Totnes has a new national champion to be proud of. Guy Davies became the British Open over 75 squash champion at Colets, Thames Ditton. The championship took place over four days culminating in the final on Sunday. This is the third most prestigious squash masters competition in the world behind only the world and European masters. Entries from all over the world attended the competition and the standard was correspondingly very high.
Guy who plays and coaches at Dartington still plays regularly for the second team. In his first game he beat No.4 seed John Culverhouse to 9 points, winning 3-0 with consummate ease. Ken Reid, the Scottish No.2 was Guys opponent in the next round. Guys 3-0 win was achieved by thoroughly demoralising Reid who had no answer to Guys disguised drops. The organisers and other competitors were beginning to take notice of the quiet man from South Devon playing at probably the smallest club being represented at the championships.
The semi-final saw Guy playing No. 2 seed Martin Pearce, a many times national champion at various stages of age and a tall rangy competitor. The packed gallery saw Guy lose the first game 10-8 as a result of him playing some loose cross court shots which hit the tin. However, this was a momentarily blip. In the second game Guy was ruthless beating Pearce 11-2. He never looked back, totally dominating play for the remaining two games with a succession of cunning lobs, reverse angle boasts and straight drives from the front especially on the right hand side. Even being struck on the head with Pearces racket during a rally, had no effect. Guy was the victor 3-1 and the final against 3 times world champion and No. 1 seed Adrian Wright loomed.
Wright has won more masters world and national titles than any other squash player alive. The final attracted a huge following but in the end there was only one person in it. Guy nearly lost the first game which although he won 12-10 , had a scare when Wright played winners off anything loose. Guy was dominant for the remainder of the match. The trade mark boasts shots were of a lovely weight and died on the opposing side wall leaving Wright floundering around the court in a vain attempt to retrieve them.
At one stage Wright crashed to the floor at the front left of the court and appeared so exhausted he could hardly get to his feet. The remaining two games were won easily by Guy with Wright only getting a further 8 points. Guy therefore became the first British Champion in any squash open or masters event from the Totnes area.
Guy, who coaches squash at Dartington beat the 1, 2 and 4 seeds to win this competition which attracted opponents from all over the world. A wonderful achievement. One hopes in the future some of his coached proteges will emulate the achievements of this incredibly fit and gracious squash player who has done so much for the young players in South Devon and putting Dartington/Totnes on the squash map.