Big two clinch five top titles in BSF Championships

Lister dominated the men’s events by lifting the singles’ and men’s doubles’ titles, while Branagan went one better when she won the singles’, ladies’ doubles’ and the mixed doubles’ competitions.

Lister beat Tom Johnson 6-1, 6-2 in the singles final, and partnered under-18s champion Jonathan Halton to doubles success.

They beat the number one seeded pair Johnny Davies and Nick Hinnighan 6-2, 6-1.

Branagan beat Alexia Thomasson 6-2, 7-6 in the ladies’ singles and followed up by taking the ladies doubles with Lisa Cartwright.

She completed a successful day by adding the mixed title in the last match of the day, partnering Johnny Davies.

They lost the first set against Nick Hinnighan and Louise Taylor 6-2 when they were unable to deal with the power of Hinnighan’s forehand and Taylor’s net play.

Branagan and Davies took a tense second set 7-5 before dominating the third set to win 6-3.

A heavy shower in mid-afternoon saw three of the veteran handicap events sent to be played at Bolton Arena.

Three high quality matches all went to three sets.

In the men’s event, Stuart Barlow and Ken Nixon had the narrowest of wins, 4-6, 6-5, 6-5, over Peter Bird and Brian Little.

Kath Taylor and Gill Pearl beat Christine Deacon and Kate Whittle 6-6, 1-6, 6-2.

In the senior handicap mixed event, Bill Roscoe and Ilona Kilburn overcame a stiff early challenge from Roy Platt and Janet Barron to win 6-4, 5-6, 6-1.

In the other veteran handicap final, another three-set affair saw David Lloyd’s Christine Costello and Mick Knowles beat Daphne Dixon and Gary Daley 6-2, 5-6, 6-3.

In the final set Daley’s forehand – so impressive in earlier rounds – became tentative which took the pressure off the David Lloyd pair.

In the girls’ under-18s final, number two seed Holcombe’s Eleanor Kelly took the first set from Bellingham’s Annabel Rowlands 6-1.

In the second set she found herself 5-1 behind before coming back impressively to force a tie break. Her form continued in the tie break which she won 7-3 to take the title.

Annabel later had the consolation of winning the girls’ under-14s event, beating Amy Hadjinicolaou 6-1, 6-1.

Annabel was the first girl to reach the final of both events.

In the boys’ under-18s event, Jonathan Halton made it five consecutive championships.

He was pushed hard by Charlie Foley in the first set which he took 7-5, but then ran away with the game, winning the second set 6-1.

The under-14s final was a much closer event against the top two seeds, top seed Michael Yeung beating Ethan Herron 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.

Saturday’s results Men’s singles final: John Edward Lister (1) bt Tom Johnson (2) 6-1 6-2.

Men’s handicap singles final: Ben Coop bt Robert Allan 4-6 6-3 6-3.

Ladies’ singles final: Rachel Branagan (1) bt Alexia Thomasson (2) 6-2 7-6.

18 & under boys’ singles final: Jonathon Halton (4) bt Charlie Foley (3) 7-5 6-1.

18 & under girls’ singles final: Eleanor Kelly (2) bt Annabel Rowlands (1) 6-1 7-6.

14 & under boys’ singles final: Michael Yeung (1) bt Ethan Herron (2) 7-5 6-7 6-2.

14 & under girls’ singles final: Annabel Rowlands (1) bt Amy Hadjinicolaou (2) 6-1 6-1.

Mens doubles’ final: John Edward Lister and Jonathon Halton (2) bt Jonny Davies and Nicholas Hinnighan (1) 6-2 6-1.

Ladies doubles’ final: Lisa Cartwright and Rachel Branagan (1) bt Jane Kehoe and Stephanie Drinkall 6-1 4-0 ret.

Mixed doubles’ final: Jonny Davies and Rachel Branagan (2) bt Nicholas Hinnighan and Louise Taylor 2-6 7-5 6-3.

18 & under boys’ doubles final: Charlie Foley and Alec Foote (1) bt Luke Costello and Matthew Boyle (4) 3-6 6-1 6-2.

18 & under girls’ doubles final: Rebecca Taylor and Megan Ingham (1) bt Jahqira Henry and Amy Philpotts 6-3 6-1.

18 & under mixed doubles’ final: Luke Costello and Alexia Thomasson (1) bt Alec Foote and Sarah Kidd (2) 6-3 6-3.

Mens handicap doubles’ final: Karl Marrow and John David Chatterley bt Paul Mccarrren and Mick Knowles 6-1 3-6 6-5.

Ladies handicap doubles’ final: Fran Mercer and Angela Platt bt Christine Costello and Carolyn Paine 6-3 6-2.

Mixed handicap doubles’ final: Andrew Westmoreland and Catherine Hughes bt Mark Baxter and Lisa Cartwright 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Veterans handicap mixed doubles’ final: Mick Knowles and Christine Costello bt Gary Daley and Daphne Dixon 6-2 5-6 6-3.

Veterans handicap ladies doubles’ final: Gill Pearl and Kath Taylor bt Christine Deacon and Kate Whittle 6-5 1-6 6-2.

Veterans handicap mens doubles’ final: Stuart Barlow and Ken Nixon bt Brian Little and Peter Bird 4-6 6-5 6-5.

Senior handicap mixed doubles’ final: Bill Roscoe and Ilona Kilburn bt Roy Platt and Janet Barron 6-4 5-6 6-1.

Friday’s results Mens handicap singles’ semi-final: Ben Coop bt G Jebb, 6-4 7-5.

18 and under boys doubles’ semi-final: Charlie Foley and Alec Foote (1) bt Benjamin Pearson and Daniel Philbin (3), 6-4 6-3.

18 & under mixed doubles’ quarter-final: Matthew Boyle and Eleanor Kelly (3) bt Matthew Townsend and Lauren Williams, 6-2 6-2. Semi-final: Luke Costello and Alexia Thomasson (1) bt Daniel Philbin and Eve Thomasson (4), 6-1 6-1. Alec Foote and Sarah Kidd (2) bt Matthew Boyle and Eleanor Kelly (3), 6-1 5-7 6-1.

Mens handicap doubles’ semi-final: Paul Mccarrren and Mick Knowles bt Adam Gooddy and Andrew Parton, 5-6 6-3 6-4. Karl Marrow and John David Chatterley bt Steve Percy and David Wride, 6-2 6-1.

Mixed handicap doubles’ semi-final: Andrew Westmoreland and Catherine Hughes bt Steven Cross and Katharine Abbott, 6-3 6-2.

Veterans handicap mixed doubles’ semi-final: Gary Daley and Daphne Dixon bt Martin Bromley and Joanne Crompton, 6-2 2-6 6-5. Mick Knowles and Christine Costello bt Bernard Millington and Karen Edge, 6-5 6-1.

Veterans handicap mens doubles’ semi-final: Stuart Barlow and Ken Nixon bt Bill Roscoe and Dave Gregory, 6-4 6-2.