Wye Valley Brewery Stourbridge Open: Bryant Wins First Tour Title

Jonah Bryant showcased his glowing potential in the Wye Valley Brewery Stourbridge Open final, beating No.2 seed Stuart Macgregor 3-0 to claim the first PSA Tour title of his young career. 

The 18-year-old had never before gone past the last 16 of a Challenger Tour event and had the draw against him here, with No.4 seed Noah Meredith and top seed Elliott Morris Devred in his half. 

Bryant knocked out both players on day two, though, to set up this final with Macgregor. 

Any doubts over how the No.6 seed would cope in his first appearance on this stage were quickly dispelled, too, with a crisp forehand winner ending a 50-shot rally on the first point of the match. 

A Macgregor backhand into the tin gave Bryant the opening game 11-7, but the second was a much tigher affair, with the teenager edging it 12-10. 

Determined not to let the match slip away, Macgregor raced into an early lead in the third, looking in control at 6-3 up. 

But as he had done all week, Bryant wrestled back momentum, winning eight of the next nine points, clinching victory with a stroke decision at the end of a 37-shot rally on match ball. 

He ended the week having dropped just one game in the entire tournament, and was pleased with how he’d played after the win. 

Speaking on court, he said: “I’m very happy, obviously, to get the win, and to win in three games. 

“Stu’s a good player, he’s been around for a while so he’s got some experience. He’s won a PSA event before so he knows how to do it, so I was happy to close it out in three. 

“I’m definitely playing my best squash to date, but hopefully I’m still going to improve a lot.”