Having started at Culford with the Bury + West Suffolk Junior in July, the junior tournament scene reaches its climax with the highly prestigious Suffolk Junior Closed Tournament at the Ipswich Sports Club from Tuesday to Saturday this week. Before the dreaded withdrawal deadline, the entry was a most encouraging 102, though sadly the seemingly inevitable statistic has arisen, with no entries for either the 18U or 21U Singles and Doubles.
Suffolk Men’s Singles runner-up Ryan Lambert looks to be in a class of his own in the Boys’ 18U Singles, with his main challenge likely to come from Framlingham 16U semi-finalist Max Darrington, Ben Jones and Toby Cutting. Ben Jones, a quarter-finalist at Fram., heads the 16U list, though he will need to be at his best against the likes of Max Darrington, Toby Cutting and Jared Bones. Oscar Cutting and Jonathan Simmonds are the two top seeds in the 14U, with Noah Cutting and Ross Spinner looking set for a repeat of the Framlingham 12U decider.
Harriet Petley reached the 12U Girls’ final at Framlingham, and is poised to go one better, with the talented youngster Kylie Bilchev looking to make an impact. Nia Braidford, who reached the last four in the 16U at Fram, heads the list in both the 16U and 14U in the Closed, and will take some beating on her best form. There will be plenty to enjoy, what with Doubles events and mini tennis, with spectators more than welcome at the Sports Club throughout the week to watch the “stars of the future”.
Last week saw the Lowestoft Junior Tournament at Normanston Park, and results have come through from a highly successful Lowestoft + District Tennis Championships, 66 players competing, which represents a rise of 25% on 2012. The event covered the North Suffolk area and was staged at Beccles Tennis Club over 8 days in glorious sunshine. 80 matches were contested by many present and past members of the League, Suffolk LTA Chairman Mike Watling making a welcome visit to the event and presenting some of the trophies with Club President Monty Montacute
Former Suffolk Men’s Captain Ian Moore(Southwold) retained the Men’s Singles title with a 6-4 6-4 victory over James Brabben (Lowestoft Town), with club colleague Debbie Faulkner also retaining the Ladies’ Singles crown with a hard-fought 4-6 6-0
6-1 victory over Steffi Weinacht (Beccles) The Doubles titles also went the way of the favourites, Ben Hall + Stuart Brabben (Lowestoft Town) taking the Men’s and Debbie Faulkner + Sally Juler (Lowestoft Town) the Ladies, Debbie Faulkner making it a hat-trick when partnering club colleague Ben Hall to victory in the Mixed Doubles.
Philip Tye, the Tournament Referee was supported by hard-working League Chairman Alan Reeve, and both were delighted by the high standard of play and great sportsman-
Ship seen during the event .Philip presented a Special Award to Mark Websdale for his contribution to coacing in the area, and the good standard of play demonstrated by many of his young people who entered the event.
Finally, news of our Senior Men’s teams, the 70.0.squad of Julian Corbell (captain), Tony Green, Roger Tuckett, Colin Stephenson + Geoff Johnson recording recent victories over Oxford (4-0) and Wiltshire (3-1), with our 75 and Overs squad of Mike Stiff (captain), Brian Plummer, Brian Alford and Neville Reeder still much enjoying their competitive tennis and proudly unbeaten to date with victories over Cornwall, Dorset and Gloucester. It has truly been a great Summer for Suffolk’s county teams