With qualification for the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships on the line, there was plenty of competitive fixtures in the Blackpool 4* this weekend.
Competitions in the Junior and Cadet categories contribute to the rankings which provide a qualifying route to the Nationals of their respective age group next year. Winners are automatically invited (if eligible) and points are awarded based on how far players progress in the competitions.
Leaderboards
Cadet girls | Cadet boys
Junior girls | Junior Boys
Brooke Morris won the Junior Girls title the hard way, with game five wins in both the semi-finals and finals.
First she defeated Hannah Saunders 3-2 (12-10, 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5) and then defeated Eva Eccles 3-2 (7-11, 12-10, 14-12, 9-11, 11-8) to take the gold.
Eccles had her own challenges in reaching the final, most notably a 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12) win over Charlotte Wong in the quarter-finals. She defeated Catherine Lv in the semifinals in four.
Yan Massa Hiko took the Junior Boys title with a five-set final victory (11-4, 13-15, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3) over Rohan Dani.
Hiko had his challenges on the way to the final, beating Jake Davidson 3-2 (6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8) in a quality quarter-final and then getting past Abraham Sellado 3-1 (11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 14-12) in the semi-final.
Dani’s route was smoother, beating Noah Narshall in three in the quarter-finals and Marcel Ndongala 3-0 (11-7, 14-12, 11-8) in the semi-finals. Ndongala’s 3-2 (11-7, 11-13, 8-11, 17-15, 15-13) win over Zac Greenhough in the quarter-finals was a standout match of the weekend.
In the Under-17s, the girls champion was Eccles, who defeated Saunders 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-7) in the final.
Eccles had lost the first match of her semi-final against Lv before coming back to win 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7); Saunders beat Millie Noble 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-6) at the same stage – after suppressing a fightback from Morris in the quarter-finals to win 3-2 (11-7, 11-2, 4-11, 11-13, 11-9).
Sellado took the boys crown with a 3-1 (11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7) final victory over Sebastian Srna.
In the semi-finals, Sellado defeated Theo Kniep in four (11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6), while Srna triumphed in a tight five-setter against Rory Thomson – 10-12, 11-6, 13-11, 5-11, 11-6 the score.
Both Srna and Thomson had long quarter-finals, with Srna beating Ryan Holland 3-2 (8-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7) and Thomson beating Harry Hill 3-2 (11-13, 11-4, 15-13, 6-11, 11-7).
In the Cadet Girls, Saunders came through a tough semi-final against Lok Liu Lam to win 3-2 (11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-3), while Wong advanced in the other semi-final thanks to a 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-7) score against Senuli Ranasinghe.
The final was decided in Saunders’ favor in three consecutive matches, although Wong would almost extend the match before going down 11-6, 12-10, 14-12.
The Cadet Boys final was a thriller and the Netherlands eventually came out on the right side of the score, beating Kniep 3-2 (11-13, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9).
The Netherlands also had a lengthy semi-final, beating Hill 3-2 (17-15, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7).
Kniep defeated Aaron Wong 3-0 (15-13, 15-13, 13-11) in a tight semi-final, after earlier coming from behind to beat Malek Shamakh 3-2 (11-2, 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5) in the quarter-finals.
In the Under-13 Boys, gold went to Ronan Lamont-Tierney, who defeated Lev Sahmurov in the final with an interesting-looking 3-2 (11-0, 10-12, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7) scoreline.
The winner also needed five games in the semi-finals, where he once again came from behind to beat Malek Shamakh 3-2 (11-4, 4-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6). Sahmurov’s semi-final was a more routine 3-0 (5, 6, 4) against Liam Stockton.
The corresponding girls’ event was won by Senuli Ranasinghe, who defeated Phoebe O’Brien 3-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-5).
Her semi-final, on the other hand, was a hard-fought 3-2 (12-10, 12-14, 6-11, 11-2, 11-5) victory over Mindy Gao, while O’Brien defeated Yi Ching Yu 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 12-10).
Three new, newly qualified referees were supported and mentored by Tom Purcell at the event, following a recent referee course held in Blackpool in October. They were Rick Booth, Tony Fuller and Peter Hoole.
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