British Tennis Round-up: Hewett & Reid become year-end doubles champions
• 4 MINUTE READ
The Netherlands
Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett concluded their illustrious year as a doubles team with triumph at the Uniqlo Wheelchair Doubles Masters in Bemmel.
The 2017 Wimbledon and US Open champions faced French Open winners Stephane Houdet, and Nicolas Peifer in the final and battled back from a set and 2-0 down to win 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. Upon their achievement, Reid reflected:
“It was another tough one. We never do it the easy way against the French guys it seems, but it was great to pull through in the end and win our first Doubles Masters title together.”
It was also an impressive week for defending champions Antony Cotterill and Andy Lapthorne who finished runners-up in the quad doubles. After defeating Greg Hasterok and Kyu-Seung Kim 6-2, 6-2 to finish top of their round-robin group, they found themselves up against American duo Nick Taylor and David Wagner in the final, but were denied the title after losing 6-4, 6-3.
Lucy Shuker partnered America’s Dana Mathewson to finish in third place. The duo missed out on making the final following a 6-3, 6-4 semi-final loss to Sabine Ellerbrock and Aniek van Koot, but triumphed 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 over Charlotte Famin and Kgothatso Montjane in the play-off for third place.
All players will now prepare for the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters – the year-end singles championship for the world’s top players. The event will be held on British soil at Loughborough Sports Centre from 29 November to 3 December. Catch the action courtside with last-minute tickets available with the Tennis Foundation.
India
Jay Clarke enjoyed a brilliant run in Bangalore while playing at the Bengaluru Open. After reaching his first ATP Challenger Tour semi-final, he secured his spot in the final with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Taiwan’s Yang Tsung-Hua.
The 18-year-old Brit faced Sumit Nagal of India in his maiden Challenger final and showed great resilience before eventually falling 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Clarke’s performance sees him jump 59 ranking spots to a new career-high of world No.220.
United States
There was success across the pond for Alex Ward who became singles champion of a $25K Futures tournament in Columbus.
The 27-year-old sailed past Canada’s Samuel Monette 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-finals to set up an all-British final with Luke Bambridge, who had earlier overcome Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-3 to secure his spot.
Ward went on to win 6-4, 6-4 to lift his first Futures title of the year and 15th career singles title.
22-year-old Bambridge also went deep in the doubles as he partnered British compatriot Edward Corrie. The pair fought past fourth seeds Martin Joyce and Mikael Torpegaard 6-7(5), 6-1, [10-6] to reach the final, but suffered a narrow defeat to top seeds Hans Hach and Luis David Martinez, 3-6, 7-6(2), [10-7].
Egypt
Freya Christie and Jodie Burrage captured back-to-back titles after winning the doubles of a $15K ITF tournament in Sharm El Sheikh.
The pair flew into the final with a 6-4, 6-1 win against top seeds Barbara Bonic and Jelena Stojanovic, and defeated Thai pairing Watsachol Sawasdee and Chanikarn Silakul 6-4, 7-5.
The result means a third doubles title in a row for 20-year old Christie, who also triumphed with Harriet Dart at a $15K tournament in Shrewsbury earlier this month. It also marks a third ITF title of the year for 18-year-old Burrage, including singles success in Dublin.
South Africa
Alicia Barnett teamed up with Switzerland’s Nina Stadler to reach the doubles final of a $15K ITF tournament in Stellenbosch.
The pair ousted second seeds 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-finals, but fell 6-2, 6-2 to top seeds Mana Ayukawa and Chanel Simmonds.
Want more?
