02.11/14
Alfie Hewett claimed his seventh senior men’s doubles crown of 2014 as he successfully retained one of his titles in Sion, bowing out of the men’s singles in the semi-finals, the same stage Luz Esperanza Merry reached in both the women’s singles and doubles.
Hewett and former doubles world No. 1 Martin Legner of Austria beat Herbert Keller of Switzerland and Ivan Tratter of Italy 6-0, 6-2 before moving on to defeat Dutch-French duo Rody die Bie and Lahcen Majdi 6-2, 6-2 in the doubles semi-finals. The top seeds claimed the title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory in the final against French second seeds Frederic Cattaneo and David Dalmasso.
After his opening singles win over Italy’s Silviu Culea, Hewett eased through his quarter-final against Frenchman Sebastien Husser 6-0, 6-2. However, the British second seed saw his singles title defence come to an end in the last four as de Bie prevailed 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Merry followed up her opening women’s singles victory over second seed Emilie Chene with another impressive win over French seventh seed and former world No. 11 Christine Schoenn, winning their quarter-final 7-5, 6-4 to improve on her last eight berth in Sion in 2013. However, 14-year-old Merry bowed out to Russia’s world No. 1 ranked junior and eventual champion Viktoriia Lvova 6-1, 6-1 in the semi-finals.
Merry and Pauline Helouin of France justified their third seeding in the women’s doubles, beating Mexican duo Claudia Taboada and Rosalva Vazquez 6-4, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals. But their challenge then came to an end against French second seeds Chene and CharlotteFamin, who progressed to the final 6-2, 6-2.
31/10/14
Luz Esperanza Merry and Alfie Hewett advanced to the women’s singles and men’s singles quarter-finals on the first day in Sion, with Merry playing a starring role after winning two matches on the opening day and beating the second seed to reach the last eight of the women’s singles.
Merry recovered from a mid-match dip in her opening contest to beat Mexico’s Claudia Taboada 7-5, 0-6, 6-2 and went on to upset French world No. 24 and second seed Emilie Chene in her second round match. Merry faces French seventh seed Christine Schoenn for a place in the semi-finals.
Hewett will meet Sebastien Husser of France in the last eight of the men’s singles after beginning his title defence with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Italy’s Silviu Culea.
29/10/14
Alfie Hewett and Luz Esperanza Merry return to Sion a year on from Hewett winning the men’s singles and doubles and Merry reaching the women’s singles quarter-finals and finishing runner-up in the women’s doubles.
Hewett has already won ITF 3 Series singles titles in Germany and Spain this year, during what has been another impressive season to date for the world No. 1 ranked junior. Meanwhile, after recently winning her first senior women’s singles title in Wexham, Merry returns to competition for the first time since turning 14 years old.