The 24th Annual Suffolk Closed Seniors’ Tournament was staged in the Indoor Centre of the Ipswich Sports Club over the weekend of November lst-3rd, with some high quality tennis much enjoyed in all age groups. In the match of the Tournament, Peter Brown captured the Men’s 65 Over title with an 11-9 match tie-break victory after a marathon two and a half hour battle against the reigning champion and top seed Keith Palmer. (writes Peter Mornard)
The determined Palmer got his revenge in the Men’s 65 Over doubles later, winning the title for the 3rd year running with Phil Morter, when defeating 2012 60s champions Peter Brown and Peter Aldous 6-3 6-4. Also retaining two titles was the Suffolk 55s captain Peter Taylor, with Roundwood’s Louise Woods capturing two titles again, partnering Sadie Tilbrook and Gary Keens to victory in both the Ladies’ Doubles 40 Over and the Mixed 40+ Doubles with Gary Keens. Geoff Johnson completed the “double” in the 70s Singles and Doubles.
Gary Keens proved himself in a class of his own in the 45 age-group, defeating doubles partner Charlie Fulcher 6-3 6-1 in the Singles decider. Fulcher was yet another player to win two titles, capturing the Mixed 50 title when teaming up with Dee Oakley to beat Kevin Sutton and Jo Bond 6-1 6-2. Two other special moments over a successful weekend were the visit of former Referee Gordon Blake on the Saturday, and the appearance of 80 year-old John Bird in the Men’s 70 Over Doubles.
Steve Pilcher and Peter Mornard refereed the event, with the perpetual trophies presented, together with the prizes, at the conclusion of each event by indefatigable Tournament Organiser Keith Flewitt. The Tournament Committee can be well satisfied with another highly successful event, and although the Ladies’ entries were disappointingly low yet again, the overall total of 70 sees a slight increase on 2012.
FULL RESULTS:
MS35O (Round Robin) lst : Simon Jay 2nd : Sean Crean
MS45O: G.Keens bt C.Fulcher 6-3 6-1
MS55O: P.Taylor bt A.McInerney 6-2 6-2
MS65O: P.Brown bt K.Palmer 7-6 (5) 5-7 (11-9)
MS70O: G.Johnson w/o M.Ellis
LS 40O: K.Caneparo bt S.Bennett 6-4 7-6 (5)
MD45O: C.Fulcher + G.Keens w/o M.Bones + A.Clamp
MD55O: P.Taylor + A.McInerney bt D.Howell + K.Sutton 6-2 6-4
MD60O: P.Aldous + J.Lightfoot bt J.Fox + G.Hudson 6-2 6-1
MD65O: K.Palmer + P.Morter bt P.Aldous + P.Brown 6-3 6-4
MD70O: A.Green + G.Johnson bt N.Reeder + M.Stiff 6-4 6-0
LD40O: S.Tilbrook + L.Woods bt S.Bones + L.Rogers 6-4 6-4
LD50O: D.Donaldson + S.Harris bt G.Corcoran + J.Harpur 6-4 6-2
MXD40+: G.Keens + L.Woods bt A.Clamp + R.Prentice 6-2 6-2
MXD50+: C.Fulcher + D.Oakley bt K.Sutton + J.Bond 6-1 6-2
MXD60+: D.Howell + S.Tilbrrok bt G.Hudson + S.Ayres 6-1 6-3