There was plenty of great tennis on show at the Dorset County Closed at the West Hants Club as some of the best players in the area competed for the top prizes in each age group.
One of the day’s top performers was Ben Battey, who reached the finals of the 16 & under boys’ and 18 & under boys’ draws. Unfortunately for Battey, he had to settle for the runners-up finish in each final after being edged out in champion’s tiebreaks in both matches. The winners at Battey’s expense were Gianpiero Placidi in the 16 & under 2-6, 6-3, 1-0(7) and Callum Forder in the 18 & under 6-1, 3-6, 1-0(8).
Natalie Carter was another outstanding player of this year’s event after she continued her form which saw her win the consolation event of the HSBC Road to Wimbledon tournament in mid-August. She also reached two finals, managing to win one of them to take the girls’ 16 & under title. She beat top seed Elle Baker 6-4, 1-6, 1-0(9) after having beaten Erin Richardson and Emilie Smythe en route to the final. In her other final appearance, Carter was beaten by Richardson in the girls’ 14 & under title match. Richardson beat Mollie Parsons and Danielle Sebata before winning 6-4, 7-5 against Carter.
The boys 14 & under saw a dominant display from top seed Finley Bygrave who dropped just three games on his way to an impressive tournament victory. He beat Niko Gleed and fourth seed George Rawlings in consecutive love and love wins before taking on Cameron May in the final. May had earlier knocked out the 2nd seed Louis Allen in the first round, but he couldn’t do anything to stop Bygrave in the final and his opponent cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win.
After two round robin groups, the boys’ 12 & under tournament saw Thomas Powell and Douglas Trimmer compete in the final. Trimmer also reached the semi-finals of the boys’ 14 & under, as well as having come through the round robin without dropping a game, but it was Powell who came out on top after some great play helped him to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
The 10 & under tournament was a mixed draw which ended with a mixed final. Sophia Hurrion took on Harrison Macdonald-Taylor for the title after both players had come through the field having dropped just 2 sets in four matches between them.
Macdonald-Taylor started the stronger as he raced ahead taking the first set 4-0, but Hurrion struck back in the second set, winning it 4-2. The two players then battled out a close deciding champions’ tiebreak which saw Hurrion emerge the winner, taking the title after the 0-4, 4-2, 1-0(7) win.
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By Harry Lund