Heavy overnight rain could not stop the safe conclusion of the l2lst Framlingham Tournament at the College on Saturday, Suffolk Men’s Champion Matt Hough maintaining his fine unbeaten run of the Summer with victory in a high-quality Open Singles decider against top seed Tom Hands, from Cambridgeshire. (writes Peter Mornard) Big-serving Hough, unbeaten at both Felixstowe and Framlingham, where he did not drop a set, now moves on in confident form to next week’s British Tier event at Worthing.
Tom Hands certainly played his part in a very watchable contest, but despite Hands breaking back to 5-all in the opening set, Hough once again seemed to have that match-winning quality of raising his game that vital notch or two when required. By contrast, the Open Ladies’ Singles Final was a disappointing one, Suffolk’s Hannah Vickers unable to retain her title against the 17 year-old Norfolk player Madeline Brooks, Miss Brooks never looking back after breezing to the first set 6-0.
The Open title was some consolation for Miss Brooks, who lost in the 18U decider to county colleague Maria Andrews, though Tom Hands had earlier lost convincingly 6-0 6-2 in the 18U to Ben Clark. One of the outstanding Grade 3 Junior Finals saw Harry Hylton of the Virgin Active Clearview Health and Racquets Club upsetting Noah Cutting in the 14U Singles, Hylton battling through to win 6-1 5-7 (10-4) in a hardfought encounter. Suffolk’s Jared Bones lifted the 16U title after the withdrawl of Ben Jones with a shoulder injury.
All three Men’s titles were retained in the Senior Singles events, Paul Hammond (45), Peter Taylor (55) and Peter Brown (65) all champions again, and it was great to see Joan Hassell winning the Ladies’ Handicap Doubles in her 57th year with daughter Julia, and the 60.O Mixed with Colin Stephenson.. High praise was given to retiring Referee Steve Pilcher, who has worked tirelessly on the on-line system for over ten years. Steve’s great calmness and efficiency ensured a finish to the tournament in the most frustrating of years, and there is no doubt that he will be sorely missed.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s Open Singles : M.Hough bt T.Hands 7-5 6-2
Ladies’ Open Singles: M.Brooks bt H.Vickers 6-0 6-3
Men’s Open Doubles: T.Hands + C.Kindred w/o M.Hough + B.Jones
Ladies’ Open Doubles: B. + J.Gadsby bt N.Bacon + P.Scotcher 6-2 6-1
Mixed Open Doubles: M.Hough + O.Campbell-Lamerton bt J.Carmichael + M.Andrews 6-3 7-5
Men’s Handicap Singles: M.Smith bt O.Bailey 6-3 7-5
Ladies’ Handicap Singles: S.Harris bt S.Bennett 7-5 6-3
Men’s Handicap Doubles: C.Kindred + T.Richard bt J.Dashwood + T.Marsh 6-2 6-4
Ladies’ Handicap Doubles: J.Hassell + J.Giles bt S.Alldread + L.Lennard-Jones 7-5 6-3
Mixed Doubles Handicap: P. + L.Taylor bt T.Heaton + S.Harris 6-4 6-7 (5) 10-8
Ladies’ Singles 40.O: E.Cubitt bt M.Lenihan 6-2 6-3
Ladies’ Doubles 40.O: S.Jermy + J.Ray bt J.King + L.Woods 6-4 6-2
Men’s Singles 45.O: P.Hammond bt J.Haycraft 6-1 7-6 (3)
Men’s Doubles 45.O: C.Fulcher + P.Hammond bt A.Clamp + T.Farkas 6-3 6-1
Ladies’ Singles 50.O: A.Cooke bt J.King 6-0 7-5
Ladies’Doubles 50.O: S.Jermy + J.Taylor bt S.Bennett + S.Tilbrook 6-1 6-2
Mixed Doubles 40.O: G.Minns + L.Woods bt M.Websdale + L.Bligh 6-1 6-4
Men’s Singles 55.O: P.Taylor bt J.Haycraft 7-6 (5) 6-1
Men’s Doubles 60.O: D.Henderson + M.Hutson bt H.Lyons + B.Pearson 6-4 6-1
Ladies’ Doubles 6O.O: S.Bennett + S,Tilbrook bt J.Crown + J.Hassell 6-3 6-2
Mixed Doubles 60.O: C.Stephenson + J.Hassell bt P.Brown + E.Stacey 4-6 6-4 (10-5)
Men’s Singles 65.O: P.Brown bt B.Pearson 7-6 (4) 6-1
Boys’ Singles 18.U: B.Clark bt T.Hands 6-0 6-2
Girls’ Singles 18.U: M.Andrews bt M.Brooks 6-3 7-5
Boys’ Doubles 18.U: B.Clark + W.Cooke-Wharton bt A.Patten + C.Shephard 6-1 7-6 (4)
Girls’ Doubles 18.U: B. + J.Gadsby bt N.Bacon + P.Scotcher 7-5 6-4
Boys’ Singles 16.U: J.Bones w/o B.Jones
Girls’ Singles 16.U: N.Munday bt M.McIlraith 6-1 6-3
Boys’ Doubles 16.U: T.Belton + J.Bones w/o O.Cutting + A.Patten
Girls’ Doubles 16.U: J. + M.Andrews bt C.Brightwell-Gibbons + R.Enslin 7-6 (2) 6-1
Boys’ Singles 14.U: H.Hylton bt N.Cutting 6-1 5-7 (10-8)
Girls’ Singles 14.U: V.Palffy bt M.Raviraj 6-4 6-1
Boys’ Doubles 14.U: S.Clark + N.Cutting bt F.Enslin + H.Ketteringham 6-3 6-4
Girls’ Doubles 14.U: F.Evans + V.Palffy bt T.Enslin + H.Petley 7-6 (0) 6-0
Boys’ Singles 12.U: T.Skinner bt T.Ireland 6-3 6-0
Girls’ Singles 12.U: M.Raviraj bt S.Skaria 6-1 6-1
Boys’ Doubles 12.U: T.Ireland + T.Skinner bt L.Watson + O.Wright 6-3 6-3
Boys’ Singles 10.U: lst T.Drayon 2nd J.Henden
Girls’ Singles 10.U: lst J.Haylett 2nd S.Johnson
Boys’ Singles 9.U: lst S.Neveling 2nd S.Hindmarch
Girls’ Singles 9.U: lst E.Bolton 2nd S.Tjurina
Boys’ Singles 8.U: lst T.McIlvenna 2nd J.Durham
Girls’ Singles 8.U: lst S.Ndoro 2nd B.Gardens