Despite the
absence of holder and eight times champion Kevin Dolder from the men's
singles draw, the Fawley Construction Liverpool Closed championships has
nevertheless, produced a mouth watering quartet contesting the penultimate
stage. For the first time in Closed history, two players from mainland
Europe face each other for a place in the men's singles final, this is
due to the first appearance in the Closed of second seed Michael Rogala,
26, from Zlotow in Poland, who plays for Greenbank in division two and who
now resides in the area, his opponent is third seed Christian Petzsche, in
his first season in the league with Wavertree Labour and whose home is
near Hamburg, the pair registering straight games wins over Keith Bird and
Dave Roberts respectively. In the other half of the draw, nine times
champion Keith Williams, who didn't enter a year ago, last lifted the
Montague Burton Challenge Cup in 2004 as a Waterloo player. He reached the
last four this time as a Bootle YMCA man, and after winning
his group, accounted for Ken Jackson and Mark Roscaleer, the latter
claiming the scalp of Kevin Dolder in a recent Harold House versus Ford
division one league match. His semi-final opponent, Cadwa's Chris Ford,
the runner up to Dolder a year ago, dismissed Paul Banks and Gary Watson
after topping his group as the fourth seed and is hoping to claim the
title for the first time.
A depleted
Ladies event has resulted in the expected final between Wavertree
Labour's Alice Howard, who came out on top against Clare Peers 11-9 in the
fifth in the final a year ago, and Cherith Graham (Crosby High).
Alice lifted the S.W. Richardson Cup for three years in a row at the turn
of the century, while Cherith, the junior champion in 2000, along with mum
Sylvia and Alice, helped Liverpool claim the ,J.M. Rose Bowl last May,
having beaten Gemma Lloyd in the 2003 ladies final, had she not beaten
Alice's mum Stephanie at the penultimate stage on Sunday, we
could have witnessed the first mum and daughter ladies final in the
history of the competition.
The open doubles
final contains former champion Peter Lee, who may not thank me for
mentioning that he first won the title, partnered by the men's singles
champion Paul Tsang in 1976, who beat Dave Roberts in the final, but, then
again, maybe he won't be too upset. Along with club mate and tonight's
partner Keith Bird, they play under the Liverpool Cricket Club banner,
were runnners-up to Dolder and Tim Wearden a year ago. Seventeen year old Roscaleer, from
Harold House, had the foresight to ask Michael Rogala to partner him in
the doubles, and what a wise choice, the pair enjoying a comfortable
passage into the final.
After Williams
and Ford have crossed swords in singles combat, the pair meet for a second
time in the final of the veteran (over 40's) event. Williams took the
title in 2000 but was beaten in the final by John Rankin in 2003, before
claiming it back the following year and retained it against Rankin in
2005. Perfectionist Chris Ford, was unhappy with his winning performance a
year ago, when he beat Gary Watson 10-12, 11-8, 16-14, 15-13 in the final.
This of course was no consolation for his defeat later that night when
going down in straight games to Dolder. Believe me, Chris would rather
lose playing a near perfect game than win ugly, but, that's Chris.
The over 55's
event is invariably, won by a first division player, but, tonight could be
different. Dave Roberts, the men's singles champion in 1984 and the
veteran champion in 1992, 93 and 94, has suffered badly over the years
with painful injuries and knee troubles. Major surgery though has made him
a 'new man' which has helped his Wavertree Labour 'A' team to top spot in
division two and almost certain promotion to division one. He lost the
first game in the semi-final to the 2003 champion Dave Harse
before recovering to win the next two and then 11-1 in the fourth. Bath
Street number one Ken Jackson, who has a unique style, took the title in
2004 via a straight games win over Peter Taylor and retained it the
following year win a 3-1 success over Alan Chase. He became involved in a
tremendous last four battle on Sunday with a former champion Ted Birch
(Bootle YMCA), Ken though coming through 11-8, 11-8, 13-15, 13-11. He
didn't enter last season which effectively means he is on a hat-trick,
which I'm sure will be a first in the event.
It would be
remiss of me not to make reference to the assistance of those other than
Management Committee members over the weekend. Although I learned from our
former Chairman and President Arthur Upton, who passed away four years ago
this month, not to mention by name those who helped, for fear of omitting
someone who may have helped in some way. That rule on this occasion I
shall ignore by mentioning Referee Ken Armson and Tournament Organiser
Arthur Garnett. The event I am certain would be the poorer without their
invaluable input. One other person, I shall name is that of Faith Moore,
what a job she does, not many would sit alongside the Referee all day as
she does in what is a thankless task. Thank you Faith, but then she knows
what we think of her, those who did help, have in the main been thanked
personally, but, any who may not have, I say, a most grateful thank you on
behalf of the Committee. Thanks are also accorded to the City Council
Sport Development Department and in particular, Dick Johnson for the use
of the Tennis Centre and his continued interest in the sport, also to the
Centre staff who looked after us over the two days. To the Merseyside
Police Athletic Association, thank you again for the use of your club.
Finally, we are
again tonight graced with the company of our President Bill Fawley,
who regularly attends Management meetings, and wife Vivian together with
Vice President Leo Crone and his wife Carol, this is the nineteenth year
that Fawley Construction as a company, have supported these championships,
this being the eightieth anniversary of the first when J.R. Bather from a
total entry of 31, beat his Hatton team mate Harry Turner in the final,
the only event staged in the the 1927 Closed, Bather used a 'Ted
Mandaluff' type of wooden bat and wore collar and tie and ordinary walking
shoes whilst playing, take note Chris Ford!
Finally, I
suspect that tonight's events will be supported by a large crowd, in
anticipation of a number of exciting sets. I always get a thrill when the
Closed finals commence and have taken away many memories right from my
first closed in 1967 and I sincerely hope that you do as well. Enjoy the
night and a safe journey home.
Don Davies
League Chairman
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