The Budapest Open final promised a clash of styles on Sunday, with England’s Patrick Rooney looking to unleash his attacking flair against Scotland’s Greg Lobban, whose resilience and tactical discipline have defined his game. What followed was a gripping contest of aggression versus control that kept the crowd engaged throughout.

Rooney made his intentions clear from the outset, playing aggressively and looking to dictate the pace. But a flurry of errors handed Lobban the early advantage, and the Scot capitalised to move ahead 7-3. Maintaining steady control, Lobban secured the first game 11-6 after 16 minutes.

The second game saw Rooney ramp up the intensity, forcing Lobban into extended rallies and chasing balls into every corner. Lobban absorbed the pressure superbly, using high defensive lobs and sharp counter drops to turn defence into attack. Despite Rooney’s efforts, consistency again proved elusive as Lobban pulled clear to 7-2 and closed out the game 11-5 in 20 minutes.

Rooney responded well in the third, playing with more calmness and control. His patience was rewarded with a 7-3 lead, as he began to find more winners and looked poised to turn the match around. But Lobban responded with his very best squash, reeling off eight of the next ten points to snatch the game 11-9 in 18 minutes.

That final push sealed the match and the Budapest Open title for Lobban after 54 minutes of high-quality squash. Reflecting on the result, Rooney said: “Disappointed to lose the final but happy with how I played this week.” Lobban added: “Not always great to play him, he makes it a bit of a nightmare, but great to see him back in a final.”