The Dunlop British Open Masters Squash Championships 2026 took place from 3rd to 7th June at Solihull Arden Club and West Warwickshire Sports Complex. The event brought together more than 270 players from 17 countries for five days of Masters competition, with Wales represented across several age groups and producing one champion, one finalist, a semi-finalist, a quarter-finalist, and notable plate success.
Welsh highlights
Stacey Gooding delivered Wales’ headline result by winning the Women’s Over 40 title. A current senior Wales international and defending champion, Gooding was described in the chairman’s report as “in a class of her own”. She beat Gemma Barber and Sophie Beake in straight games in the group stage before defeating Heather Joy of Buckinghamshire, a former champion, in straight games to retain the title.
Jill Campion produced another excellent Welsh performance in the Women’s Over 65 event. A six-time British Open champion and the defending champion, Campion beat Ireland’s Maureen Duke in four games and then defeated Lesley Sturgess convincingly in the semi-final before finishing runner-up to Tamsin Bennett of Surrey in a five-game final.
Jon Evans, Wales’ number one in the Men’s Over 65 event, reached the semi-finals after a strong quarter-final win over Richard Millman. His run ended against Mark Woodliffe, an eight-time former British Open winner who went on to claim a remarkable ninth title.
Steve Evans, the Welsh National Champion in the Men’s Over 55 category, reached the quarter-finals before losing narrowly to Scotland international Adrian Richmond, 11–9 in the fifth game.
Main draw performances
The Women’s Over 65 draw had a strong Welsh storyline. Campion opened with a four-game win over Maureen Duke, while Sian Johnson beat fellow Welsh player Lynne Davies to reach the semi-finals. Tamsin Bennett then defeated Wendy Norris of Wales in the quarter-final and Sian Johnson in the semi-final before overcoming Campion in the final.
That sequence meant Bennett defeated three Welsh players on her route to the title, underlining both the depth of the Welsh entry in the category and the quality required to win the event.
In the men’s draws, Jon Evans reached the Men’s Over 65 semi-finals, Steve Evans reached the Men’s Over 55 quarter-finals, Phil Monaghan pushed National Championship runner-up Rob Ballingall to five games in the Men’s Over 70 event, Ian Fenner-Evans was beaten by Andrew Eilfield in the Men’s Over 60, and Gareth Webber lost a tight Men’s Over 45 match to Matt Marshall, 12–10 in the fifth.
Plate results and close contests
Gareth Webber responded well after his narrow main-draw defeat in the Men’s Over 45 event and went on to win the plate competition, giving Wales another event victory during the week.
Ian Fenner-Evans and Wendy Norris both finished as plate runners-up, showing the resilience of the Welsh squad after difficult main-draw assignments.
Phil Monaghan and Rhian Davies were also involved in competitive performances. Monaghan took Rob Ballingall to five games in the Men’s Over 70, while Rhian Davies lost to former National Champion Sarah Parr in the Women’s Over 50 before continuing in the plate competition.
Summary of Welsh performances
| Player | Age group | Result |
| Stacey Gooding | WO40 | Champion; retained title; won final match against Heather Joy in straight games |
| Jill Campion | WO65 | Runner-up; beat Maureen Duke and Lesley Sturgess before losing five-game final to Tamsin Bennett |
| Jon Evans | MO65 | Semi-finalist; beat Richard Millman before losing to eventual champion Mark Woodliffe |
| Steve Evans | MO55 | Quarter-finalist; lost 11–9 in the fifth to Adrian Richmond |
| Gareth Webber | MO45 | Lost 12–10 in the fifth to Matt Marshall; later won the plate competition |
| Ian Fenner-Evans | MO60 | Lost to Andrew Eilfield; plate runner-up |
| Wendy Norris | WO65 | Lost to Tamsin Bennett; plate runner-up |
| Phil Monaghan | MO70 | Lost in five games to Rob Ballingall |
| Sian Johnson | WO65 | Beat Lynne Davies; lost to Tamsin Bennett in the semi-final |
| Lynne Davies | WO65 | Lost to Sian Johnson in QF. |
| Rhian Davies | WO50 | Lost to Sarah Parr; competed in the plate competition |
Conclusion
Overall, the Welsh entry made a significant impact at the 2026 British Open Masters. Stacey Gooding’s title win was the standout achievement, while Jill Campion’s runner-up finish, Jon Evans’ semi-final run, Steve Evans’ quarter-final appearance and Gareth Webber’s plate victory gave Wales representation across the later stages of the tournament. The wider group also contributed strongly, with several close matches, intra-Welsh contests and plate performances demonstrating the competitiveness and depth of Welsh Masters squash.
Well done to all our Masters players who represented Wales with pride throughout the British Masters Open.
Tom Rosser (Chair of Masters Committee)
