The exciting new partnership of Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban scored a magnificent victory, taking gold at the World Doubles Squash Championships in Darwin, Australia.

Incredibly their first tournament together was last month’s selection event at Scotstoun, where their comfortable victory hinted at things to come. The pair built through the rounds in Darwin, claiming their place in the final after an epic 73 minute match with the Australian top seeds Cameron Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly.

The final, also against Australian opposition, proved a more straightforward affair. The No. 4seed duo of David Palmer and Zac Alexander started well but Clyne and Lobban had the edge, taking the first game 11-8. The Scots then powered through to take the second, 11-4, and with it the World title.

Clyne just missed out on a medal in 4th with former partner Harry Leitch at both Glasgow 2014 and Delhi 2010, where it was Pilley and Cuskelly who beat them to bronze. The new pairing’s prospects now look bright for Gold Coast 2018 as they aim for Team Scotland’s first Commonwealth squash medal since 1998.

Martin Heath, Scottish Squash Elite Performance Coach, said:

“I’m delighted for Alan & Greg, and this counts as great success for Scottish Squash. The big match was against Pilley and Cuskelly in the semis, the No.1 seeds. They were under huge pressure, and showed the will, patience, teamwork and winning mentality to get the win and prove they are the best doubles team on the planet right now.”

With Clyne and Lobban’s World Champion status coming on the back of a first medal in 17 years for Scotland at the European Team Championships in May, excitement is building for a strong performance in Gold Coast in just over 18 months’ time.