Presntation Photos by Keeley Hutchinson
16/03/14
Marc McCarroll and Louise Hunt both claimed runners-up honours in their respective singles events in Tucson as the first of their three back-to-back tournaments in the USA drew to a close.
Second seed McCarroll recovered from a slow start against Japanese top seed Takuya Miki in the men’s singles final and although the British No. 2 and world No. 14 had more chances in the second set against the world No. 8, Miki eventually closed out a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Hunt ended her women’s singles challenge on a winning note after 6-4, 6-1 victory over American Dana Mathewson for her third win in four matches. However, German world No. 10 Katharina Kruger claimed the title after winning all four of her matches.
Fab-U-Life USTA/ITF Desert Classic Tournament Draws
15/03/14
Louise Hunt and her German partner Katharina Kruger clinched the women’s doubles title on the penultimate day of play in Tucson, while Marc McCarroll moved into the men’s singles final.
Hunt and Kruger lifted the women’s doubles after winning their second round-robin match of the tournament in straight sets, beating Japan’s Miho Nijo and Denmark’s Louise Willersley-Olsen 6-1, 6-1.
Earlier in the day Hunt had put in a strong performance against world No. 10 Kruger in their penultimate round-robin match in the women’s singles, but Kruger eventually prevailed 6-3, 6-4. Hunt now has one last singles match against American Dana Mathewson as the British No. 3 attempts to clinch runners-up honours.
In the men’s singles semi-finals second seed and world No. 14 McCarroll beat Australian fourth seed Ben Weekes 6-2, 6-4 and will go on to play Japan’s world No. 8 Takuya Miki in the final. McCarroll will attempt to beat Miki in an ITF 2 Series singles final for the second time since September after the British No. 2 edged Miki in a final set tie-break at last year’s Tennis Canada International.
McCarroll and Miki joined forces in the men’s doubles final, but finished as runners-up after Australian second seeds Adam Kellerman and Weekes earned a 6-4, 6-3 win.
14/03/14
Marc McCarroll reached the men’s singles semi-finals and the men’s doubles final on the second day of play in Tucson, while Louise Hunt maintained her own unbeaten record in both her women’s singles and doubles round-robin matches.
Second seed McCarroll powered to a 6-0, 6-0 win over American John Becker to earn a singles semi-final against Australian fourth seed Ben Weekes. He then partnered Japan’s Takuya Miki to a 6-2, 6-0 win over the USA’s Steve Baldwin and Frenchman Thomas Vinatier to reach the men’s doubles final. Top seeds McCarroll and Miki will face Australian second seeds Adam Kellerman and Weekes for the doubles title.
British No. 3 Hunt made it two wins from two round-robin singles matches in two days after defeating Japan’s Miho Nijo 6-4, 6-2. Hunt now faces her toughest challenge to date when she plays Germany’s world No. 10 Katharina Kruger on Saturday’s third day of play.
Hunt and Kruger won their first doubles match comfortably, defeating American duo Dana Mathewson and Nettie St Cyr 6-0, 6-1. They will go on to play Nijo and Louise Willersley-Olsen of Denmark on Saturday.
13/03/14
Marc McCarroll eased into the men’s singles quarter-finals, while Louise Hunt recorded a comfortable straight sets win in her opening women’s singles round-robin match on the first day of play in Tucson.
Second seed McCarroll beat David Eads 6-0, 6-1 and will now face a second American opponent when he plays John Becker for a place in the semi-finals.
Hunt eased past Denmark’s Louise Willerslev-Olsen 6-2, 6-1 and plays Japan’s Miho Nijo on the second day of play in the second of her four scheduled matches.
12/03/14
Marc McCarroll and Louise Hunt carry British hopes in Arizona at the first of three weeks of tournaments in the USA that will feature many of Britain’s leading players.
British No. 2 McCarroll, who reached his career best men’s singles ranking of No. 12 in February, will be among the leading contenders in the men’s singles and doubles, with his main opposition including Japan’s Takuya Miki. The last time that both players were in North America in September 2013, McCarroll beat Miki twice, in the semi-finals of the PTR Championships and then in the final of the Tennis Canada International.
British women’s No. 3 Hunt started 2014 by reaching the women’s singles and doubles finals at the North West Challenge in Britain and has produced some fine performances against two of Germany’s top three players this year, beating world No. 13 Bianca Osterer and then pushing world No. 10 Katharina Kruger close two weeks ago at the Jura Indoors in Switzerland. Kruger is among the four players that Hunt will play in a five-way women's singles round-robin event.