With the courts at Derby Moor unavailable because of lack of power, the 10th Derby Moor Invitation Doubles was played on three courts at Denstone College. Anthony Goodwin and Bob Sandie, both previous winners of this event, teamed up to take the pewterware in a final of huge competitiveness.
In the end Anthony’s power and Bob’s steadiness were just too much for Jay, who was struggling with his back, and 17 year-old Rob Christie, playing in his first senior final.
Players had come from London, Manchester and Halifax to compete. For ex-Eton Fives player Gareth Tosh it was his first experience of tournament play; for Dick Warner it was an opportunity to play with the N/national U16 Singles and Doubles champion, Robert Whitehorn; for 14 year-old John Halligan it was a chance to learn from playing with the evergreen Tim Widdop. Stuart Kirby and Brian Kirk performed heroics playing in two different pairs, while former winner Hamish Buchanan and his partner Craig Baxter found themselves involved in the toughest match of the competition and went out in the second round, despite their seeding as top pair.
We were blessed all day with sunshine and enjoyed the traditional top-notch Derby Moor catering, which this year included melting Magnums. The only downside was the dire state of Dick’s disk brakes, which necessitated the summoning of the AA man. When did a Fives tournament last end with the President of the RFA and his passenger, an 11-times N/national champion, riding home on a transporter?!
Bob Dolby
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RESULTS
Preliminary round: Jai Singh & Richard Christie bt Laurence Taylor & Brian Kirk 15-7, 15-6
1st round: Tim Widdop & John Halligan bt Christie & Singh 15-7, 15-7; Gareth Tosh & Wayne Harrison bt Neil Reddy & Stuart Kirby 16-15, 15-5; Stuart Kirby & David Johnson bt Ashley Timney & Bally Singh 15-3, 15-4; Charles Robinson & Brian Nithsdale bt Brian Kirk & John Hawke 15-16, 15-4, 15-12
2nd round: Widdop & Halligan bt Hamish Buchanan & Craig Baxter 15-13, 9-15, 16-14; Anthony Goodwin & Bob Sandie bt Tosh & Harrison 15-2, 15-0; Jay Gravatt & Rob Christie bt Kirby & Johnson 15-13, 15-7; Dick Warner & Robert Whitehorn bt Robinson & Nithsdale 15-0, 15-1
Semi-finals: Goodwin & Sandie bt Widdop & Halligan 15-7, 15-5; Gravatt & Christie bt Warner & Whitehorn 15-6, 15-8
Final: Goodwin & Sandie bt Gravatt & Christie 15-9, 13-15, 15-10
Plate: Richard Christie & Jai Singh
Festival Plate: Buchanan & Baxter
3rd Place play-off: Warner & Whitehorn