|
A healthy entry of 154
players made the 8th City of Liverpool Junior Open a tremendously
successful tournament, completed on Sunday ahead of schedule. This
was due mainly to the capable skills of Referee Dave Cochrane and Deputy,
Brian Jackson. The youngsters' also played a part in the success, both on
and off the table. The team of officials which included Stan Clarke,
Connie Moran, Faith Moore and 16 years old Referee's Assistant, Nabil
Hudda plus a fine squad of 22 umpires and unsung helpers, completing the
line up.
The top three seeds duly qualified for their respective positions in the
Junior Boys' singles draw, the only semi-final infiltrator being Emran
Hussain. Tournament favourite Will Maybanks, eased into the last eight via
a straight games success over Azarel Adebanjo, he was, though, then taken
the distance by the in-form Zak Zilesnick before winning 11-8 in the
decider. Although fifth seed Richard Andrews put in an
impressive challenge, Maybanks won 9, 9 and 9, his last four opponent,
3rd seed Wing Yung Chan, had earlier brushed aside Joshua Boult, Michael
Hahn and Kim Daybell, all without the loss of a game, which set the scene
for a tremendous last four encounter.
In the other half of the draw, Daniel Lowe, seeded 2, reached
the penultimate stage after surviving a number of scares along the way.
Facing Ryan Maynard in the last 32, he came within 2 points of going out
in straight games before eventually easing home -8, -9, 12, 8, 4. Again,
in his quarter-final with Igor Morais, he dropped the opening games' 7 and
6 before getting it together to take the next three, 3, 4, 7. After
winning the opening game in the semi's against Hussain - who had disposed
of Reece Tan - Lowe fell behind 2-1 for the third time in four sets,
yet managed to squeeze home taking the last two, 8 and 9.
Maybanks didn't have things all his way in the other semi', and although
Wing Yung Chan took the first and third games, he couldn't keep it up and
lost the next two 8 and 5.
The final, though, didn't live up to its billing which was
decided three straight, once the top seed had repelled Lowe's second game
challenge, when they stood at 11-11, he took the honours and a well
deserved 11-8, 13-11, 11-6 victory.
Cleveland's up and coming star, Karina LeFevre, seems to like the
venue having won the 2007 City of Liverpool GP Women's singles title while
adding the Under 21 singles event in this season's senior Grand Prix seven
weeks ago. She dropped just one game in each of her three visits to the
table leading up to the Junior Girls' final, although, at no time was she
in arrears. Firstly, Sophie Neil, and then Evangeline Collier, drew
level, both, however, succumbing in the next two. Her last four clash
with Lucy Davidson, who edged out Rachel Baker 11-9 in the fifth, also
required four games but, she did enough to qualify for a final meeting
with Mary Fuller. The
Yorkshire girl dropped the opening game in the last eight against Tin
Tin Ho before easing through 3, 10, 4. Her next victim Haylee Potts, who
came within two points of losing in straight games to Laura Robinson in
the last eight, took the first 11-7 before falling away to the
England 5 listed Junior
who won 4, 2, 6.
The final, like the boys clash, saw the top two seeds do
battle again, which was polished off in straight games by Miss LeFevre, 6,
8, 6.
Another rising
Cleveland
star, Yolanda King, enjoyed a fine tournament, winning both the Cadet
Girls' and the Junior Girls' Band 1 titles, despite dropping the opening
game in each final. Seeded at 2, she accounted for Anghared Phillips
(Wales) in four in the quarter's before dismissing Tressa Armitage in
straight games in the penultimate round. Her final opponent Chloe Whyte, ousted
Abbie Milwain, who recovered from 2-1 down to dismiss top seed Lucy
Davidson in the last 16, following up with a three straight success over
Tin Tin Ho in the semi's.
Miss Whyte took the first game in the final and stood at 10-10 in the
second but, after losing the next two points, Miss King captured the next
two, 5 and 9 and the title.
Lucy Davidson was also seeded at one in the Junior Girls' Band 1 event
but, after beating Tin Tin Ho, 11-8 in the fifth, and Jasmin Ould 3-1
in the quarter's, lost to Yolanda King 7, 7, 10, in the semi's. Rachel
Baker (St. Helen's) after winning her group, moved comfortably into the
semi's where she lost the first and third games to Kirsty Wilson before
recovering to win 9 and 7. She took the first in the final 12-10, Miss
King, who stands five places above her at 11 in the junior ratings,
sealing victory though, taking the next three games, 7, 7, 8 to claim the
title.
Chloe Whyte, seeded at 2 in the Cadet Girls', cruised into the final for
the loss of just one game, that, to Gabriella Graziano in the last 16. By
way of contrast, her final opponent, Derbyshire's Abbie Milwain, went
behind in each of her three matches prior to the final. After beating
Georgina Barnes, 3-1 and going 2-1 down to Laura Robinson, who came close
to taking the set in straight games, let it slip 11-9 and then the
decider, 11-8. Miss Milwain, listed at 8 in the Cadet's, then faced
Wales' 8 ranked senior Megan Phillips in the semi's. The Denbighshire
girl edged home 12-10 in the opening game and should have taken a 2-0 lead
but, couldn't find the next two points. After losing 12-10, the match
slipped away, Miss Milwain easing home 11-7, 11-7.
In the final, Miss Whyte trailed for the first time in the
event, losing the opener 11-5, then narrowly averting a 2-0 deficit when
taking the second, 12-10. The pair, both group winners, stand just two
places apart in the ratings at 6 and 8 respectively, that, though,
was the turning point in the contest, Miss Whyte returning to Cleveland
with the title after winning 11-6, 11-9.
Emma Torkington, was in keeping with others who have collected a title in
the tournament despite dropping the first game in the two rounds prior to
the final, the England number 23, went into deficit when she faced Tin Tin
Ho in the Under 13 final but, to make matters worse, she also lost the
next to the England Cadet 4 from Middlesex, 11-9, 11-1. Not 12 until
December and facing the long journey back to Sussex and school in the
morning, the youngster didn't let it affect her,
registering a tremendous victory, winning three in a row, 11-3, 11-9,
11-7.
The finalists' in the Junior Boys' Band 1, both suffered scares en-route
to the final, Emran Hussain losing the first of four games 11-9 to Lewis
Gray in the quarter's, he looked in more danger in the semi's, going 2-1
down to Richard Andrews after taking the opener before stepping up the
pace in the next two games to ensure his place in the final.
Thirteen year old Zak Zilesnick, dropped just two games on his way to the
final of the Junior Boys' Band 1 and had to recover from 2-0 down in the
semi-final, Kim Daybell winning 5 and 5. Zilesnick had triumphed in the
Men's Band 2 event in the 08 Liverpool Grand Prix and was intent on
repeating that success seven weeks later in the same arena. He kept his
hopes alive by qualifying via a -5, -5, 5, 9, 9 victory. Having lost to
Reece Tan in the quarter's of the Cadet Boys' and the Cadet Band 1 final,
Zilesnick, 30 in the Junior list, was relieved to capture the Junior Band
1 title which he did thanks to a 12-10, 12-10, 11-5 victory over 20th
listed Hussain, leaving 'ZZ on Top' of the world.
Lewis Gray from Benenden in Kent and the top Cadet in the
country, stands a massive 500 points ahead of second placed Ping Ho, and
not surprisingly, was seeded at one in the Cadet Boys' event. Third
placed Zilesnick, who was due to meet him in the final, had his hopes
dashed, when he departed at the last 16 stage, beaten by Reece Tan for the
second time over the weekend, Gray, had no such problem, sweeping to
the title without the loss of a game, which included a 9, 7, 10, final
victory over Droylsden's Joshua Boult who had ousted Tan in the semi's.
The Cadet Boys' Band 1 title deservedly went to Tan, who, after dismissing
top seed Lewis Gray, the victor over Ping Ho in the last eight, and then
Zilesnick in the final. ZZ took the first game 11-3 but let slip the next
two both at 9. In a tightly fought affair, Tan kept his nerve at 13-13 to
forge victory over his dispirited foe, 15-13 in the fourth.
The top four Under 13's in the country, Jared Patel, Helshan Weerasinghe,
Igor Morais and Scott Hollowood, reached their allotted semi-final
positions, all having won their respective groups. Patel, from the massive
Peniel Academy in Essex, saw off Hollowood 3-1, while Morais was extended
to five games and had to recover from 2-1 down against Weerasinghe, to win
the last two games, 6, 4.
Eleven year old Daniel Wearden from Widnes, who is listed
at 32, registered two tremendous wins over much higher ranked players, in
the group stages he won 3-1 against Jack Basterfield (Middlesex) listed at
15, and followed up with a straight games victory over Cleveland's John
Bousfield who stands at 10, finishing his group in second place, Daniel
was beaten by Alex Holland (Essex) 9, 5, 2, in round one of the main draw.
Patel wasn't troubled in the final, although after taking the first game
11-8, Morais, who entered all five events over the two days, took him to
14-14 in the next but couldn't manage to hold off the top seed who
won 16-14. Patel went on to take the third 11-7 and cement his place at
the top of the list and the title.
Don Davies
Chairman L&DTTL
|
