Gina Kennedy (ENG) 3-1 Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 (48m)
British No.1 Georgina Kennedy was crowned the British National champion for the first time in her career after defeating 2015, 2020 and 2021 champion Sarah-Jane Perry in a spectacular final.
In a great start for Kennedy, the World No.6 found her lines well, playing aggressive squash at the front of the court. Perry put some pressure on the 27-year-old, but Kennedy managed to nullify her opponents threat with good use of boasts, ultimately claiming the first game 11-9.
Perry saw a physio at 2-1 in game two after a collision with her leg and Kennedy’s hip, and the injury break seemed to favour the 34-year-old as she quickly accumulated points. The No.1 seed rallied back, however, and found parity in the game at 7-7, before going on to earn a 2-0 advantage.
The third game saw a battle between Perry’s pin-point accuracy and Kennedy’s athletic retrievals, with the England No.1 picking more points to an 8-4 lead as she found a metronomic rhythm to her play.
The three-time champion showed her mettle and responded with five consecutive points halving the deficit in the match as mistakes crept into Kennedy’s game.
Perry carried the momentum into game four, as she took an early 4-1 lead. The ‘Gladiator’ looked more relaxed on the court as she battled to 8-3, but Kennedy fought back, finding targets of her own to reach 8-9, and pushed on to win the match with an slight mis-hit that dropped perfectly into the nick to claim the title.
The title marks the first British National title of her career after losing the final in 2021 to Perry.
“It’s such an honour to win this title for the first time,” Kennedy said after the match.
“I’ve never won it before, and I really wanted to win it this year, especially being the No.1 seed for a second year in a row. That was such a tough test against S-J, she’s such a good person on and off the court, and she did so well to come back and take the third. She was completely dominating me in the fourth, but I managed to turn it around and got that lucky shank on match ball.
“I could feel the momentum was swinging, so I thought it was essential that I took it in three. I knew she would get better and better, I’ve watched her play for so many years and I’ve seen her go down 2-0 and then she gets better. I was aware of that, but I couldn’t stop her and then I was outplayed in the fourth and couldn’t get her off the middle.
“If that went to a fifth it would have been worrying, so I’m really happy to win.
“Once you’ve won an event, the pressure is off a bit and your name is on the trophy. Everyone wants to win multiple times, but just to be able to get my name on the trophy was a massive deal for me and something that I really wanted this season.
“You try not to think those thoughts [about winning] but it’s impossible not to let those thoughts of winning a Nationals title creep on. In the fourth when I was so far down I was thinking it was definitely going to a fifth, so ironically I was able to turn that one around.
“With this tournament being so early, it shouldn’t determine your season. I said that to myself to alleviate the pressure a bit, but it’s so early and some people haven’t had as much training as others. SJ has just got back off her honeymoon, so to play as amazing as she has done is amazing.”
Result – Women’s Final: 2024 British National Squash Championships
Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 (48m)
