The wind and the rain couldn’t stop the 2011 Lichfield Friary Tennis Club Championship Finals Day being one of the best in recent years – and two players took the lion’s share of the trophies.
Jane Hamlin won the Ladies Singles title beating Chris Weir 6-3, 6-4, while Julian Fisher was in three finals – mens singles, mens doubles and the mixed doubles and started off the treble attempt well.
He won an epic Mens Singles Championships with a two-and-a-half hour marathon against David Goss, with a superb fight back after losing the first set, finally winning 6-7, 6-3, 6-0.
The treble dream vanished for Fisher when Goss evened the honours – he beat Fisher and partner Lee Marks with James Morris in another excellent three set match 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 to claim the Mens Doubles Championships.
Losing singles finalist Chris Weir picked up some silverware when she and partner Tina Grant lifted the Ladies Doubles beating Ruth Moon and Hilary Ward 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Jane Hamlin and Julian Fisher started their Mixed doubles final against Leonie Patterson and Colin Densham at 5pm. Fisher had already played four hours of continuous tennis and with the two-hour break after Singles final for Hamlin, the pair started poorly losing the first set 6-3. However, they won the second set 6-3 before taking the final set 6-3, finishing just after 7pm meaning Fisher had played for over 6 continuous hours and completed 9 sets.
The Mixed Plate competition was won by Bill Drakeley and Dot Clarke, beating Martin Stanley and Hilary Ward 7-6, 7-6.
Club chairman Achim Kreuser said:
“It’s been one of the best club championships for years. We had a record turnout and the standard of play throughout the tournament has been excellent, with all the matches on finals day giving joy to all those who watched.”
To join Lichfield Friary Tennis Club please call Graham Hathaway on 01543 375175. Or visit www.lichfieldfriarytennis.co.uk.