Shrewsbury racketball friends become enemies in battle for national title
Friendship was briefly put to one side as Shrewsbury racketball duo Chris Morris and Chris Wase went head-to-head for glory.
The pals were in fine form as they powered their way through to the over-50s final in the British National Championships.
The Championships were founded in 1984 and are now well established as the highlight of the racketball tournament calendar and the’ not to miss tournament’ on the annual circuit.
The battle for glory took place at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham and Shrewsbury Squash Club duo were on opposite sides of the knockout draw.
But after two gruelling days, and having knocked out all other competitors, Morris and Wase were left standing to face each other in the final to see who would reign supreme and win the coveted national champion title.
With Morris having had a punishing semi-final against tour veteran Mark Francis only hours before, Wase knew he needed to secure the first game in the all-Shrewsbury final to apply early pressure.
But Morris had other ideas, however, and despite falling behind in the first game, he battled back to win 12-10.
The two following games continued with long testing rallies and tense competition, but Morris was not to be denied and triumphed
11-7, 11-9 to secure an impressive 3-0 success.
The pair are regular sparring partners who are rivals on court when on tour and for weekly battles at Shrewsbury Squash Club, but are firm friends the rest of the time.
Morris and Wase have now racked up an impressive set of titles between them over the past two years and have become the men to beat for all other competitors.
Morris’s national success saw him retain his UK number one seed position, but Wase is drawing ever closer to challenge his pal having recently secured second place in
the rankings in the over-50s category.
The next time the club-mates may face each other at a national event will be the British Open in Sheffield, which is due to be held next month.
