, this is probably the best Challenger event I’ve played since tournaments started back up. I’m really happy to win this event, I’d love to come back if it’s on next year!

“Really happy with my tournament, especially today – Grace has had such a good tournament, knocking out all the seeds, she’s so dangerous if you give her any sort of chance she can put the ball away as good as anyone. I really had to focus on my targets and not let up, really happy to get off in three.”

The men’s final also finished in straight games, but Wales’ Emyr Evans, the fifth seed, came close to snatching the first but it was top seeded Sebastien Bonmalais who squeezed through in extra points, 12-10.

The Frenchman was always ahead in the next two games, Evans hitting a few too many unforced errors for his own liking, but also suffering from some tremendous retrieving from Bonmalais.

Bonmalais took the second and third 11-5, 11-7 to collect his third PSA title of the year.

“I’m very happy and relieved, winning a tournament is always difficult,” said Sebastien.

“Last time I played Emyr I lost, so to win in three today is very pleasing. It’s my sixth title now and I’m very happy!

“It’s a really nice club and I’ve really enjoyed the city, everyone is cool and I love it!”

Preview

It’s finals day at Inverness Tennis & Squash Club, with an all-English women’s final followed by France v Wales for the men’s crown.

First up it’s Georgina Kennedy v Grace Gear resuming a rivalry which has seen seven meetings since the 2012 English U15 Champs.

This year Gina took the spoils in their meetings in the New Malden Open and in the Sumner Malik Memorial final – two of nine titles she has won since May! Grace has reached the semi-finals or better in six tournaments this year, but this is her biggest final to date.

Men’s top seed Sebastien Bonmalais takes on Wales’ Emyr Evans in the men’s final, with the Frenchman winning their 2019 meeting at the Bankers Hall Club in Calgary in five games.

It’s Emyr’s eight tournament this year and his first final, for Sebastien it’s his ninth event and he’s looking for his third title of the year having won the Anyos Park and Elan Vital pens.