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CITY OF LIVERPOOL
4 STAR JUNIOR OPEN

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Junior Boys' Singles:
Top seed and England number 5 Daniel Lowe (Derbyshire) was extended to a fifth and deciding game on three occasions en-route to the final. Against Daniel O'Connor in the last 16, he lost the opener 13-11 - levelled matters in the next before slipping behind 11-7 in the following game. He then found himself within a couple of points of going out at 10 all in the fourth but edged home after grabbing the next two points and the decider, 11-9.

The same scenario was played out when Lowe faced James Ward, who won the first and fourth games. Ward, though, couldn't sustain the charge and lost 11-4 in the fifth. Doing things the hard way seemed to be Lowe's trademark for in the semi's he became involved in his third five games encounter when taking on Igor Morais (Mi) - who is listed at 13 in the juniors. Lowe, blowing hot and cold, took the first and third games but added the fifth at 7 to reach the final.

Sean Cullen, also from Derbyshire, enjoyed a more comfortable passage to the last four, seeing off Tom Smith (Cu) 3-1 and Helshan Weerasinghe (Sx) in straight games. He continued in this vein when ousting Ping Ho (Mi) again, with relative ease.

The final was a sparkling affair, with the players trading blow for blow which made for a thrilling contest. With Lowe leading 2-1 and the pair level at 10-10, Cullen's almost languid style of counter-hitting, forced a fifth game following two tremendous shots to win 12-10. At this point, with both players suffering from heavy colds and subsequent tiredness, errors started to creep in and yet the standard of play remained remarkably high. It must be said, though, that Cullen seemed to be the more affected and Lowe made sure of the title at 11-9 after a pulsating tussle. Cullen appeared to be all in at the end and I'm sure both players would have been sound asleep before their car, driven by Mrs Lowe, had reached the outskirts of Liverpool. But, a great match and a credit to both.

Junior Girls' Singles:
With a long standing England training camp on the same weekend, Lancashire's Rachel Baker, rated at 11 in England, was the top seed in the Junior Girls' singles. She, though, departed at the semi-final stage, beaten by England 20 Jasmin Ould (K) after Miss Baker, the only female Liverpool League player to enter the tournament, had opened up a 2-1 lead. Her final opponent Sophie Neil (Ng) (24) dismissed second seed Chloe Thomas (Wal) 3-1 and then Laura Robinson (Y) 3-0 in the semi's.

Miss Neil kicked off in fine style in the final, opening up a 2-0 lead, 11-7, 11-2 and came very close to clinching victory in the next couple of games. Miss Ould, enjoying the support of her party who made the long trip from Kent, kept her nerve to take the next three games and the title.

Junior Boys' 1 Singles:
Top seed, Ping Ho, came close to an early exit when he took on group runner-up and fellow Middlesex player Mikael Papantoniou, who is listed at 116. After dropping the first couple of games, he came within two points of defeat but edged home 12-10 before easing through the next couple. Again, he trailled after three games against Edward Freeman (St) but stepped up the pace to win the fourth and fifth. Making light work of Daniel O'Connell (Wal) in the quarter's, earned him a crack at Adam Nutland (Wo) in the semi's.

Nutland had no real problems in progressing but could have come a cropper against another Middlesex man, Ping Ho. After going 2-0 down he pulled out all the stops to put paid to Ho's challenge and qualified for the final, 8, 7, & 9.

James Ward (St), listed at 14, saw off Aiden Keyworth (Ng) 3-1 and Jack Williamson (Wa) 3-2 in an exciting clash. However, he dropped the first game 12-10 to Lawrence Sweeney (Wa) in the quarter's, the next three, though, went his way. Luca Mariano was his next victim the Essex youngster being swept aside 5, 2, 5 in the semi's.

The final, watched by a noisy enthusiastic crowd, saw Nutland open up a 2-0 lead - Ward replying at 4 in the next and though the fourth was close, Nutland edged home 13-11 after a couple of tense points, for a well deserved success and a thrilling encounter.

Junior Girls' 1 Singles
Wales provided the top seed in Chloe Thomas who, after topping her group chalked up a 3-0 win over Isobel Ashley (Dy) - the 3-2 victor over Janay Gibson (Ch) in the last 16. Miss Thomas then had to face her Wales team mate Megan Phillips whom she dismissed for the loss of a singles game to reach the final. In the other half of the draw, Sophie Neil scored straight games wins over Sally Hoang (Mi) and Laura Robinson (YS) which earned a semi-final meeting with Helen Rutherford who had dismissed Charlotte Spencer 10-8 in the fifth. Miss Rutherford from Sussex, coached by her father Peter who, in turn was coached by Liverpool's legendary John O'Sullivan at De La Salle, the pair meeting up at the weekend for the first time in 35 years. It was Miss Neil, though, who triumphed via the surprising score line of 11-8, 11-6 10-12. 11-0. The final required all five games, the Nottinghamshire girl making sure the title remained in England, beating Miss Phillips 3-2.

Cadet Boys' Singles
Helshan Weerasinghe (Sx) was in fine form throughout the tournament - annexing a couple of titles over the weekend. He recovered from 2-1 down in the last 16 but claimed the next two from Lewis Williams (Wal) before sweeping into the final thanks to 3-1 wins over Liam McTiernan (Irl) and Sam Mabey (Np). Jared Patel trod a similar path to the final dropping just one game via wins over Josh Robinson (Bd) 3-0 and Tyrone Wells (Mi) 3-1 after dropping the opening game. Yet another comfortable victory followed in the penultimate round, Ross Wilson (K) going down 3-0.

Patel suffered a heavy beating in the opening game of the final, collecting just a single point but, managed to turn it around in the second, winning 11-9. Although he pushed Weerasinghe all the way in the next two, he lost 9 and 9 and the title to the England number 20 junior.

Cadet Girls' Singles
Harriet Taylor (Mi) stands at 25 in the Cadet list but, after qualifying for the last eight as group runner-up, she surprised Megan Knowles (Bk) 25, with a 12-10, 1-11, 11-5, 11-9 success - those odd scores leaving both players having scored 35 points! Miss Taylor dropped a total of just 13 points in her 3-0 semi-final win over Sayeeda Miah (Mi) who had received a walk over when Chrissie Slot (Ha) conceded. Isobel Ashley won 3-1 against Annabelle Gibson (E) and then dismissed another Essex girl, Ifunanya Okafor 3-0. Miss Ashley took a 2-0 lead in the final but let the third game slip at 8 but made sure in the fourth winning 11-3.

Cadet Girls' 1 Singles
Six of the last eight players also featured in the quarter-finals of the Cadet event but, this time Miss Ashley was beaten in the final in what was a evenly fought contest. After winning her group, Miss Slot accounted for Janay Gibson (Ch) 5, 2, -11 and 3 and then registered a 3-0 win over Megan Knowles which left her facing Miss Ashley for the title. Slot claimed the first 11-7, lost the next 6 before restoring the lead winning 11-6 again. Miss Ashley wouldn't lie down, though, forcing a decider with another game to 6. The title was now up for grabs when they stood at 10 all but it was Miss Slot who secured the two vital points to claim the crown.

Under 13 Boys' Singles
The top two seeds duly qualified to meet in the final, Weerasinghe justifying his position at one with a clinical display in the quarter's dropping just 15 points to Hugo Pang before disposing of Daniel Lawrence 4, 4 & 2 in the semi's. Sam Mabey overcame Matthew Fields 9, 9 & 3 and in the semi's Tyrone Wells 3-1. Weerasinghe, having beaten Mabey in the Cadet semi-finals, was in no mood to let up in the final, crushing the less powerful but, talented Northamptonshire 12 year old who will, I'm sure, come good, 11-5, 11-2, 11-3.

Cadet Boys' 1 Singles
Adam Harrison (La) overcame Jack Styring (Wa) and Rafi Conn-Kowlessar (Mi) in his opening two sets but, the top seed didn't bargain for the in-form Jarred Knowles. The Berkshire youngster dispatched him in straight games in the semi-final although the first was a tightly fought 15-13 affair. Lewis Williams (Wal) breezed through to the final beating Mabey 3-0 in the last eight and Ashley Facey-Thompson 3-1 in the next round. Knowles maintained his impressive run polishing off the man from Wales 6, 10 & 8 for the title.

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