Shuei Belcher and Owen Blakeley led the way as plenty of local players impressed at the Dorset Open at the East Dorset Lawn Tennis Club.
Belcher came away from the event with two titles and a runners-up finish after winning the boys’ 14-and-under singles and doubles tournaments as well as ending as a beaten finalist in the boys’ 16-and-under singles.
His victory in the boys’ 14-and-under singles came after a he beat Millen Hurrion in the final 6-1, 6-1. Belcher had previously beaten Louis Allen in the semi-finals thanks to a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win. In the doubles draw, Belcher was partnered by Ben Patten and the duo went on to beat Hurrion and Freddie Powell in the final 6-2, 6-2.
Another positive for Belcher was his performance in the boys’ 16-and-under singles where he reached the final. Despite being beaten 6-2, 6-3 by Channel Islander Stuart Parker in the final, he played some great tennis which helped him beat fourth seed Ben Battey in the semi-finals 6-2, 6-1.
The other local winner of the event was Owen Blakeley in the nine-and-under mixed singles draw. He came through his round robin group with a 100% winning record before successfully navigating the main draw and beating Devon’s Benedict Stanbury-Flood 7-1, 7-3 in the final.
Elsewhere, Erin Richardson reached the final of the girls’ 12-and-under singles draw. Despite being beaten 6-2, 7-5 in the final by Middlesex’s Monet Baptiste, Richardson was the top performer from a selection of local players. Danielle Sebata reached the semi-finals, but was beaten 6-1, 6-2 by Baptiste whilst Abigail Tyler won the consolation event after a 6-1, 7-5 win over Evie Ashton in the final.
Another local finalist was Hannah Murphy, who was the runner-up in the girls’ 18-and-under draw. She beat second seed Nicole Clarke 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (6) in the semi-finals before going down 6-2, 6-2 to Zainab Williams, from Hampshire & Isle of Wight. Florence Bridgman won the consolation draw of the tournament after she beat Scotland’s Tara Harvey 0-6, 7-5, 1-0(6) in the final.
In the boys’ 12-and-under draw, Toby Samuel made it through to the semi-finals before being beaten 7-5, 6-3 by top seed and eventual champion Bradley Buckland from Derbyshire. Samuel had earlier won 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (8) against fifth seed Outek Dinapala from Hampshire & Isle of Wight. Second seed Thomas Powell also reached the semi-finals, but was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Callum Caves, fourth seed from Scotland. Powell earlier beat Luca Mcmanus 6-2, 6-1 in the quarter-finals.
Callum Forder, seeded third, was a semi-finalist in the boys’ 18-and-under but was beaten 6-3, 7-5 by eventual runner-up and second seed Taylor Vane, from Hampshire & Isle of Wight.
Three local players reached the quarter-finals of the girls’ 14-and-under draw. Erin Richardson, Natalie Carter and Millie Smythe advanced to the last eight, but were all beaten to stop their hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Mollie Parsons and Danielle Sebata were both beaten in the first round.
Five local players all suffered early setbacks in the girls’ 16-and-under after they were beaten in the first round. Natalie Carter, Millie Smythe, Hannah Murphy, Florence Bridgman and Annabel Godwin were all unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
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By Harry Lund