This year saw an increased number of participants both in the singles and doubles, writes organiser Simon Wekshagen, with all but two of the top 10 players on show.
At this stage, thanks must go to two people: Tom Maconie for allowing me to use and develop his London Open website, which I believe is the way forward for any other organiser; and, of course, Lionel Lawson, who assisted most ably in the courts and in the pub both before and during the tournament.
The first round of the singles kicked off at 9am on Saturday morning and we saw games of high quality right from the very start. Two matches went to three games, with Alex Rew and Sam Rolls eventually making their way into the second round. It was great to see so many players from Durham, Oxford and Cambridge universities, but I was particularly pleased with the number of Bristol players who came back to their home courts to do battle. Chris Waller and Alex Mullan – now with Oxford – the Byron-Evans boys from London, Gareth Rees who won the plate singles and of course our Wednesday evening regulars Angus Boyd, Jeremy Wren and our two students Sam Rolls and Inigo Ackland, who won the doubles plate.
As the tournament reached the quarter finals, all eight seeds made it through and the top four seeds then played their way into the semi-finals. It was here that the tournament took a twist, with two fantastic quality matches that saw Will Ellison beat James Toop and John Minta beating Dan Tristao. Sunday morning saw another large crowd ready to watch a final between two heavyweights of the Fives world, with Will coming through in two games.
Sunday saw the doubles kick off with the same quality as the day before, and there were no easy games. First-round losers went on into the plate, which was fiercely competitive and ended with Sam and Inigo beating the established pair of Alex Rew and Jim Hughes.
In the main tournament, the match of the day was between Tom Dean and Charlie Brooks against Will Ellison and Hamish Buchanan. It went to three games, with Will and Hamish just coming through. The final was a quick affair with Will and Hamish out of the blocks very quickly and capitalising on the Dans’ [defending champions Grant and Tristao] slow start. Before they knew it, both games were over and Will had succeeded in taking two trophies back to London.
That brought an end to another eventful tournament, during which the competitors ate a total of 100 bananas and, apparently, more than 200 mandarins. There must also be a special mention for Laura’s chocolate cake and the Presidents flapjack, thanks to which the West of England is fast becoming known as the eating and drinking club!!!
RESULTS
Singles
1st round: D.Tristao bt C.Davey 11-4, 11-1; T.Dean bt T.Parker 11-4, 11-7; I.Ackland bt S.Byron-Evans 3-11, 12-10, 11-5; C.Brooks bt A.Boyd 11-0, 11-0; J.Minta bt R.Warner 11-4, 11-4; A.Rew bt G.Rees 6-11, 11-7, 11-6; D.Butler bt J.Wren 11-5, 11-2; M.Cavanagh bt F.Thomas w/o; W.Ellison bt S.Werkshagen 11-0, 11-1; P.Hanton bt J.Byron-Evans 11-1, 11-5; S.Rolls bt J.Hughes 11-8, 8-11, 11-1; H.Buchanan bt M.Jamieson 11-2, 11-0; D.Grant bt J.Gravatt 12-11, 11-8; J.Aquilina bt S.Watson 11-3, 11-5; E.Kay bt A.Mullan 11-0, 11-2
2nd round: Tristao bt Dean 11-4, 11-12, 11-2; Brooks bt Ackland 11-0, 11-5; Minta bt Rew 11-4, 11-2; Cavanagh bt Butler 11-7, 11-5; Ellison bt Hanton 11-5, 11-0; Buchanan bt Rolls 11-2, 11-0; Grant bt Aquilina 11-3, 11-7; Toop bt Kay 11-7, 11-1
Quarter-finals: Tristao bt Brooks 7-11, 11-5, 11-7; Minta bt Cavanagh 11-3, 11-6; Ellison bt Buchanan 11-6, 11-1; Toop bt Grant 11-3, 11-5
Semi-finals: Minta bt Tristao 11-4, 7-11, 12-10; Ellison bt Toop 11-7, 0-11, 11-7
Final: Ellison bt Minta 11-3, 11-3
Plate: Rees
Doubles
Preliminary round: Aquilina & Gravatt bt Warner & Boyd 11-1, 11-2; Thomas & Waller bt Mullan & Esin 11-5, 11-0
1st round: Tristao & Grant bt Watson & Lewis 11-4, 12-11; Akerman & Mohammed bt Goodwin & Frost 11-6, 11-9; Kay & Hanton bt Acklnad & Rolls 12-11, 11-7; Toop & Bate bt Aquilina & Gravatt 11-2, 12-11; Brooks & Dean bt Brierley & Coffey 11-1, 11-2; Butler & Parker bt S&J Byron-Evans 11-8, 11-2; Thomas & Waller bt Rew & Hughes 11-0, 9-11, 11-7; Ellison & Buchanan bt Barnes & Jefferies 11-3, 11-7
Quarter-finals: Tristao & Grant bt Akerman & Mohammed 11-9, 11-8; Kay & Hanton bt Toop & Bate 8-11, 11-1, 11-1; Brooks & Dean bt Butler & Parker 11-1, 11-0; Ellison & Buchanan bt Thomas & Waller 11-8, 11-1
Semi-finals: Tristao & Grant bt Kay & Hanton 11-7, 12-11; Ellison & Buchanan bt Brooks & Dean 10-12, 11-8, 11-3
Final: Ellison & Buchanan bt Grant & Tristao 11-0, 11-2
Plate: Ackland & Rolls