News on Somerset Juniors

Taunton’s Aegon national team player Zoe Leach fresh from winning the ladies’ singles gold medal at the British College’s Finals at Loughborough, was beaten in sight of the 18 and under final at Cheltenham where the talented lefthander lost out to Anna Peacock (Avon) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

Zoe, who hopes to take up a place at Loughborough after the summer to read Sports Science beat former Great Britain junior Katie Millar (Devon) 6-4, 3-6, 12-10 in the quarter-finals.

Taunton’s Henry Hall was seeded to win the boys’ 12 and under singles at the Cheltenham Junior Open at the East Glos club but was beaten in the quarter-finals by county team-mate James Mitchell 3-6, 7-5, 12-10 who went on to reach the final.

Toby Mitchell got through a round in the 18 singles and in the 16 and under event he was on course for the last eight but lost out to number seven seed Jack Findel-Hawkins (Devon) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0.

Bethany Eccles reached the third round of the girls’ 16 and under singles before losing to Katie Millar (Devon) 6-4, 6-0 while in the 14 singles, a win over Laura Gilbert (Wilts) 6-1, 6-0 carried her into the third round and defeat at the hands of Sophie Marriott (Oxon) 6-1, 6-1.

In the girls’ 14 and under singles Sophie Butland beat Claudia Dickinson (Avon) 6-1, 6-2 before falling to Judith Richards (Glos) 6-2, 6-1 in the third round.