Inverness squash player Greg Lobban warmed up for next month’s Commonwealth Games by claiming his second national title at the Scottish Championships in Edinburgh.
Crieff’s Rory Stewart had deposed ten-time champion Alan Clyne – also from Inverness – in Saturday’s semi-finals, but he had no answer to Lobban’s flying start as the top seed took the opening game.
It was soon all-square, and there was barely a cigarette paper between them for the rest of the match.
Games three and four were both locked at 9-9, but Lobban nicked both to complete a hard-fought 11-3, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9 win. It was his first Scottish championship since 2013 following seven straight titles for Clyne.
NATIONALS 🏆| Your men’s Sterling Trucks National Champion 2022 is – GREG LOBBAN. Greg came through an action packed match 3-1. #congratulations pic.twitter.com/JO69RHkzOS
— Scottish Squash 🏴 (@Scottish_Squash) June 12, 2022
“This has been Clyney’s event. He’s the one we’ve all had to chase!” smiled Lobban.
“It feels like ages ago that I last won this. I’ve been the number one seed a few times and not won it, so it’s nice to finally get another one.
“Today’s final could have swung either way in the third and fourth games, but maybe my greater experience got me over the line.”
Clyne salvaged a bronze medal after defeating former Gordonstoun pupil Fergus Richards in the third place play-off, while local girl Georgia Adderley took just 22 minutes to beat Alison Thomson in the women’s final.
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