Devoy wins Under-23

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 23

Devoy wins Under-23

NZPA staff correspondent Marlow New Zealand’s Susan Devoy, who early in the week-end added the British Under-23 squash title to her achievements, still finds it “tough” getting recognition in England. Devoy, aged 22, beat the second seed and England international, Lucy Soutter, aged 18, 3-9, 9-1, 9-0, 5-9, 9-0 to win the title and claim her first big win of the year. The world champion and British open title holder, who earlier confessed to motivation problems, said it was “reassuring” to know she could still play like that “I just had to win. I don’t get nearly as much recognition here as I do in New Zealand but I have to keep winning in order to keep things going at home,” she told NZPA. Devoy, who appeared on British television this week, emphasised her point when she joked with interviewers about the M.B.E. she received in the New Year’s Honours List

“A lot of people here won’t believe I got it for (Services to squash, so now I tell them someone jumped off the Auckland Harbour bridge and I leapt in and pulled them out”

In the final, Devoy mixed brilliance with curious lapses in concentration to beat the young woman the press have hailed as the new “wondergirl” of British squash. The New Zealander, battling to control her nerves, dropped the first, set then powered back to take the second and third. Soutter, a gutsy retriever, grabbed her chance to draw level in the fourth set when Devoy’s concentration wavered but had no answers when Devoy’s determination returned.

Devoy now faces a hectic three month schedule. After celebrating her win she left for Scotland to play in a minor tournament and take part in a training school.

The Under-23 men’s title was won by the sixth seeded Australian, Rodney Martin,