ladies' finaliats Katie Watson (left) and Trishia Kochaniec before their finals at York Railway Institute

Nathan Hill made it a hat-trick of titles with a surprise victory in the final of the Evening Press-sponsored York Men's Open Squash Championship at York Railway Institute.

He beat top seed Jamie Hopwood 9-7 8-10 9-1 9-6 in a scrappy encounter to retain the crown he has held since 1998.

There was also a shock in the women's final as Katie Watson, champion for the last three years, was beaten in straight games by No 3 seed Trishia Kochaniec from Thirsk.

Hopwood, third string in the York team, was expected to beat his team-mate, but Hill showed no signs of fatigue after his long semi-final battle with Matthew Inglis the previous night.

Hill took the opening game in which a subdued Hopwood never got going. He was unable to get is game flowing and became more furstrated as the match unfolded into a stop-start affair.

Match referee John Massarella had to make 95 decisions in the course of the match - 41 of them in a tortuous second game lasting nearly 25 minutes. He called 23 lets, eight no lets and 10 strokes, as Hopwood eventually levelled the match.

Having got a foothold in the match, Hopwood was expected to build up a head of steam but second seed Hill controlled the third game which he easily took 9-1 and had seemingly won the mental battle with his opponent, wrapping up the title with a drop shot winner in the fourth game.

The women's event, sponsored by the Nuffield Purey Cust Hospital, was a much more clear-cut final with Kochaniec rushing to her first championship in just 22 minutes.

Watson, playing on her home courts, blasted into a 3-0 first game lead, but the speedy Kochaniec hit back to level. When Kochaniec dumped a backhand in the tin at 7-7 the odds were stacked in the favour of the York girl to take the first game. But Watson could not capitalise on the handout, Kochaniec regained control of the ball and took the first game 9-7.

Watson, who had a walkover in Friday night's semi-finals after opponent Fiona Walters pulled out with a calf muscle tear, looked rusty.

She played poorly as she lost the second game to love and Kochaeniec, who had beaten Watson's twin sister Natalie, 3-0 in the semi-finals, gained in confidence and eased home 9-2 in the final third game.

The Watson girls have held the title in the family since 1996 when Katie beat Claire Blackburn in the final. Natalie won it the following year when she beat Margaret Whiotehead and Katie has won it for three successive years since then, including victory over her sister in last year's final.

The pick of Saturday night's finals was the men's plate in which York league player James Rollinson beat Robbie Fineron in a five-game thriller.

In a tense final game, Rollinson led 5-0, only for Fineron to power back to take a 6-5 lead. But that proved to be his last points as Rollinson regained the handout and served out to victory.

The men's prizes were presented by Martin Jarred, sports editor of the Evening Press.

The women's prizes were presented by Alison Sellars, secretary of the championships.

The ladies plate competition was played last Friday night and won by 12-year-old Kathryn Cordell, the Yorkshire County under 13s champions, who beat Rachel Murphy 9-2 9-1 10-8.

Next year's men's and ladies championships will start on Sunday, February 11. The venue has yet to be arranged.

Finals results

York Men's Open Squash Championships

(Sponsored by the Evening Press)

Main final: Nathan Hill (2) bt Jamie Hopwood (1) 9-7 8-10 9-1 96

Plate final: James Rollinson bt Robbie Fineron 9-7 5-9 9-1 3-9 9-6

York Ladies Open Squash Championships

(Sponsored by Purey Cust Nuffield Hospital)

Main final: Tricia Kochaniec bt Katie Watson 9-7 9-0 9-2

Plate final (played on Friday night): Kathryn Cordell beat Rachel Murphy 9-2 9-1 10-8

Match referee: John Massarella.

Harrogate's 17-year-old Jenny Duncalf reached the semi-finals of the Prince British Squash grand prix at Charing Cross.

Duncalf reached the last four unseeded after beating third seed Kelly Buckley (Essex) in the senior event 4-9 9-3 5-9 9-6 9-4.

Duncalf's run was ended by favourite and England No 6 Stephanie Brind 9-3 9-0 9-3

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