LEAMINGTON Royals are the first-ever Optasia Squash Super League (SSL) champions after victory against Chichester Centurions in the grand final.
The Royals claimed a thrilling 3-2 victory against Chichester at Winchester Racquets and Fitness.
Leamington’s Declan James recovered from a game down and sudden-death championship ball to defeat compatriot Curtis Malik in the final rubber.
James eventually triumphed 8-11, 11-10, 11-8 to ensure the Royals lifted the inaugural SSL title.
The Royals made a winning start as Ben Smith claimed a dramatic 11-9, 9-11, 11-10 success against Noah Meredith in the men’s under-25 match.
The encounter went down to the wire with Smith awarded a stroke at sudden death in the third game to put the Royals one point ahead.
However, the Centurions drew level as Torrie Malik beat Olivia Besant 11-2, 11-10 in the women’s under-25 match.
And Chichester took the lead following the club hero match as Oli Pett overcame Leamington’s Owain Taylor 11-10, 4-11, 11-8.
The game swung back and forth before Pett eventually sealed victory in a gruelling thee-game clash.
However, Japanese number one Satomi Watanabe kept the Royals hopes alive with an 11-6, 11-3 win against Salma Hany.
Watanabe sent the grand final to a deciding match with a dominant victory against world number 15 Hany.
That meant James’s clash with Malik would decide the destination of the SSL title.
James found himself a game down before he delivered a moment of magic at 10-10 in the second game.
The Leamington player pulled off three consecutive retrievals and then fired a forehand winner into the nick of the court.
James sealed victory and the title in the final game of the grand final as he held his nerve to claim an 11-8 success.
