Nick Kyme capped his return from a two-year injury layoff by winning the men’s open title in the XL Catlin Club Championships at Bermuda Squash Racquets Association last night, while Rachel Barnes retained her women’s title with a victory over Sarah Nicholson.

Kyme, back from a calf injury, beat John Fletcher 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in the final. while Barnes, pushed close by Nicholson in the first game, eventually won comfortably 12-10, 11-5, 11-2.

Kyme, who has won 15 BSRA club titles, admitted afterwards that the calf injury was on his mind all week, but was pleased to come through unscathed in his first competition since 2015.

“It feels good but I think it is probably in my head nowadays,” Kyme said. “I’m still aware of it, I’m moving fine but because it took so long [to recover] I don’t want to do it again. “I’m really excited to be back. Playing in this tournament I was a little nervous because it was day after day after day and I haven’t done that in a very long time. I was petrified because I haven’t played and I didn’t know how it was going to respond.

“I put in so much time years ago that it is like riding a bike. There is still a way to go, but it is good to be back.”

Kyme, 36 and a father of two, still has aspirations of representing his country again.

“Yes, I’m contemplating it, but won’t compete as an individual,” he said. “I love the sport and it has been really tough just watching. Two-and-a-half years ago I decided not to go to the Caribbean Championships and our guys really struggled. I watched it on live-streaming and it spurred me on.

“I decided to get really fit, because I felt like I let the team down. I remember I did it on court one, training by myself and just felt it go and came back too quick, too many times and it just got worst and worst.”

Kyme never looked back after beating Fletcher 11-7 in the first game, keeping his control to win 3-0 and cap off a good week. “It was an amazing week, I never thought I would win this again, it surreal,” he said. “I love competing which is the key to being in this sport. I gives me something to shoot for.”

Kyme reached the final with a 11-9, 15-13, 11-1 semi-final victory over Kristian Muldoon, the XL Catlin representative who presented the prizes to the winners last night.

Barnes got by Jane Craig 11-5, 11-9, 11-2 while Nicholson needed four games to beat Grace Edy in the other semi-final. Edy won the first game 11-7 before Nicholson came back strongly to win 11-3, 11-5, 11-8.

“This week was really fun, I had a great series of games and it got harder and harder,” Barnes said. “In the first round I had a bye but in the second round I was up against Jane Chapman who is one of our great ladies vet players and she was super fun, really energetic.

“Jane Craig pretty much wore me out, she runs a lot and hits it really hard. Tonight was really cool because Sarah has really great shots if you give her the opportunity to hit them.

“I tried to hit it really hard so that she would be rushed. I knew it would be really difficult if it went more than three or four games, so I tried to keep it as short as possible. I’ve been training a lot so it was a nice way to test that.”

In the men’s plate final Korin Knights beat Anaya Smith 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5, while Izzy White took the ladies plate final with a 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 win over Goretti Clementino.

Anthony White was the men’s vets winner, beating Jan Brewer 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 while Joann Bielby came from a game down to beat Denise Kyme 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5, in the ladies vets final.