St Paul's School, Barnes, 4th December 2011
With an entry of five pairs in the doubles competition, the day started with a round robin for all players, writes organiser Melanie Whitehead. The top two pairs from this went on to play a traditional final whilst the others played a round robin plate.
The final was played between Claire Knowles and Melanie Whitehead and the Eastbourne pairing of Kathleen Briedenhann and Tessa Mills. This was Claire and Melanie’s tenth final together and the first in which they were pushed to three games, losing the first game 11-15. However, experience prevailed and they won the next two games to win their 10th title. In the plate competition Chessie Ruffell and Hannah Hawkesley from Rugby School were the eventual winners.
The singles competition had an entry of nine and followed a more traditional knockout format with a round robin plate. Both Claire Knowles and Kathleen Briedenhann only dropped 1 point each on their respective routes to the final. The final was a closely fought match despite the eventual score of 15-2, 15-0, giving Claire her 11th singles title, equalling Paula Smith’s record. The plate ended up as an all Rugby School affair with Kerry Smith proving to be the victor.
Many thanks to St Paul’s for the use of their facilities.
Singles
Preliminary round: Melanie Whitehead bt Hannah Hawkesley 15-6
1st round: Claire Knowles bt Kerry Smith 15-0; Tessa Mills bt Chessie Ruffell 15-10; Whitehead bt Helen Toop 15-4; Kathleen Briedenhann bt Liz Tilley 15-0
Semi-finals: Knowles bt Mills 15-1, 15-0; Briedenhann bt Whitehead 15-0, 15-1
Final: Claire Knowles bt Kathleen Briedenhann 15-2, 15-0
Plate: Kerry Smith
Doubles
Round-robin: Knowles & Whitehead bt Briedenhann & Mills 15-7, bt Thompsell & Toop 15-0, bt Ruffell & Hawkesley 15-0, bt Smith & Tilley 15-2; Briedenhann & Mills bt Thompsell & Toop 15-2, bt Ruffell & Hawkesley 15-2, bt Smith & Tilley 15-2; Thompsell & Toop lost to Ruffell & Hawkesley 3-15, lost to Smith & Tilley 2-15; Ruffell & Hawkesley lost to Smith & Tilley 8-15
Final: Knowles & Whitehead bt Briedenhann & Mills 11-15, 15-7, 15-4
Plate: Ruffell & Hawkesley
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