The hardwood of Shepparton Squash Centre got a serious workout last week when players of the highest calibre rolled into the Goulburn Valley for the City of Greater Shepparton International as part of the Professional Squash Association Satellite tour.
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Competitors battled it out in search of glory over five days, with talent from across the globe piling into the centre to stake their claim for on-court sovereignty.
In the men’s division, 206th ranked Angus Gillams clinched the title after an emphatic finals victory against young Egyptian prodigy Moustafa El Sirty.
The Scot looked sharp from his first serve of the tournament, making light work of Ali Jafari, Atticus Kelly and Joseph White ahead of his finals berth.
El Sirty, 18, was as equally proficient in the lead up to the big dance, as he proved his placing with convincing wins against higher ranked players, including a dazzling semi-final win against world No. 89 and tournament favourite Evan Williams.
The highly-anticipated match up between the pair often drew gasps from the crowd, with El Sirty drawing level at a game apiece after a slow start.
However, it was Gillams who had answers for every question El Sirty posed as his experience shone through to eventually see off the young Egyptian three games to one.
In the women’s division, Great Britain’s Grace Gear managed to overcome Melbourne’s Sarah Cardwell in a bout that by all means lived up to expectations.
With both players failing to drop a single game approaching the final, they hit their straps early on, but it was Gear who narrowly took out the first game.
Front runner Cardwell rallied to earn vital points, but couldn’t prevent Gear from extending her lead after edging out the second game 11-8.
Desperate to find an avenue back into the match Cardwell mustered a fightback, but it was Gear who swung the axe to take out the third and final game and take all spoils in front of the Shepparton crowd.
