Clarke takes Euro title as Derby pair battle in Romania

Friday, May 11, 2012
Normanton ace Jay Clarke beat Spondon's Sam Ferguson in the Tennis Europe final.

Jay Clarke has picked up another Tennis Europe title – after beating fellow city youngster Sam Ferguson in the tournament final.

The pair both reached the last round of the under-14 boys' singles draw of the Dr Oetker Junior Trophy, in Bucharest, Romania.

Clarke, 13, of Normanton, was the number one seed and beat Romanian Cristian Stefan Moldovan 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round.

He followed this with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Andrei Riclea, also from Romania, and a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Norwegian Casper Ruud to reach the quarter-finals.

His opponent, Romanian and 10th seed Calin Manda, retired at 6-1, 1-0, before Clarke booked his place in the final with a 6-2, 6-3 win over fellow Brit Charles Broom.

Ferguson, also 13, of Spondon, served double bagels to first and second-round opponents Stefan Costea and Teodor Giusca, both of Romania, before beating another home player, Mihnea Bara, for the loss of one game.

The third seed delivered another 6-0, 6-0 trouncing in the quarter-finals against Romanian Cezar Andrei Georgescu and joined Clarke in the final following his 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory over second seed Mikael Yemer, of Sweden.

But it was Clarke who claimed the spoils – his tie with Ferguson going to three sets before winning the match 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 6-4.

The tournament, at the Centrul National de Tenis, has left the boys third and eighth respectively in the Tennis Europe under-14 rankings.

Couretesy of Derbyshire telegraph 

 
 

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