No Clean Sweep But Army Dominate Forces Squash Championships

The Army has dominated the individual Inter-Services Squash Championships, winning all but one of the titles on offer.

Three of the four finals at this year's championships were all-Army affairs.

With the service dominating this season's tournament in Aldershot, their red-hot form may have been aided by some perfect preparation.

The team have returned from a tour to the United States just days before the tournament, where they enjoyed plenty of time on court and tested themselves against international opposition.

The eventual winner of the men's title had been unable to travel across the pond, though.

Royal Artillery man Captain Sam Miller's class told, however. The officer, who played professionally before joining the military, saw off the challenge of fellow Army player Len Westover.

The former world number 75 took the title 3-0 and despite missing out on the US trip was pleased with his performance on court:

"It's a privilege to be able to play in this tournament. There's so many great names."

"I'm not going to be able to play at this level forever so any opportunity I can take to come and win it is great."

The women's final, meanwhile, featured current Army number one Rosie Hamilton and Michelle Higgins, with the former taking the top prize 3-0.

Both players had been involved on the Army's tour to San Francisco and had enjoyed the benefit of that experience. Major Hamilton said:

"It was great to get some... really tough matches... out there. There's nothing bad about playing squash in somewhere like San Francisco."

The Army won the master's title too but RAF man Craig Stephens prevented an all-red parade by edging Adam Smart in the men's junior final.

The Northumberland-based senior aircraftman was overjoyed on his tournament debut:

"It's really good. It looked like they [the Army] were going to get the clean sweep. But I managed to get the RAF in there!"

There is good news on the way for UK Armed Forces players as England squash are set to sign the Armed Forces Covenant at the end of the year.

That will take place during the World Championships in Manchester.

All three services will now look to capture the team title, which will be contested early next year. Capt Miller said:

"We've got a bit of unfinished business from last year. We lost to the Navy and we want to go and make sure we reverse that result."

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