Golesworthy bags national tour title (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Golesworthy bags national tour title

1:00pm Tuesday 2nd August 2011 in Tennis

PROMISING tennis youngster Ryan Golesworthy dropped only one set on his way to winning a national tour title in Solihull.

The nine-year-old from Odiham beat all his opponents to claim the nine and under boys’ singles at the Grade 2 Solihull Junior International tournament held at the Solihull Arden Club.

The tournament involved 56 of Britain’s best age nine and under players competed throughout the tournament.

The event had a knockout format, with Golesworthy beating Warwickshire’s Charley Gregory, 5-7, 7-4, 7-5. He then played Adam Bolchover of Cheshire, winning 7-4, 7-2.

In the quarter-final he beat David Latter of Hertfordshire, 7-3, 8-6. The semi-final match was against Cambridgeshire’s Harry Wendelken, resulting in another win for Golesworthy, 7-5, 7-2.

Golesworthy then clinched the title with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Dorset’s Toby Samuel in a match that showcased some wonderful tennis.

Golesworthy’s success continued with his participation for Hampshire in the County Cup team event held at Coombe Dingle in Bristol, along with South Wales, Wiltshire and Avon.

The event was a mixture of singles and doubles matches with the three best boy and girl players from each county competing against each other. The Hampshire team also consisted of Astrid Williams, Morgan Rixon, Ellie Lloyd-Tunstall, Cameron Clarke and Nathan Ray-Trotter.

After winning all of his singles matches, Golesworthy and Astrid Williams took on Avon’s Hannah Parry and Freddie Middleton in a mixed match that helped secure victory for Hampshire.

The score was 4-7, 7-4, 7-4 for the Hampshire number one players, who are both coached at the David Lloyd Tennis Centre in Southampton.

This is the third year in a row that Hampshire has won the event under the captaincy of Karim Aouichaoui.