Champions Challenged As Matthew & Bailey Win National Titles

The British National Championships' titles changed hands today at the National Squash Centre in Manchester where Lincolnshire's Tania Bailey beat title-holder Linda Elriani in four games in the women's final and Yorkshire's Nick Matthew defeated defending champion Lee Beachill in a dramatic five-game marathon men's climax.

Beachill was celebrating a record sixth successive appearance in the final while Matthew, the fourth string in England's recent world championships-winning squad - behind second string Beachill - was making his debut in the finale.

The match was a fitting climax to the tenth successive staging of the event in Manchester. Both players gave it their all - Beachill bidding to become the first player to win the title for a fourth time in the open era, and Matthew looking for his first success.

Twice Matthew, the 25-year-old fourth seed from Sheffield, led - and twice his Yorkshire compatriot came back to draw level. As both players visibly tired, it was the more experienced Beachill, the 28-year-old third seed from Pontefract, who reached match ball first at 10-6 in the decider.

But Matthew was not prepared to give up and threw himself at everything that Beachill could offer - eventually clawing back his opponent's advantage to draw level at ten-all.

"At the end, I had absolutely nothing left to give," said Beachill after Matthew celebrated his stunning 11-9 6-11 11-9 10-11 11-10 victory in 105 minutes - the longest match of the tournament by a long way.

At the presentation ceremony, an emotional Matthew dedicated his win to his 92-year-old grandfather Ronald Matthew, who is in hospital in Sheffield after breaking his hip. "I told him I would win the title for him," said the near tearful new champion.

"I could hardly hold the racket in the final stages of the match, it was so nerve-wracking," added the world No9.

"I don't have the best record in finals so this win is definitely my best ever. But I've always said that you need a little bit of luck, and I felt that I got that today with around eight lucky nick shots against just one for Lee," added Matthew.

Beachill, who had been out of action for most of the year leading up to the tournament following knee surgery in January, admitted that he was pleased overall with his success in the event. In the semi-finals, he claimed a courageous 83-minute win over his Pontefract club-mate James Willstrop.

"Two weeks ago I was on the verge of pulling out of the event. I didn't realise I had yesterday's performance in me - let alone two back-to-back," said Beachill.

"But by the time I got to match ball tonight, I felt terrible."

The women's final was an equally dramatic encounter in which Tania Bailey, the second seed, upset top seed Linda Elriani 9-7 6-9 9-6 9-3.

Elriani, the 34-year-old from Eastbourne in Sussex who won the title for the first time last year in her 17th appearance in the event, led in the first game, then fought back from 0-6 down to take the second.

But Bailey, playing with a new-found authority which suggests that her injury woes of the past few years are truly behind her, persisted against her senior England team-mate to win her maiden title in 76 minutes.

"Beating Alison Waters in the semis gave me a big boost as I lost to her in the first round last year and that was a real low point for me," said the new champion.

"I was confident in my ability in the final, but Linda is such a great player, with more experience in finals than I have."

Bailey conceded that she does not have the greatest record in senior event finals, despite a hugely-successful junior career in which she picked up two European titles and the world crown.

"I was pleased to get to the final of the British Open, and to win a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games - but I didn't actually win either of them! So to come away with the title here makes it without doubt the biggest success of all," said the 26-year-old from Stamford.

Men's final:
[4] Nick Matthew (Yorks) bt [3] Lee Beachill (Yorks) 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-10 (2-0) (105m)

Women's final:
[2] Tania Bailey (Lincs) bt [1] Linda Elriani (Sussex) 9-7, 6-9, 9-6, 9-3 (76m)