TENNIS: Local aces’ title blitz at Lancashire Championships at Bolton Arena

With more than 50 different events, it is one of the largest tennis competitions in the country.

Although only regarded as a grade three event, it attracts a variety of players who want to prove their worth against their regional rivals.

The Bolton Arena team put in a strong performance to clinch 12 titles across the age groups.

Tennis manager Stuart Kay said: “Lancashire is very lucky to be able to host their event at a club like ours, as many other counties have to worry about the weather where we have indoor facilities to accommodate.

“The competition always has a traditional feel to it as every player wants to be the best in their age group.

“It is the third grade of English tennis so you don’t get many ranking points for playing in it but a lot of players play in it to prove their worth.

“Layla Siskova was the ladies champion, she has moved over here from America to try and achieve her WTA ranking.

“We had a lot of success in all the different age groups.

“We are very pleased with the results; it is what Bolton Arena is all about. It is a great team effort from everyone at the club, from the coaches to the players.”

Arena coach Simon Roberts secured a record 10th men’s singles title, beating Sean Stafford 7-6, 6-2 in Sunday’s final.

Kay believes this is the perfect inspiration for the younger members of the team.

“Simon is a coach here at the Arena and the children always aspire to beat him.

“He serves as a role model and a target for the younger players to try to beat.

“The whole club are very proud of him. He has always been an excellent player. He was the world number one at touch tennis a few years ago and has just come back from injury.

“I’m sure he will be knocked off his pedestal in a few years when a few of our younger players develop.”

Eleven-year-old Marni Banks, of Rivington and Blackrod High School, clinched the treble as she won the under-12s and under-14s girls’ singles, and the under-14s mixed doubles.

Tom Dillon secured the under-14s boys’ doubles with partner Peter Alam, and Kay believes the former is ready to make the step up as he approaches the older age groups.

“He is a steady player who is ready to step up now as he joins a tougher age group,” he said.

Results Under-8s boys singles: 1 Patrick Loftus, 2 Ethan Bury, 3 Sam Chadwick.

U8s girls’ singles: 1 Eve Twist, 2 Hannah Rylatt, 3 Hima Fernando.

U9s mixed doubles: 1 Alexander Mcdermott and Charlie Preston, 2 Joseph Berry and Patrick Loftus.

U10s boys’ singles: 1 Tomas Alam, 2 Reuben Warwick, 3/4 Adam Singleton and Matthew Gordon.

U10s girls’ singles: 1 Hannah Dumican, 2 Hannah Dazley, 3/4 Lucy Jane Cunliffe and Hannah Cunningham.

U10s mixed doubles: 1 Adam Singleton and Matthew Gordon, 2 Tomas Alam and Jhonayah Fletchman, 3/4 Charlie Healey-Clements and Michael Moores, and Reuben Warwick and Hannah Dazley.

U12s boys’ singles: 1 Peter Alam [1], 2 Ben Davies [2], 3/4 Sean Chandler [8] and Josh Banks [3].

U12s boys’ doubles: 1 Peter Alam and Tomas Alam, 2 Ben Davies [1] and Alexander Moore, 3/4 Ian Axford and Oliver Horton, and William McDermott [2] and Tom Preston.

U12s girls’ singles: 1 Marni Banks [1], 2 Lily Hutchings [2], 3/4 Maisie Lavelle and Jhonayah Fletchman U14s boys singles: 1 David Quayle [2], 2 Joshua Taylor [1], 3/4 Richard Garcia [8] and Tom Dillon [3].

U14s boys’ doubles: 1 Peter Alam [2] and Tom Dillon, 2 Ben Davies and Patrick Williams, 3/4 Joseph Brennan [1] and Oliver Hobson, and Sam Chambers and Jindrich Kosatik.

U14s girls’ singles: 1 Marni Banks [1], 2 Rachel Greenwood [2], 3/4 Madeline Frediani [3] and Rachel McCrae [4].

U14s mixed doubles: 1 Peter Alam [2] and Marni Banks, 2 Tom Dillon [1] and Madeline Frediani, 3/4 Alexander Moore and Lily Hutchings, and Ben Davies and Charlotte McDonald.

U16s boys’ singles: 1 Joshua Taylor [1], 2 Dominic Frediani [6], 3/4 Joseph Brennan [3] and 3/4 Nemiah Fletchman [8].

U16s girls singles: 1 Lauren Dowling [1], 2 Melissa Maddock [2], 3/4 Lauren Banks [3] and Marni Banks.

U18s boys singles: 1 Charlie Hutchings [3], 2 Ross Watson [1], 3/4 Alex Briscoe [5] and Ethan Herron.

U18s boys’ doubles: 1 Charlie Hutchings [1] and Ross Watson, 2 Owen Tse [2] and Michael Yeung, 3/4 Jordan Halsall and Scott Williams, and Adam Ashton and Adam Warner.

U18s girls’ singles: 1 Rachel Greenwood and 2 Lauren Dowling [1], 3/4 Melissa Maddock and Amy Hadjinicolaou [3].

U18s mixed doubles: 1 Dominic Frediani [1] and Annabel Rowlands, 2 Scott Williams and Amy Hadjinicolaou, 3/4 Michael Yeung and Megan Hyland, and Adam Warner [2] and Amy Griffiths.

Men’s singles stage one: 1 Simon Roberts [1], 2 Sean Stafford, 3/4 Nathan Jones and Dominic Sutton [2].

Men’s doubles: 1 Andrew Davies [1] and Simon Roberts, 2 John Lister [2] and Dominic Sutton, 3/4 Ben Crichton [4] and Charlie Hutchings, and Paul Jepson [5] and Sean Stafford.

Women’s singles stage one: 1 Eva Siskova [2], 2 Danielle Hock [1], 3/4 Melissa Maddock and Lauren Dowling [3].

Women’s doubles: 1 Danielle Hock [1] and Rachael Hyland, 2 Lauren Dowling and Meggy Hague-Foale, 3/4 Danielle Davies and Amy Hadjinicolaou, and Annabel Rowlands [2] and Eva Siskova.

Mixed doubles: 1 Simon Roberts [1] and Danielle Hock, 2 Charlie Foley [2] and Eva Siskova, 3/4 Scott Williams and Amy Hadjinicolaou, and Tom Forrester and Natasha Lomas.

Men’s 35 singles: 1 Anthony Hardman, 2 Philip Rimmer, 3/4 Marc Black [1] and Richard O’Rourke.

Women’s 35 singles: 1 Janet Talbot, 2 Marcia Daubney [2], 3/4 Adele Pearson [1] and Jill Fernando.

Men’s 40 singles: 1 Clive Parkinson [2], 2 Julian Wilson [3], 3/4 Marc Black [1] and Howard Best [4].

Men’s 40 doubles: 1 Marc Black and Andrew Pang, 2 Steven Darlington and Jeremy Snyder, 3 David Aruvee and Steven M Knowles.

Women’s 40 singles: 1 Marcia Daubney [2], 2 Adele Pearson [1], 3/4 Lucinda Cain and Janet Talbot.

Women’s 40 doubles: 1 Marcia Daubney and Adele Pearson, 2 Maria Fallon and Janet Talbot.

Men’s 45 singles: 1 Clive Parkinson [1], 2 Charles Otigbah [3], 3/4 Steven Darlington and Julian Wilson [2].

Men’s 45 doubles: 1 Mark Connelly [1] and Roy Whitehouse, 2 Martin Bromley and Steven Smith, 3/4 Nick Higham and Charles Otigbah, and Clive Parkinson [2] and Julian Wilson.

Men’s 50 singles: 1 Martin Bromley [2], 2 Michael Webster [1], 3/4 Paul Clarke and John Cain [3].

Men’s 50 doubles: 1 Paul Bentley and Martin Bromley, 2 David Aruvee and Steven M Knowles, 3 Brian Humphreys and Dave Sherwood.

Women’s 50 singles: 1 Stefania McPheely, 2 Joanna Charter, 3 Elizabeth McCrae.

Women’s 50 doubles: 1 Joanna Charter and Libby Flintoff, 2 Sue Kitto and Joan Potter, 3 Julie Bradshaw and Gill Dillon.

Mixed 50 doubles: 1 Martin Bromley and Jackie Robinson, 2 Michael Charter and Joanna Charter.

Men’s 55 singles: 1 Mark Connelly [1], 2 Ian Nutter, 3/4 Richard Taylor and Philip Shacklady [2].

Men’s 55 doubles: 1 Mark Connelly and Roy Whitehouse, 2 Stephen Denner and Philip Shacklady, 3 David Gregory and Bryan Pike.

Men’s 65 singles: 1 Ken Nixon, 2 William Murfitt, 3 John Tobin.

Men’s 65 doubles: 1 Malcolm Haworth and John McNeil, 2 Ken Nixon [2] and Phillip Warner, 3/4 Kevin Eastham [1] and Clifford Warburton, and Kep Simcox and John Tobin.