Fishbourne tennis aces serve up a day of delights

After a day of close-fought action, Fishbourne Tennis Club crowned new champions at its annual finals day.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Sep 2018, 08:55 BST
Updated 13th Sep 2018, 10:03 BST
Harry Dry was one of Fishbourne TC's finals day winnersHarry Dry was one of Fishbourne TC's finals day winners
Harry Dry was one of Fishbourne TC's finals day winners

The men’s singles champion for the past two years, Tom Craddock, missed out on a hat-trick when he was beaten by Harry Dry 6-4, 7-6. For Dry, whose killer forehands caused trouble for his opponent from the start, it was revenge for his defeat by Craddock in the final two years ago.

There was a new champion as well in the ladies’ singles competition, with Rachel Dekker beating previous club champion Katy Bracher 6-1, 7-6.

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Dekker and doubles partner Kate Gurl went on to chalk up another win for the new generation of young players now coming through at Fishbourne by taking the ladies’ doubles title. They beat Katy Bracher and Sue Lord 6-2, 6-4.

Chris Gosden and Phil Tite sealed their position as the club’s premier men’s doubles pair, taking the title for the third time in four

years against last year’s winners, Tom Craddock and Sam Hart. Their close-fought three-setter eventually went Gosden/Tite’s

way after a nail-biting tie-break.

Darren Triggs and Priscilla Pendle made a formidable pairing in the mixed doubles, taking the title for the first time with a win over

Sam Hart and Kate Gurl.

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With Fishbourne’s new-generation of players providing such a high standard of competitive tennis, it was good to see two of the club’s most senior players, Elizabeth and Brian Williams, taking trophies home for wins in both the vets’ 65 singes and doubles competitions.

FTC committee member Gareth Price, who presented the trophies in front of a large crowd, said it had been a successful day with a

high standard of tennis. But it was also a day that some previous champions would probably prefer to forget…until next year at least.

Results - Men’s singles, Harry Dry bt Tom Craddock 6-4, 7-6; Ladies’ singles, Rachel Dekker bt Katy Bracher 6-1, 7-6; Men’s doubles, Phil Tite and Chris Gosden bt Sam Hart and Tom Craddock 6-4, 6-7, 7-6; Ladies’ doubles, Kate Gurl and Rachel Dekker bt Sue Lord and Katy Bracher 6-2, 6-4; Mixed doubles, Darren Triggs and Priscilla Pendle bt Sam Hart and Kate Gurl 6-2, 6-4. Vets 65 Ladies’ singles, Elizabeth Williams bt Hilary Evershed 6-1, 6-2; Vets65 Men’s doubles, David Lord and Brian Williams bt Roy Hay and Gordon Read, 7-5, 3-6, 1-0; Vets 65 Mixed doubles, David Lord and Cynthia Burnett bt Steve Bailey and Hilary Evershed 7-5, 6-0.