The inaugural All Jamaica Masters Squash Championships delivered exactly the kind of spectacle organizers and fans had hoped for on Saturday at the Liguanea Club, fierce rallies, tactical battles, emotional swings and two championship performances worthy of the occasion.
By the end of an intense evening of finals competition, Kyle Chin had emerged victorious in the Over-40 division while Craig Mair secured the Over-50 crown, closing the curtain on a memorable debut staging of the tournament.
Mair powers through in Over-50 final
The opening championship match featured top seed Gerry Wright against fourth-seeded Craig Mair in the Over-50 division, and the contest quickly lived up to expectations.
Wright struck first, edging the opening game 11-9 with disciplined shot-making and steady control. But Mair responded with authority, lifting his tempo and forcing longer exchanges as he claimed the next two games 11-5 and 11-3 to complete the comeback victory.
The triumph gave Mair the distinction of becoming the first-ever Over-50 champion in the tournament’s history.
Chin and Bell deliver instant classic
If the opening final entertained the crowd, the Over-40 championship match elevated the atmosphere entirely.
Top seed Jerazeno Bell entered the court against second seed Kyle Chin in a highly anticipated showdown layered with recent history. Chin arrived carrying extra motivation after his Badman Fu team fell to Bell’s Saints squad in the KPMG League final, and the championship clash presented an opportunity for redemption.
Bell immediately imposed his trademark style in the opening game. Calm, methodical and relentless, he forced Chin to cover every inch of the court while mixing in powerful attacking shots. The strategy paid off as Bell secured the first game 11-7.
Chin, however, returned for the second game with greater urgency and aggression. He attacked more decisively, pressured Bell into difficult positions and leveled the match with an 11-7 win of his own.
Marathon third game turns the match
The pivotal third game became one of the defining moments of the entire championship.
Neither player could establish separation as the score climbed beyond regulation play at 11-all. Every rally demanded extraordinary patience and precision, with both competitors refusing to yield ground. Eventually, Bell edged the exhausting battle 16-14 after finally creating the required two-point advantage.
The grueling game appeared to leave its mark physically, especially after Bell took a hit to the elbow earlier in the contest while leading 5-4.
Chin finds another gear
With momentum hanging in the balance, Chin surged ahead early in the fourth game, racing to the first four points before Bell mounted a response.
Although Bell narrowed the gap several times, costly mistakes prevented him from taking control. As fatigue visibly affected both players, the pace slowed and recovery between rallies became increasingly important. Chin, however, still possessed enough power and composure to close out the game 11-9 and force a deciding fifth.
By then, the championship had become a test not only of skill, but endurance and resolve.
Determination carries Chin to the title
The final game unfolded exactly as expected, tense, draining and unpredictable.
Chin struck first, but Bell repeatedly clawed his way back into contention with intelligent shot placement and disciplined rallies. Even with both players visibly exhausted, neither backed away from the fight.
In the end, Chin managed to hold firm at the decisive moments, sealing the fifth game 11-9 and capturing the championship three games to two with scores of 7-11, 11-7, 14-16, 11-9, 11-9.
The victory completed an emotional turnaround for Chin and capped one of the most gripping matches of the tournament.
“It was a hard, hard, hard match,” Chin said afterward. “And honestly, me and Jerry should have played the finals of the league (KPMG League). We got to have our finals, finally. And it was so hard-fought. Like really, every game went down to the wire. And the last game, I don’t think either of us had anything left.”
Despite the victory, Chin admitted he entered the contest expecting Bell to prevail.
“Honestly, if I’m being very honest, I’m the huge underdog, Jerry’s the huge favorite,” he said. “I expected him to win but I just knew I was going to come in here and fight. I had a game plan, I had a vision and I came in, tried my best to execute.”
The emotional significance of the triumph was unmistakable.
“I feel amazing. I feel so, so good, man,” Chin added. “Like I said, I knew I had a chance but I thought it would be a slim chance to beat Jerry. So it was just about determination, just about fighting to the end.”
Bell praises Chin after grueling battle
Though disappointed with the result, Bell remained gracious in defeat and acknowledged the quality of Chin’s performance.
“It was a good game. It was unpredictable,” Bell said. “Kyle is a pretty good player. He’s not a player to take for granted. I think we kind of had some good rallies. Both of us had our good sessions and a couple of good games and bad games but at the end of it, I think he had a better night, and congratulations to Kyle.”
The inaugural championships, sponsored by Legend Beer, concluded with enthusiastic support from the local squash community and provided a thrilling foundation for what organizers hope will become a major fixture on Jamaica’s sporting calendar.
