15/04/14
Louise Hunt and David Phillipson completed the 6th Open Memorial Santi Silvas with three titles from four events as the two Brits shared in the women’s and men’s doubles titles on the final day of play, with Phillipson also finishing runner-up in the men’s singles.
Hunt ended the tournament with a brace of titles after partnering Spain’s Lola Ochoa, the player she beat 7-6(4), 6-2 in the women’s final on the penultimate day of play, to win the women’s doubles title. Top seeds Hunt and Ochoa eased to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over French second seeds Evelyne Claverie and Pauline Helouin in the women’s doubles final.
Phillipson and Sweden’s Stefan Olsson, the top seeds, eased to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Spain’s Roberto Chamizo and Martin de la Puente in men’s doubles final. Earlier in the day second seed Phillipson finished runner-up to world No. 4 and top seed Gustavo Fernandez in the men’s singles as the Argentinian retained his title 6-3, 6-1.
14/06/14
Louise Hunt claimed her first women’s singles title of 2014 on the penultimate day of play in Olot, as David Phillipson moved into the men’s singles final, with both Brits maintaining hopes of doubles success, too, going into the final day at the ITF 2 Series event.
With rain interrupting the action on both the second and third days Hunt had eased to a 6-2, 6-0 win over fellow Brit Luz Esperanza Merry in the women’s singles semi-finals and then snatched the opening set of Saturday’s final against Spain’s Lola Ochoa in a tie-break.
Hunt recovered from 2-0 down in the second set to trail Ochoa 3-2 when rain cause the final to be suspended for three hours, but Hunt started strongly when the match resumed and competed a 7-6(1), 6-2 victory.
“’I’m really excited to win this tournament, it’s my first time here and it’s a really great tournament. It’s the first tournament I’ve won this year in singles, so I’m very happy,” said Hunt. “Obviously when you get a rain delay it’s really frustrating but you just have to take it in your stride as no one can do anything about it. It was frustrating for me because I didn’t feel like I played my best tennis in the first set and then I was 2-0 down in the second. I brought it back to 3-2 so I felt like I was really picking up my game and the rain came in. But I stuck to my routines in the rain delay and came back and played by best tennis at the end.”
Second seed Phillipson also had a tough task in his semi-final against French third seed Lahcen Majdi, but held on for a 6-3, 7-6(7) victory that sets him up for only his second career meeting with Argentinian top seed and world No. 4 Gustavo Fernandez.
Top seeds Hunt and Ochoa are set to face French second seeds Evelyne Claverie and Pauline Helouin in the women’s doubles final after the French duo’s 6-4, 7-5 victory over Merry and Colombia’s Johana Martinez.
Phillipson and Sweden’s Stefan Olsson moved into the men’s doubles final when the top seeds defeated Fernandez and Spain’s Martin Varela 6-3, 6-4. Their final opponents are yet to be decided, with French second seeds Sebastien Husser and Thomas Vinatier scheduled to resume their semifinal against Chamizo and de la Puente on Sunday morning.
Interview - Louise Hunt
12/06/14
David Phillipson and Luz Esperanza Merry got the British challenge off to a fine start on the first day of play in Olot, at the annual tournament organised by Tommy Robredo and his Foundation, with a British player guaranteed a place in the women’s singles final after Merry’s victory.
Second seed Phillipson beat Spain’s No.1 Daniel Caverzachi 6-4, 6-2 to earn his place in Friday’s men’s singles quarter-finals against Spain’s Juanjo Rodriguez. Phillipson will also partner Sweden’s Stefan Olsson in the men’s doubles, with the top seeds due to begin their challenge against Spain’s Jose Coronado Victor Marcen.
Thirteen-year-old Merry set up an all-British semi-final in the women’s singles after defeating Spain’s MariaTorres 6-4, 6-1. Merry will now play British No. 3 Louise Hunt, the top seed in Olot, the winner advancing to the final.
Hunt partners Spain’s Lola Ochoa in the women’s doubles, the top seeds moving straight into the final after a bye. Merry partners Colombia’s Johana Martinez and the duo will face French second seeds Evelyne Claverie and Pauline Helouin in their semi-final.