ELEANOR BRADSHAW and Phil Langley seized the solo honours in the revived City of York Municipal Tennis Tournament played at Clifton Park.
Appearing in her first final, Bradshaw beat her Fulford Tennis Club team-mate and defending champion Jill Rounce, while York TC player Langley’s experience told against Fulford teenager Sean Evans.
Bradshaw and Rounce produced thrilling tennis in a clash much closer than the final scorline of 6-0 4-6 6-0 carded by Bradshaw.
The men’s final was even more nip and tuck.
Evans, who beat Wigginton’s Tom Walker 6-3 6-1 in the semi-finals, rallied from losing the first set 6-3 to Langley, last four conqueror of Angus Bradshaw (David Lloyd), to secure the second set 6-2.
But Langley’s knowhow prevailed in the third set, the title clinched by a 6-4 success.
The ladies doubles event – played as a round-robin format – was won by Wendy Stirke and Caroline White (York), who were unbeaten. White was a last-minute replacement for Lou Lister.
Stirke claimed her second title partnering Langley, the eventual men’s singles champion, to the mixed doubles crown at the expense of the Fulford duo of Evans and Bradshaw.
Group one winners in the men’s doubles were Evans (Fulford) and David Woon (Wetherby Castlegarth) with Ian Macauley and James Denmark (Rowntree Park) runners-up.
The victors in group two were Govind Baker (Fulford) and Andy Potter (York) ahead of Angus and Duncan Bradshaw (David Lloyd).
Baker and Potter beat Macauley and Denmark and, in the second semi-final, the Bradshaws toppled the Evans-Woon axis.
The Bradshaws took the first set 7-5 in the final and had match points in the second set only for outstanding play by Baker and Potter to clinch it 7-5.
The lead changed hands in the third and final set before Baker and Potter grabbed the crown after a 7-5 success.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here