The county 14&under number one Ben Battey has recorded his first win of the season at the Grade 4 Wey Valley Junior Open, in the 16&under Boys competition. The tournament is the Weymouth venue’s second Junior Open and has once again proved to be a great success.
With runner-up and fourth place finishes already under his belt this year, Battey was looking to go the extra steps and secure his first tournament crown of 2013. Playing as the second seed of the event, Battey was at the bottom half of the draw and in his first round he faced Moses Lewis, also from Dorset. Battey took full control of the match and won through to the quarter finals with a clean slate, thanks to a 4-0, 4-0 win.
Two more impressive performances from Battey saw him past James Sewry, another Dorset player, with a 4-1, 4-0 win and then against the third seed Millen Hurrion, also of Dorset, which he won 4-0, 4-1 to reach the final.
Battey then came up against Henry Field, his fourth Dorset opponent of the tournament, in the final. Field was playing as the top seed and had experienced a similarly straight forward route to the final after receiving a bye in the first round and then beating Jake Russell, Dorset, 4-0, 4-0 and then Connor Townsend, also of Dorset, in the semi-finals. Field was leading 4-1 before his opponent was forced to retire from the match.
The final was a close encounter with both players displaying some top class Tennis. But it was Battey who made the first steps forward with a decisive break in the first set, which he took 5-3. The second set was almost as close and despite Field pushing all the way, Battey emerged as the winner after taking the second set 4-2.
In the 14&under tournament, Dorset’s Finley Bygrave, the number one seed, was on top form as he raced to the title dropping just 11 games in four matches. He beat second seed Archie Dudman, Devon, 6-2, 6-3 in the final.
Click Here for more information on the Grade 4 2nd Wey Valley Junior Open.
By Harry Lund