Mini players are big hit (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Mini players are big hit

1:00pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Sport

IT was another great weekend of tennis for some of the Totally Tennis Mini Performance players, with Jonathan Duggan, Dean Cooper Kirby and Eliza Wheeler all winning events.

Duggan played in three nine-and-under boys singles grade four events, winning in Berkshire, finishing as runner-up at the Bradfield event and claiming third place at Virgin Active in Southampton.

Cooper Kirby was the winner there, while Wheeler won the girls singles event.

Duggan won The Royal County of Berkshire Health and Racquets Club tournament and Cooper Kirby finished runner-up after an all Totally Tennis final.

The following day, at the Virgin Active Hampshire Health and Racquets Club, Cooper Kirby won the compass draw, with Duggan finishing third, while Ben Eaton won the consolation final.

In the first round Cooper Kirby beat Jack Barton in three sets 7-2, 2-7, 7-5, Duggan had a bye and Eaton lost to Jasper Hiles 7-5, 7-2.

In the quarter-finals, Cooper Kirby beat Zach Corner 7-4, 7-1 and Duggan beat Zac Bowen 7-3, 7-5. Cooper Kirby continued his good form in the semi-finals, defeating Alfie Reynolds in another three-set battle 5-7, 7-3, 7-5 but Duggan was not so lucky against Harry Rock, losing 7-3, 7-3.

In the final, Cooper Kirby beat Rock in yet another three-set match 7-4, 5-7, 7-5 and Duggan finished third after beating Reynolds 7-1, 7-3.

With this win, Cooper Kirby improved his rating, becoming the youngest boy in the county to reach Orange1, and he has now qualified for the Grade Three Winter Regional Tournament at the Winchester Tennis Club.

Eaton won the consolation event, beating Luke Duckett 7-3, 7-5, Jack Barton 7-4, 7-3 and Samuel Blackwell in the final 7-3, 5-7, 7-4.

Wheeler won four of her five matches to take first place in the girls’ event, defeating Isabelle Pearce 7-5, 7-4, Molly Wedderburn 2-7, 7-4, 8-6, Evie Lloyd-Tunstall 7-2, 8-6 and Lucy McCann 7-2, 7-4 but losing to Issy Hiles 7-4, 5-7, 5-7.

At the Bradfield College OnHotels Junior Spring Open, Duggan finished as runner-up in the nine-and-under mixed singles, beating Ben Coombs 7-5, 7-2 but losing to Joseph Nicholson 7-2, 7-3 in the final.