Jason Black and Stafford Lynn secured local victories at the 17th Belfast Wheelchair Open, with Black winning the A Division singles and also partnering singles runner-up Lynn to win the A Division doubles at the ever-popular tournament organised by the Spokes in Motion Wheelchair Tennis Club in association with Belfast City Council.
With the A Division singles starting with two round-robin groups of four players, Lynn and Steve Crompton, one of several players to make the trip over the Irish Sea from England or Scotland, both completed their three round-robin matches with one two wins and one loss to advance to the knockout phase of the competition after Crompton had beaten Lynn in a match tie-break.
Black and Noel McShane won through to the semi-finals from the other round-robin group after Black finished unbeaten in his three matches, despite being taken to a match tie-break by McShane, who won the remainder of his matches in match tie-breaks, too, to edge Gareth Greene out of a semi-final berth.
Both semi-finals ended in straight sets wins, Black beating Crompton 7-6, 6-2, while Lynn overcame the challenge of McShane 7-5, 6-2, but Black ended a successful campaign unbeaten after a final 7-5, 6-1 victory over Lynn.
Gerry Milligan and Stephan Watters earned two straight sets wins to join Black and Lynn in the A Division Doubles final, but the two singles finalists dominated the match tie-break in the title decider for a 6-4, 1-6, (10-3) victory.
Lancashire’s Shahzad Afzal eased into the B Division singles final after straight sets wins in all three of his round-robin group matches, while Stephen Melvyn clinched a thrilling 5-7, 6-1 (10-7) victory over Helen Bond to ensure that he edged Bond out of second place in the group and booked his own place in the final against Afzal. However,
Melvyn provided few problems for Afzal, who went on to win the B Division final 6-0, 6-1.
Ross Gourley claimed victory in the C Division singles, winning his three round-robin group matches for the loss of just four games and then defeating Scotland’s Connor McQuade 6-0, 6-0 in the final.
There was a second victory for Gourley in the B/C Division doubles after he partnered Neil Duncan to victory.
Both semi-finals produced exciting finishes, with Afzal and McQuade wrapping up a hard-won 7-5, 7-5 victory over Bond and Luke Marshall.
Duncan and Gourley were taken to a deciding match tie-break in their semi-final, eventually claiming a 6-3, 3-6, (10-5) win over Kenny Cloke and Melvyn. However, the final brought them a much more comfortable victory as Duncan and Gourley held of Afzal and McQuade, 6-4, 6-2.
Belfast Wheelchair Open Final Draws