A PACKED gallery at Dartington Squash and Racketball Club were enthralled by the spectacle of a tremendous game of squash played by two athletic girls, contesting this year’s championship.

Maya Durham and Martha Stevens are the up-and-coming stars of female squash not just at the club but no doubt the county scene. Both tall and athletic, they ran themselves into the ground during the match.

Maya won the first game 15-12, capitalising on some unforced errors by Martha, particularly on the serve. She then picked up where she left off, surging into a 4-0 lead in game two.

Martha had other ideas though, firing back to win six successive points and build up a head of steam of her own.

This back-and-forth nature continued as Maya held a 14-9 lead, only for Martha to survive five game points and draw the match level.

Next Martha took game three 15-9 to go 2-1 ahead. Despite covering much yardage, Maya was struggling with the accuracy of Martha’s shots. Martha was in command in the third and was never behind in it.

The fourth game was also a battle with both girls ferociously fighting for every point.

It was nip and tuck but at 10-8 up Martha found previously untapped resources of energy and literally blasted her way to the championship by some vicious back hand drives down the side wall.

Martha won five points in a row to win the fourth 15-10 and therefore the match, by three games to one.

In doing so, she became the 2025 girls’ champion. The spectators applauded rapturously after seeing this fine spectacle of fitness, skill and great sportsmanship.

The match was a good augury for female squash at Dartington which now boasts several women in the competitive box leagues as well as a team competing in the Devon League.