Nathalie and Mark win club singles championships
By Steve Evans
Experienced campaigners Nathalie Vioules and Mark Willis overcame spirited resistance from younger rivals to win the East Glos singles championships on Sunday.
Nathalie had to fight back from a 3-6 first set loss to overcome the talented 18-year-old Eleanor Findlay and win her third club championship. She took the second set 6-2 and then won a tense match tie-break 10-7.
Mark Willis, a recent addition to the club’s coaching team, denied 19-year-old Will Barrett his second club title, coming through 6-3, 7-5 in a high-quality match.
Eleanor Findlay enjoyed a double success in the doubles – she won the Ladies’ title with Esther Curtis, a 6-2, 6-1 win over Nathalie Vioules and Liz Cowan, and the mixed doubles with her coach Chris Warner, 6-3, 6-2 against Esther and Sammy Vrabtchev.
The men’s doubles brought success for Will Barrett and Mark Lunn, with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tim Hinton and Roger Bell.
A innovation at this year’s finals, organised by tennis manager Steve Worsley, was the presence of LTA umpires and line judges thanks to sponsorship from Auto Village.
Other winners:
- Ladies’ 35-plus singles: Nathalie Vioules
- Ladies’ 35-plus doubles: Nathalie Vioules and Liz Cowan
- Men’s 35-plus singles: Mark Willis
- Men’s 35-plus doubles: Tim Hinton and Roger Bell
- Mixed 35-plus doubles: Liz Willmott and Mark Willis
- Ladies’ 50-plus singles: Liz Cowan
- Ladies’ 50-plus doubles: Liz Cowan and Liz Willmott
- Men’s 50-plus singles: Tony Smith
- Men’s 50-plus doubles: Tony Smith and Rob Elvidge
- Mixed 50-plus doubles: Liz Cowan and Rob Elvidge
- Ladies’ 60-plus doubles: Louise Dalglish and Sue Wood
- Men’s 60-plus doubles: Steve Evans and Chris Elliott
- Mixed 60-plus doubles: Sue Reynolds and Steve Osborne
- Ladies’ handicap singles: Maya Lewis-Chaplin
- Ladies’ handicap doubles: Sarah Watkiss and Angela Boyce
- Men’s handicap singles: Jack Downham
- Men’s handicap doubles: Nick Baghai and Jack Downham
- Mixed handicap doubles: Kate Fann and Nick Baghai
- 8 and under: Stanley Jones
- 9 and under: Arthur Hanson
- 10 and under: Sam Austin
- 12 and under girls: Lorna Willmott
- 12 and under boys: Sam Austin
- 14 and under girls: Anya Periera
- 14 and under boys: Joe McCoubrie
- 18 and under girls: Eleanor Findlay
- 18 and under boys: Sammy Vrabtchev
- Junior/senior event: Reece Ihle-Matthews and Sam Austin.