Deaf Tennis National Finals 2024: Hayat & Denton’s reigns continue
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Esah Hayat’s unbeaten run in Roehampton continued over the weekend after winning a haul of titles across the men’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles finals, while the multi-talented Charlie Denton dominated in the U18 category.
The best of British deaf tennis was on display for the peak of the domestic calendar as the 73rd edition of the Deaf National Finals got underway at the National Tennis Centre between 7-8 September.
Hayat, who this year lifted the men’s doubles title at the annual Australian Open DHOH Championships, capped off a historic year by fulfilling his pre-tournament billing, securing the men’s singles title for a seventh successive year.
The top seed received a bye to the semi-finals where he overcame rising star Denton in straight-sets before facing his long-standing rival, former 13-time champion Peter Willcox, to defend his reign.
Second seed Willcox earned his place in the final after defeating Ethan Carter - one of the four British stars to contest the 2024 European Deaf Tennis Championships in July.
Carter soon redeemed himself in the men’s doubles, however, casting his 6-0, 6-0 loss aside to cause a straight-sets upset alongside partner Denton to beat second seeds Willcox and Nicholas Ansell to the final.
Denton and Carter eventually settled for second place after losing 6-2, 6-1 to Hayat and Lewis Fletcher, who together have won seven doubles titles since joining forces, and a combined 11 following Flecher’s early success dating back to 2012.
Meanwhile, in the women’s, Essex-born Gabriela Tarasovaite returned to the action this year following a three-year hiatus from competition, making a memorable debut at the National Championships after beating GB representative Valerie Copenhagen to the title in the singles.
However, Copenhagen was to claim her first title at the Nationals since 2015 after teaming up with the British men’s No.1, Hayat, in the mixed doubles to defeat Ansell and debutant Tarasovaite 6-0, 6-1.
Top seed Denton remains undefeated in the U18s
2023 Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year award nominee Denton earned his fifth consecutive U18 singles title after his 4-1, 4-1 triumph over second seed Carter.
On the road to the final, both seeds earned a bye into the semi-finals before Carter eventually beat Fletcher Coulter 4-0, 4-2, whilst Denton banked a comfortable 4-1, 4-0 win over Alan Bury.
Denton and Carter also dominated in the doubles, claiming their third U18 trophy together after their double bagel victory over Coulter and Jacob Perry.
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