Henry Arrell came from a set down to beat club colleague George Shephard in the all Essex Golf and Country Club 18U decider. Overall the 2nd seed maintained his powerful serving of the week, making fewer unforced errors, both players trying hard to play a forceful, attacking grasscourt game, displaying excellent sportsmanship and dealing manfully with an often unpredictable surface. These two played on the same side of the court later in winning the 18U Boys’ Doubles.
The Shephard family did not go home empty-handed, George’s younger brother Charlie justifying his number one seeding with a hard-fought 6-4 6-4 victory over Holbrook’s Ross Spinner, Spinner still a 10U in fact. The Sportsmanship was a difficult decision, bearing in mind the excellent behaviour of the vast majority of all competitors, Nathan Adams being awarded the shield, with special mentions for Tom McLoughlin and Toby Rix.
Lavenham’s Neil Willemsen completed a memorable week in capturing the Boys’ 14U Singles title, his determined 1-6 6-4 (10-5) defeat of Felixstowe’s Robert Johnson again displaying his new-found battling qualities. The much-improved Willemsen has recently been training weekly at the Ipswich Sports Club with Lee Tweed, and if he continues to work hard and make further progress, he looks a genuine prospect for the future.
Shelford’s Alice Hug completed the 18U/16UGirls’ Singles “double”, Culford’s Flora Hill once again having to accept second best. Philippa Clarke also captured two Singles titles, defeating Holbrook club colleague Kiara Hammond 6-4 6-2 in the 14U, following up her earlier victory against Sherria Daniel in the final of the 12U event. A fine overall performance say Philippa completing a hat-trick of victories in also lifting the 12U Girls’ Doubles title.
The trophies were presented by Sue Glasswell, representing man sponsors Glasswell’s, with thanks also given to the Bury Free Press for their usual support, and to referee Rick Gardner and the hard-working Tournament Committee for organising such a smooth, enyoable and notably sporting week’s tennis. Plans are already afoot for the Bury 2012 “Olympic” jamboree, with mini tennis red competitions planned, and the 21U Singles expanding into Men’s and Ladies’ Open Singles events.
ROLL OFHONOUR
MS21U: Eddie Gee bt James Swanson 7-5 6-3
BS18U: Henry Arrell bt George Shephard 4-6 6-3 6-1
BS16U: James Graves bt Alex Holmes 6-1 6-3
BS14U : Neil Willemsen bt Robert Johnson 1-6 6-4 (10-5)
BS12U: Charlie Shephard bt Ross Spinner 6-3 6-4
GS18U: lst Alice Hug 2nd Flora Hil
GS16U: Alice Hugg bt Flora Hill 6-0 6-4
GS14U: Philippa Clarke bt Kiara Hammond 6-4 6-2
GS12U: Philippa Clarke bt Sherria Daniel 6-4 7-6 (5)
MD21U: Eddie Gee + James Lau bt Marco Mitev-Will + James Swanson 6-2 6-1
BD18U: Henry Arrell + George Shephard bt Ayden Brown + Alex Holmes 6-3 6-3
BD16U: Ayden Brown + Liam Holmes bt James Graves + Samuel Jordan 6-4 7-6 (5)
BD14U: Antonio Capasso + Rory Milbank bt Thomas Collender + Peter Whisenant 6-4 6-1
BD12U: Joe Foulger + Woody Turner bt Charlie Pritchard-Gordon + Toby Waddilove 6-4 6-3
GD16U: Flora Hill + Alice Hug bt Arianne + Dominique Dyball 6-3 6-1
GD14U: Kiara Hammond + Georgia Harris bt Abbie Colegate + Marianne Willemsen 6-3 6-1
GD12U: Rosie Cates + Philippa Clarke bt Abbie Colegate + Marianne Willemsen
MxD21U: James Swanson + Maddy Davies bt Jamie + Jade Lau 6-2 6-0
MxD18U: Will Nunn + Maddy Davies bt Harry Lawson + Hannah Martin 7-6 3-6 6-0
MxD14U: Dylan Evans + Kiara Hammond bt Sam Goddard + Anneli Aliaga 7-5 7-6 (4)
CONSOLATION SINGLES
MS21U: Ross Slade bt Gabriel Storey 6-4 6-1
BS18U: Harry Lawson bt George Kizis 6-3 1-6 6-4
BS16U: Nathan Adams bt Peter Whisenant 6-0 7-5
BS14U: Tim Erimkhan bt Oliver Lawson 7-6 6-1
BS12U: Joe Foulger bt Stephen Newman 6-0 6-2
GS16U: Arianne Dyball bt Ceren Takundwa 6-4 6-1
GS14U: Anneli Aliaga bt Abbie Colegate 6-0 6-0
GS12U: Marianne Willemsen bt Kitty Hoare 6-1 6-2
10U (Green) Boys’ Singles : Alexander Maggs bt Martin Thomas 4-2 4-1
10U Girls’ Singles : lst Eleanor Baglow 2nd Madelyn Godfrey
9U Mixed (Orange) : Monica Raviraj bt Henry Wilson 0-7 7-3 7-4
10U Mixed American Doubles : lst Max Adams + Alex Aliaga 2nd Finn Milbank + Rufus Easdale
“Fun” Mini Red/Orange Doubles: lst Matthew + Calum Jones 2nd Nathan Castle + Luke Marsh
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Nathan Adams (Commended : Tim McLoughlin + Toby Rix)
REFEREE’S AWARD : Anna Milbank