Sore one for Whipp as Roux wins

South Africa’s Sean Le Roux claimed the Artemis Squash Open for the first time at Edinburgh Sports Club.

The 3/4 seed had beaten English favourite Joel Hinds in straight games in the semi-finals and he then won a four-game final against the No. 2 seed, Andy Whipp.

England’s Whipp was hoping to win the title after several close attempts on his many visits to Edinburgh but Le Roux dashed his hopes with an 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7 victory. Whipp had knocked out the last Scottish hope, Greg Lobban (Inverness), 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 in the quarter-finals.

In the women’s final, Lauren Briggs, the No. 1 seed from England, beat the Dutch No. 2 seed, Orla Noom, 11-3, 11-9, 11-8 in just over half an hour.

In the quarter-finals, Noom had ended the run of Edinburgh’s Frania Gillen-Buchert. The home internationalist took the opening game but went out 11-8, 6-11, 10-12, 8-11.