Douglas Masters Manley In European Breakthrough

Scotland's Pauline Douglas could be forgiven for getting emotional after her semi-final victory over the legendary Ann Manley on day three of the 2025 ESF European Masters Individual Championships in Wroclaw.

Top seed Douglas ended the reign of England's 76-year-old Manley, who had not only won the last three consecutive European Masters women's O70 titles (2023, 2019 and 2017), but hadn't lost in her previous 15 major Masters competitions, including World, European, British Open and British Nationals, dating back to 2016!

Douglas's 11-2, 11-3, 12-10 victory sets up a women's O70 final on Saturday against England's Catherine Woodhart after the second seed's 11-8, 11-6, 11-2 win against France's 3/4 seed Catherine Pauchant in the other semi.

When asked what playing Masters squash means to her, Douglas just about held back tears. "It's everything," she said. "I've had a wonderful, wonderful time playing Masters squash. I've met the nicest people and been to different places... It's just been the best thing ever. I would encourage anybody, anywhere, no matter what their age, to go for it.

"Squash is such a nice family. It's really about the taking part. If you win, fine, and if you don't win, that's also fine... you can just go and cry in the shower!"

Another Masters squash legend was deposed in the men's O60 as Sweden's record five-time European title winner Fredrik Johnson was toppled in epic fashion 12-10, 7-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 by England's 3/4 seed Darren Withey.

Withey now plays another Swede, Jonas Ulvsback [3/4], in Saturday's final. The Englishman was delighted to prove in front of a packed gallery that his win over Johnson at the last European Masters in Hamburg was no fluke.

Withey commented: "Freddie is such a hard competitor. It's never easy against him and never will be. I had to show guts to stay with him. It was a bit of a mind game and I knew if I could get a lead, he may get nervy."

Meanwhile, the youngest women's category (O35) already has its champion, after top seed Astrid Reimer-Kern built an unassailable four-point lead at the top of the group with a match to spare, following her 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 win over Spain's 5/8 seed Chantal Pitarch.

Swiss-based German Reimer-Kern said: "It feels amazing, especially because I haven't finished the tournament yet! Being a title winner always sounds good and it's my first one in the Masters series so it's a very nice feeling. I hope there are many more to follow."

Two former pros - top-seeded Dutchman Piedro Schweertman and Spanish-born Marc Lopez (now competing for Poland) - will contest the men's O35 final on Saturday after coasting through their respective semis.

Another top-seeded Dutchman, Roberto Munoz Kalshoven, defeated Germany's Julian Wollny 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 and will take on [5/8] Steve Colarusso in Saturday's men's O40 final. Welshman Colarusso fought back from two games down to conquer Finland's second seed Janne Järvinen 5-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-7.

"I was quite surprised to be no.1 seed and it does add a little bit of pressure," commented Kalshoven. "When I saw my name with the no.1 next to it, I thought, 'Right, I'll have to go for it!'

"It's been a while since I've been in a big final. I did win two Dutch national junior titles, but I was only 10 or 11 then, so it was quite a while ago!"

Germany's Predi Fritsche reached the men's O55 final after a superb 11-7, 12-14, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9 triumph against spirited 3/4 seed Jesus Souto of Spain, having earlier beaten France's Thierry Scianimanico (father of PSA Tour rising star Melvil) in the quarters.

"I won the European O40 trophy in 2011 and the O55 World Masters title last year, so I actually don't have anything to prove any more," said Hamburg native Fritsche. "There's always pressure being no.1 seed but I enjoy it. I'm still hungry and keen.

"There are people here I've known for over 40 years. We played against each other in under-12s, now we're over over 55! It's a very nice environment playing the Masters, it's always very fair but competitive."

Top seed Stacey Gooding of Wales conquered her nerves to set up a women's O40 final against Czechia's Eva Fertekova on Saturday. "I've been really nervous all week," she confessed. "I was trying to tell myself, 'Calm down! Just breathe!'"

Gooding's nerves were perhaps related to her vocal band of supporters wearing 'Team Gooding' t-shirts and hats. "They came with me to the World Masters... I thought they'd got rid of those t-shirts, but they've brought them back out again!" laughed the Welsh senior national team member.

In the oldest men's age category, O80, English top seed Chris Ansell (twice a European Masters champion) will face Germany's Robert Keilmann [2] on Saturday after both got through to the final via four-game victories.

England's no.1 seed James Bowden came through gruelling back-to-back four-game matches to seal his place in the men's O45 final. There, he'll face a somewhat fresher Heiko Schwarzer of Germany [3/4] whose semi-final opponent, Neil Macarron of Ireland, withdrew due to injury.

Christian Drakenberg's quest for a fourth European Masters title continued serenely. The Swede's 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 win over Ireland's Rob Staunton means he's yet to drop a game. France's second seed Matthieu Benoit lies in wait in Saturday's final.

Former world no.9 Bryan Beeson, the 1986 British national champion, also cruised into the final in the men's O60, with an 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 win over France's Eric de Mot [9/16]. Lluis Suarez of Spain [2] awaits Beeson in Saturday's showpiece.