So I promised this column and so here it is. In the weekend report I excluded Arek Kudla who was playing in the Mixed 9 & Under Singles but the rest of the names were correct. This diary will be updated every day – but not always first thing in the morning: This time I will put latest news at the top so what I write today will be demoted tomorrow!
Sunday 28th August
So to complete the tale, there was no fairy tale ending despite a gallant fight by James Balair and his partner Ryan Hutchinson in the Men's Doubles who fought to 5-5 in the first set but couldn’t pull out the extra game for 6-6 so lost that 5-7. The second was no less competitive but this time going all the way to 6-6. But the tie break from hell – they only managed 4 points o lost 4-10 in the third. Great tennis guys.
Saturday 27th August
So I forgot that Magda Kornijczuk was playing her Girl’s 14&Under final on Saturday morning but nobody complained. The first set Magda lost 5-6 (6-8 in tie break), won the second 6-4 and so it all came down to the third set tie-break which was going well until Magda lost 5-10! But her opponent is ranked 5 in county compared to Magda who is only ninth and the winner went on to take the 18&Under title as well! Good going Magda.
Harry Dunnett opened in the Adult Men’s Championship against the #2 seed and as expected lost 2-16, 1-6. Mats Colling won his first round match 6-2, 6-4 and James Blair 6-0, 6-3 but his reward was to play the #1 seed who dispatched James 0-6, 2-6! Mats only had the #4 seed to worry about and lost 3-6, 3-6.Harry progressed to the Semi-finals of the Consolation and we expect to find him in the final tomorrow.
Somewhere in this process a load of pairing-off went on for the Men’s Doubles, not unlike those teenage parties I used to go a few years back )and less of the giggling please – I was a teenager once but only for 7 years like the rest of you). Mats and Harry paired off and were successful in reaching the Semi-final with a 6-1, 6-2 win at which point their fun was over, losing 4-6, 2-6 to the top seeds. James and his partner also won through to the semi-final stage 6-4, 7-6 but were awaiting their opponents when the results were posted.
Friday 26th August
Before I start I have been told off - but in a nice way Sharon! I left out that James Ardley lost his Consoloation match on Wednesday but as he had a good day yesterday and today I don't feel bad about mentioning it today.
Well I didn’t think there was much on Friday but I was wrong. Touch Tennis Time! What could be better than that eh?
We had James Ardley & Mats Colling as a pair, James Blair in another pair, Joseph Henbury in a third and Anna Vinnell in a fourth pair of younger girls - this was truly a mixed competition as all the rest were 16&Under boys!
First round and Joseph Henbury’s pair won, James Ardley & Mats beat the Anna pair and James Blair pair also won. Second round James A & Mats again won, James Blair pair beat Anna’s pair and so did Joseph’s pair. Third round James Blair pair lost, Josephs pair beat Ann’s pair, but James & Mats again won. Fourth round James & Mats James Blair pair, Joe Henbury Pair won and Anna’s pair again lost. Final round James and Mats won their fifth match, against the Henbury pair, Anna’s pair lost and Blair’s pair won. So it was James Ardley and Mats Colling who were declared as the winners being unbeaten in all their matches. Joe Henbury pair was second and Blair’s pair third. The Anna Vinnell pair played gallantly but were last – they gave it everything so well done both of them.
Saturday we have James Blair, Mats Colling and Harry Dunnett playing in the Men’s Open. Harry has the worst possible draw against the #2 seed while Mats looks as though he could proceed and James Blair should proceed all being well although his reward will be the #1 seed! Mats onlyhas the #4 seed to worry about. Good luck guys.
Thursday 25th August:
Magda won her semi-final of the Girl’s 14&Under match 6-0, 6-4. Joe Henbury lost in his consolation final 4-5, 2-4, James Blair lost in his 16&Under semi-final3-6, 4-6 while Anna Vinnell won her Consolation Final 4-1, 2-4, 10-8.
Now for the doubles which are pretty confusing! James Blair & Tom Vinnell won the 16&Under Boy’s Doubles. Tom & Anna Vinnell lost their Mixed doubles match. James Ardley & Oliver Fernandez won their Boy’s 14&Under Boy’s Doubles. Joe Henbury lost both his 16&Under Boy’s doubles. Mats Colling & Harry Dunnett one their first 18&Under Boy’s doubles match but lost the second so were equal 4th. Magda Kornijczuk with her partner reached the finals of the Girl’s 14&Under doubles but lost – so were runner ups.
I think that is everything. Tomorrow we have nobody playing but we do have Magda Kornicjzuk in the Girl’s 14&Under final on Saturday. The over 18s start on Saturday too – look here for any order of play for the weekend as it has not been put up on Tournament Software yet.
Wednesday 24th August
In the Boy’s 16&Under James Blair showed little mercy for Mats Colling as he won 6-2, 6-2 before going on to beat James Ardley 6-3, 6-3 – neat! Anna Vinnell went down 4-6, 1-6 in the first round of the Girl’s 16&Under but Magda Kornijczuk won 6-3, 7-5 only to lose in the semi final 1-6, 2-6 to the #1 seed. Anna then had a great win in the Girl’s 16&Under Consolation – final tomorrow. 5-4, 4-0 but plays in the Girl’s 16&Under first round as does Anna Vinnell. Matts Colling won his first Consolation match. Joseph Henbury was dumped in the main draw of the Boy’s 16 & Under 6-7, 1-6 but won his first consolation match 4-0, 4-2. Semi-final will be played tomorrow.
Tomorrow then we have Magda in her semi-final of the Girl’s 16&Under, Joe Henbury in his consolation semi-final, James Blair in his 16&Under semi-final, Anna Vinnell in her Consolation Final and lots of doubles with James Blair, Tom Vinnell, Joe Henbury , Mats Colling, James Ardley – all with miscellaneous partners - Magda Kornicjzuk, Anna Vinnell with her brother in the mixed (!), and so on. This will take loads of unravelling tomorrow evening.
Tuesday 23rd August:
Anna Vinnell started the first round of the Girl’s 14&Under singles with a comfortable 7-5, 6-3 win but with the reward of playing Magda Kornijczuk (#2 seed) in the second round Anna lost 6-0, 7-6. Magda will play the #3 seed for a place in the Final on Thursday. Sam Ardley won a close match 3-5, 4-2, 10-8 to reach his consolation final where he lost 1-4, 0-4 – sorry Sam.
Brother James Ardley found the power of the #1 seed in the 14&Under singles losing badly so not a great day for the Ardleys – nice photos though Sharon. Leo Gamon lost his semi-final in the Boy’s 14&Under consolation to the boy who won the Consolation final.
Mats Colling however made the day for Thornden Tennis Club by picking up the win in the Boy’s 18&Under Consolation 6-3, 6-1
Tomorrow James Ardley has a walkover in the first round of the Boy’s 16&Under and meets James Blair as a result!s. Mats Colling also plays in the second round of that event. Magda plays in the Girl’s 16&Under first round as does Anna Vinnell. News on this tomorrow.
Monday 22nd August was rather busy with the 18 & Under boys, 10&Under boys, 14&Under boys starting. James Blair was unable to play so it was up to Harry Dunnett and Mats Colling in the 18&Under but unfortunately they were both knocked out in the first round. Mats went on to win his Consolation match so will play that final tomorrow. Harry, mysteriously disappeared from the competition even though he lost his first match.
Sam Ardley won his first round match in the 10 &Under but was knocked out in his second round.
James Ardley roared through his first two rounds of the 14&Under (6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-1) but waits until tomorrow when he faces the #1 seed! Leo Gamon was taken 1-6 in his firsts et but fought well in the second but still lost 4-6 so it was into the Consolation for him where he won 4-2, 1-6 10-8 (and if you can explain that score please let me know. His reward for that is the #5 seed who lost his first match in the second round! Give it your best Leo: we will be rooting for you.
Sunday 21st August had Arek Kudla playing his 9&Under Mixed singles. He had started off strongly but went down in his first Group A match 10-12, 4-7 and then 1-7, 3-7 meaning he was relegated to a round robin group. Here he won his first his first two matches – 7-5, 8-6 and 7-1, 7-2 before losing his third 9-11, 7-9. His fourth match result is not yet in but he was winning the competition when play finished for the day.