By Glenys Furness
- Tom Hands & George Houghton claim doubles title
- George Loffhagen & Eliz Maloney both make singles finals
LOUGHBOROUGH, UK – Tom Hands & George Houghton were unseeded in the event, the Brits claimed the title defeating the top seeds in the final. George Loffhagen & Eliz Maloney made the singles finals.
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Tom Hands & George Houghton entered the doubles event and were unseeded. The pair drew the second seeds Charles Broom & Harry Wendelken in the first round. Hands & Houghton stormed through the first set, barely putting a foot wrong and breaking at will. The seeds re-grouped in the second set and broke serve to level up the match. In the ensuing match tiebreak, the unseeded pair edged through and took the win 6-0, 4-6, 12-10.
The quarter-final saw Hands & Houghton against Patrick Brady & Mattias Southcombe. This was a much easier match for Hands & Houghton as they dominated from the outset. No matter what Brady & Southcombe tried they could not get back on terms. Hands & Houghton moved into the semi-final in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
In the semi-final the Brits were against the third seeds Joshua Paris & Martin Damm. The first set was a battle, with the Brit/American pairing fighting hard with the Brits. Eventually, the third seeds broke serve and took the lead. However, Hands & Houghton re-grouped in the second set and broke serve to level up the match. The match tiebreak was again close, but once again it was the unseeded pair that took the win 5-7, 6-4, 10-8.
The final saw the unseeded Brits against the top seeds Ben Jones & Mark Whitehouse. Hands & Houghton dominated the first set, as the top seeds were unable to get a look in. The second set was a little closer as Jones & Whitehouse managed to hold serve. However, the unseeded Brits finally get the breakthrough needed and took the title 6-0, 6-3.
Men’s singles
George Loffhagen came through qualifying at the event and landed in the main draw. In the first round the Brit drew seventh seed Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg. The Brit dominated the first set as the Frenchman struggled to hold serve. The second set was much closer, but the Brit secured the break of serve and moved into the next round 6-2, 6-4.
The second round saw Loffhagen against wildcard Pheonix Weir. Loffhagen secured the break of serve in the first set to take the lead. The second saw the qualifier once again dominate play as Weir was unable to stop Loffhagen from winning points. The qualifier moved into the next round in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
In the quarter-final Loffhagen was against third seed Aidan McHugh. The seed struggled in the first set as Loffhagen continued where he had left off from the last round, dominating the play. The second set was slightly better for McHugh, but Loffhagen managed to break serve and move into the next round 6-1, 6-3.
The semi-final was the toughest match to date for the qualifier. Loffhagen was against Harry Wendelken. In a bit of a to and fro match, the qualifier dominated the first set, but Wendelken re-grouped in the second. The higher ranked Brit dominated the second set to level the match. The final set saw the qualifier again dominate and move into the final 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.
In the final the Brit was against unseeded Frenchman Clement Chidekh. The Frenchman got the better of the Brit in the first set, breaking to take the lead. The second set saw Loffhagen outplayed by Chidekh and the Frenchman dominated to lift the title 6-4, 6-2.
Ladies singles
Eliz Maloney was the sixth seed at the event. In the first round the seed drew lucky loser, Alice Gillan. In the first set Gillan stayed close to Maloney, but the seed eventually managed to break through and get the set. The second set saw the seed dominate Gillan and move into the next round in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
The second round saw Maloney against wildcard Isabelle Lacy. The seed dominated this match from start to finish. No matter what Lacy threw at the seed, Maloney was equal to it. It wasn’t long before the seed had broken Lacy several times to move into the next round 6-2, 6-2.
In the quarter-final Maloney was against Giulia Gatto-Monticone. The seed broke the Italian easily in the first set to take the lead. The second set saw the Italian try to mount a fightback. Gatto-Monticone stayed close to the Brit and looked to be forcing a tiebreak. However, the Brit secured the vital break of serve to move into the next round 6-3, 7-5.
The semi-final saw the Brit against Fanni Stollar. The Hungarian found the Brit too good, as Maloney broke easily in the first set to take the lead. Stollar tried to fight back in the second, but once again the seed was just too good and broke the Hungarian to book a spot in the final 6-3, 6-3.
In the final the Brit was against the seventh seed Celine Naef. The Swiss totally dominated the first set, as Maloney was unable to hold serve. The second was closer, as the Brit stayed with Naef at the start. Unfortunately, the seventh seed managed to break the serve of Maloney and lift the title 6-0, 6-3.
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Loughborough Round Up
Felix Gill & Alexander Maggs were defeated by Ben Jones & Mark Whitehouse in the first round 7-6(5), 6-2.
Hamish Stewart with Tristan McCormick were defeated by Adam Jones & Damian Rodriguez in the first round 6-4, 1-6, 10-5.
Scott Duncan & Joe Tyler were defeated by Jonathan Binding & Sean Hodkin in the first round 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 10-8.
George Loffhagen & Anton Matusevich were defeated by Toby Martin & Michael Shaw in the first round 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-6.
Ryan Golesworthy & James MacKinley were defeated by Dan Little & Aziz Kijametovic in the first round 6-2, 7-6(9).
James Davis & Matthew Summers were defeated by Joshua Paris & Martin Damm in the first round 6-1, 3-6, 10-6.
Liam Hignett & Ying Hou were defeated by Patrick Brady & Mattias Southcombe in the first round 7-5, 3-6, 10-3.
Francesca Simpson with Jamie Lau were defeated by Justina Mikulskyte & Bibiane Schoofs in the first round 6-1, 6-2.
Danielle Daley with Marine Szostak were defeated by Oleksandra Oliymykova & Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic in the first round 6-4, 6-1.
Eliz Maloney & Talia Neilson-Gatenby were defeated by Bianca Behulova & Mara Guth in the first round 3-6, 6-4, 10-4.
Abigail Amos & Nadia Rawson were defeated by Lucija Ciric Bagaric & Celine Naef in the first round 6-3, 6-1.
Jessica Matthews with Ingrid Vojcinakova were defeated by Madeline Brookes & Emma Wilson in the first round 6-4, 6-4.
Ben Jones was defeated by Harry Wendelken in the first round 6-3, 6-4.
Damian Rodriguez was defeated by Henry Searle in the first round 7-5, 6-1.
Dan Cox was defeated by Patrick Brady in the first round 7-6(4), 6-4.
Mark Whitehouse was defeated by Hamish Stewart in the first round 6-2, 6-4.
Felix Gill was defeated by Jeremy Jahn in the first round 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(9).
Joe Tyler was defeated by Clement Chidekh in the first round 7-6(6), 6-2.
Dan Little was defeated by Charles Broom in the first round 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
Louis Bowden was defeated by Toby Martin in the first round 6-3, 7-5.
Adam Jones was defeated by Anton Matusevich in the first round 6-2, 6-4.
Mika Stojsavljevic was defeated by Katarina Stresnakova in the first round 6-1, 6-0.
Danielle Daley was defeated by Jasmine Conway in the first round 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Toby Samuel was defeated by Harry Wendelken in the second round 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-5.
Henry Searle was defeated by Patrick Brady in the second round 6-0, 6-3.
Hamish Stewart was defeated by Aidan McHugh in the second round 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Jasmine Conway was defeated by Celine Naef in the second round 6-4, 6-1.
Talia Neilson-Gatenby was defeated by Fanni Stollar in the second round 6-3, 6-0.
Adam Jones & Damian Rodriguez were defeated by Ben Jones & Mark Whitehouse in the quarter-final 7-5, 6-0.
Toby Martin & Michael Shaw were defeated by Jonathan Binding & Sean Hodkin in the quarter-final 6-2, 6-3.
Dan Little with Aziz Kijametovic were defeated by Joshua Paris & Martin Damm in the quarter-final 7-6(9), 6-4.
Jasmine Conway & Given Roach were defeated by Bianca Behulova & Mara Guth in the quarter-final 7-6(5), 1-6, 10-4.
Soumeya Anane with Celia Cervino Ruiz were defeated by Madeline Brooks & Emma Wilson in the quarter-final 7-6(2), 6-2.
Patrick Brady was defeated by Harry Wendelken in the quarter-final 7-6(2), 6-2.
Anton Matuesvich was defeated by Jules Marie in the quarter-final 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(3).
Jonathan Binding & Sean Hodkin were defeated by Ben Jones & Mark Whitehouse in the semi-final 6-2, 6-2.
Madeline Brooks & Emma Wilson were defeated by Viktoria Morvayova & Anna Siskova in the semi-final 7-6(32), 6-4.
Next Week Brits play in Australian Open, Nonthaburi, Tenerife, Sheffield, Spain, France, Estonia, India, Tunisia, Guadalupe & USA.
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