LAURA Massaro will look back on an eventful 2010 with mixed emotions.

A 12 months tinged with both happiness and sadness. A time to reflect on achievements gained and a case of what could have been.

The international squash player has endured misery and magic in equal measures – but a year that ended on a high.

The 27-year-old from Chorley achieved her ambition of playing in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi – winning a silver medal in the doubles with England team-mate Jenny Duncalfe.

And the year ended with victory in a top tournament in Sharm el Sheikh.

It underlined her perserverance as well as her undoubted talents to end the year as she had hoped to have started it.

However a serious ankle injury kept her out of the game for three months - the enforced lay-off robbed her of form and world ranking points.

It was only after returning from India did she find the form she knew she was capable of.

“Of course it has been a memorable year but it has been a difficult one as well,” said the Chorley-born 27-year-old. “I was thrilled to finally get to compete at the Commonwealth Games but I just wish I could have done so in peak condition.”

Massaro lost in the quarter finals to world number one Nicole Davies in the singles who went on to win gold.

It was in the doubles, alongside Jenny Duncalfe, that she picked up her coveted medal - but she knows it could have been gold rather than silver.

“At the time I was pretty disappointed,” said Massaro who plays for East Lancashire Squash Club when she is not competing around the globe on the world circuit. “We had beaten the Aussie pair in the semi finals who were regarded the favourites. We already knew we had the silver but really wanted the gold. So we were a bit gutted.”

It was only when she returned to Britain and the response she got from the badminton fraternity did she realise just what the silver meant.

She added: “I didn’t think of it like that but there were so many people congratulating us on our achievement that it slowly began to sink in.”

Since then, Massaro has been busy competing around the world, having been to New York, Qatar and most recently Sharm el Sheikh where she proved she is back to full fitness by winning the event.

She has also been to New Zealand for the World Team Championships where England lost to Australia in the final – but only after Massaro had won the decisive match in the semi finals to beat the hosts.

Massaro, currently ranked ninth in the world and third in the country, said: “I was fit when I went to Delhi but I wasn’t match fit. I didn’t have those games under my belt which are vital.

“Injuries are a part of being a sportsman or woman but it could not have come at a worse time. I have shown in the last few months that I am back on top form.

“I was runner-up in New York, helped England get to the World Team Championship final and have just won in Sharm el Sheikh.

“It has been a difficult year but it has been a memorable one.”

After the agony of missing out on a the Melbourne Commonwealth Games – she was fifth on the list of four players – then the tinge of disappointment in Delhi, Massaro is hoping to give it one more crack in Glasgow in four years time.