SATURDAY was the culmination of more than a week of competition in the annual Bolton Tennis Tournament.

A startling 208 players competed at the three venues – Markland Hill Tennis Club, Lostock Tennis Club and Meadow Hill Tennis Club.

Those taking part played a total of 514 sets of tennis which comprised a total of 4,179 games and more than 700 new balls were used.

The men's singles final saw the best match for some years, helped by this year's much-improved surfaces.

Simon Roberts and Chris Nott, the number one and two seeds respectively, are both near the top of the LTA national rating scheme and gave a superb display. Roberts won in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. He first won an event in the tournament as a junior, winning the boy’s singles in 1998 and 1999 and this year's victory in the men's singles saw him recapture the title he won in 2002, prior to joining the world tennis satellite circuit.

The effort in the singles no doubt put Nott at a disadvantage in his men's doubles final. Last year's winners, Nott and Charlie Foley, were beaten by Phil and Jonny Shacklady 7-5, 7-6, a result that gives the father-and-son pairing a fifth title in the tournament, the first coming in 2008.

Amy Hadjinicolaou retained her ladies singles title with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Emily Digby.

Meanwhile, Laurie Clark was part of the winning ladies doubles team for the fourth year running. Last year she and sister Holly were victorious and this time around she once again paired with Annabel Rowlands with whom she won in 2014 and 2015. The pair beat Amy Hadjinicolaou and Rebecca Baldwin in the final 6-0, 6-2.

The level mixed final saw Jonny Shacklady back in winning action. He and Rebecca Baldwin, the combination that won in 2013, 2014 and last year, beat John Nuttall and Louise Taylor 6-3, 6-2 in an entertaining match which was last on court.

Will Hart was the star performer in the junior boy’s events, beating Arber Gashi to win the singles FAST4 event 4-2, 4-1. Hart paired with Matthew Bowers and they beat Ian Axford and William Young 4-2, 4-2 to take the doubles title. All other junior events had been completed earlier in the week.

In the handicap events the handicap men's singles final was also a three-set affair with Andy Westmoreland beating 2014 champion Josh Sabery 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Westmoreland also won the handicap men's doubles as he and Ian Nutter beat Jordan Halsall and Dave Jones 6-4, 6-1.

Rebecca Baldwin added the handicap ladies title to her level mixed doubles victory as she and Hannah Vosper beat Liz Perry and Karen Hosker 6-2, 6-3.

Vosper then collected the mixed doubles handicap title, playing alongside Nick Hadjinicolaou against father-and-daughter duo Rick and Louisa Morley.

Kath Taylor starred in the veteran handicap events, winning the mixed title with Bob Woodcock. They beat fellow Lostock players Paul Cashmore and Gill Pearl 6-5, 6-3.

Opponents then became team-mates as Taylor and Pearl joined forces to win the ladies veteran's event, beating Carol Shacklady and Chris Glassbrook 6-4, 6-2.

The veterans men's event was a one-sided affair with Dave Phillpotts and Paul Kay beating Mick Knowles and Andy Holmes 6-3, 6-0.

Dave Brownlow and Carole Lanham were worthy winners in the senior veterans mixed handicap, beating Andy Taylor and Janet Maxwell 6-4, 6-4.