|
 |
W55:
Bett Dryhurst bt Jane Law
9/2, 9/6, 9/7
M75: John Woodliffe bt Keith Allcock
9/4, 5/9, 9/3, 9/1
M70: Pat Kirton bt Chris Stahl
9/5, 9/0, 9/1
Three serial winners to start
Finals day opened with wins for three serial winners, all of
whom profess to have stopped counting their titles!
Nevertheless, impressive performances all round from Bett
Dryhurst, playing her first and only match of the
tournament and lobbing tom perfection, Pat Kirton,
who had too much guile for top seed Chris Stahl (put it
loose against Pat and you're dead), and John Woodliffe,
who worked out how to play hard-hitting Keith Allcock.
"It was a good match," said Dryhurst, "we've played each
other many times so we both know what to expect. Fortunalely
my lobs were good today and I managed to keep it off her
volley which is always good. I really enjoyed it."
Kirton was happy with the win too: "I hadn't beaten Chris
for a while, but today I managed to keep the rallies short,
he's very quick if you let him get going. I'll be 75 next
time but I'm not sure I'll move up, there are a lot of good
players there already!"
 "He
was much too good for me today," added Stahl, "I just
couldn't get him off the T."
Woodliffe was pleased to have worked his tactics out: "It
was a bit of a challenge, I feel quite chuffed at being able
to work out how to play him, but I had to work hard for it.
"I only turned 75 on 1st June so it couldn't have worked out
better for me, so thanks to the organisers for that!
M45:
Peter Gunter bt Eamonn Price
4/9, 9/6, 4/0 rtd
M55: Mark Cowley bt Peter Alexander
9/7, 9/2, 3/9, 10/8
Two that didn't go the distance ...
The showcourt was booked out for a couple of hours for the
showdown between Peter Gunter and Eamonn Price, and
when Gunter levelled at one-all after 45 minutes that looked
like a wise move. However at 4/0 in the third Price pulled a
calf muscle and was unable to continue.
The sight of him hobbling down the stairs at the
presentations confirmed that this was 'a bad one'.
The O55 showdown looked to be going all the way as Peter
Alexander recovered from 2-0 down to Mark Cowley,
taking the third and leading 8/2 in the fourth, but the
world champion dug in and took the next eight points to
claim another title.
W50:
Paula Arrowsmith bt Jacky Gardner 2/9,9/7,9/1 8/10,9/3
M65: Rodney Boswell bt Martin Pearse
6/9, 9/6, 10/9, 9/5
Arrowsmith relief
"Nervous wreck" was Paula Arrowsmith's instant
reaction after winning her W50 final against Jacky Gardner.
Gardner looked to have shrugged off the effects of
yesterday's marathon as she took the lead, but top seed
Arrowsmith fought back to lead 2/1, and 8/4 in the fourth.
 At
that point she missed the easiest dropshot you'll ever get
to win a title, with her opponent buried in the back corner.
Gardner promptly took the next six points to level, and went
2/0 up in the fifth for good measure before Arrowsmith
managed to pull herself back together to come through for
the win.
"Years ago I was 8/0 in the fifth in a league match and
lost, and I kept thinking of that," admitted the new
champion, "you can be in control and all of a sudden it's
just gone.
"I lost in the O45 final five years ago, so it feels pretty
good to win in my first O50 final."
Rodney Boswell hasn't exactly made it easy for
himself this week, and he found himself down again against
M65 newcomer Martin Pearse before mounting yet another
comeback to take the title.
"His drops were too good today," admitted Pearse. "My good
ones, you mean," quipped the winner.
W40:
Senga Macfie bt Andrea Santamarie
9/5, 9/2, 9/0
M40: Graeme Stewart bt Andy Cross
11/7, 11/7, 11/7
W35: Senga Macfie bt Claire Walker
9/4, 9/6, 9/1
 Senga
supreme
Scottish international Senga Macfie hasn't really come close
to dropping a game this week, and she continued in that form
as she repeated February's National O35/O40 double here.
It wasn't too good a start - on the first rally of the day
she hit herself in the face with the ball, and on the second
she broke her strings. It got better after that though ...
Ireland's Graeme Stewart has had a much tougher week to
justify his top billing, and although today's match was far
from easy, it was clear that Andy Cross was still suffering
from his marathon win last night.
"I haven't made it easy for myseft this week," admitted
Stewart, "it's been a bit scrappy to say the least, but a
win's a win, so they tell me!
"Actually I'm delighted, this is my second Masters event and
to follow up winning the Nationals with this is very
special."
M50:
Mark Woodliffe bt Jon Evans 9/1, 9/1, 9/3
M60: Keith Jones bt Allen Brown 9/4,
9/7, 9/7
Smooth as Silk
Two players who went through the week without dropping a
game continued their impressive form on finals day as Mark
Woodliffe made it another family double - they won the
Nationals and British Open at O45 and O70 level five years
ago - and Keith Jones claimed "the one I wanted."
"There's a fine line between looking comfortable and being
in trouble," said Woodliffe. "In all my matches I've wanted
to stay in control of the rallies, but all my opponents had
period when they threatened to get in, and if I'd let up at
all it could have been very different.
 "I
was pleased with my length, my movement, I tried to vary the
pace and pick off the winners at the front when I could,
which is exactly what Dad did, but his volley-drops are
still better than mine!"
Jones was "over the moon".
"I've lost three times in British Open finals, to Hiddy
Jahan at M45, Moussa Helal at M50 and Trevor Wilkinson in
M50 from 2-0 and 7-3 up, so I really wanted to win this
one."
W45:
Mandy Akin by Rina Einy 9/7, 9/0, 9/6
M35: Ben Ford bt Steve Richardson 11/7, 7/11,
11/4, 11/5
Kent Double to finish
The last pair of matches saw Kent claim the honours as Mandy
Akin won a battle between two very determinied ladies, and
Ben Ford justified his top billing, pulling clear after
Steve Richardson had levelled the match.
"That was tough," admitted Akin, "when I was 7/3 down in the
first I was in danger of becoming even more nervous than I
already was, if I'd lost that it could have been very
different. Even the second, although it was 9/0 it was much
harder than that, I couldn't believe she was still running
after the matches she's had"
"It's been too long [since she won the W45 in Liverpool in
2008] so that was a really pleasing result, especially as it
wasn't really expected as I was a 3/4 seed." |
British
Open 
