Henry Patten and Julian Cash hit double digits with another ATP Challenger title in Maia
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Henry Patten and Julian Cash wrapped up their debut season together with a tenth ATP Challenger title, while Mark Whitehouse and Ben Bartram also lifted trophies in Madrid and Turkey.
Patten & Cash add a tenth title to their name
Henry Patten and Julian Cash have become an unstoppable force on the ATP Challenger tour during the second half of the season, picking up their tenth ATP Challenger doubles title in Maia on Sunday.
The British duo breezed through to the semi-finals where they clinched a 7-5, 4-6, (10-4) win over Lukasz Kubot and Szymon Walkow.
Patten and Cash met Portuguese duo Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral in the final and eventually defeated the home favourites in a thrilling 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 win to seal their tenth victory since June.
The Brits continue to ascend up the rankings, with both players finishing their year having risen hundreds of places to sit comfortably inside the top 100. Cash’s ranking now rests at a career-high of world No. 70, while Patten ends his year 702 places higher than he started the season at world No. 69.
Bartram claims a sixth doubles title in Turkey
One of the most prolific winners this year among Britain’s wheelchair tennis players, Ben Bartram, finished 2022 on a high as he claimed the last international title of the year by a British wheelchair player after victory in the men’s doubles at the Antalya Open in Turkey.
Bartram and his doubles partner Alwande Sikhosana of South Africa beat both of the top two seeded partnerships on their way victory at the ITF 3 event, winning 10 games in a row on their way to beating Japanese top seeds Daisuke Arai and Kouhei Suzuki 6-4, 6-0 in the semi-finals and ending with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Chile’s Alexander Cataldo and Costa Rica’s Jose Pablo Gil.
Mark Whitehouse enjoys success in Madrid
It was a week to remember in Madrid for Mark Whitehouse who sealed his third ITF doubles title of the year alongside Finnish partner Eero Vasa.
A walkover from home favourites Sergi Perez Contri and Benjamin Winter Lopez saw the British, Finnish duo book their spot to the final where they faced Tim Handel and Yannik Steinegger.
Whitehouse and Vasa defeated Handel and Steinegger 7-6(6), 6-3 to claim the M15 Madrid title without dropping a single set en route to lifting the trophy.
Great Britain take silver at the Master'U BNP Paribas event
Six of the country’s best university tennis players are enjoying their celebrations after winning the silver medal at the Master'U BNP Paribas – the world’s leading student tennis team tournament. The win has cemented Great Britain’s growing reputation as one of the leading nations in the world for university tennis.
The event took place in Honfleur, France from 2 – 4 December. Great Britain claimed victory over Switzerland and Australia in the early rounds, including a win against the NCAA’s number one ranked player. The Brits then faced off against USA in the final, with the USA successfully taking the gold medal.
This marks the fourth medal in a row for GB student teams and the eleventh major international medal under the captaincy of Alistair Higham and Barry Scollo.
“It was a Great campaign with this superb team, to win the silver medal and be just 3 points away from Gold against the strong US College Team. Very proud of the team spirit and professionalism of the team and staff.” said Alistair Higham, GB Student Team Captain.
Recent Billie Jean King Cup stars Olivia Nicholls and Alicia Barnett played doubles together for the first time as part of the GB Student Team and both played at the MasterU’ BNP Paribas event in 2016.
