Amateur Rackets Singles Championship 2013
FINAL
ATB stormed into what looked like an unassailable lead, two game to love and 12-6 in the third. But then James Coyne responded with 15 points without reply, taking the third game and a healthy lead into the fourth. Coyne maintained composure to level the match two games-all. The fifth started closely but it was Coyne who stole the early initiative leading 10-3 before ATB pegged him back to 10-9. Three point later Coyne was close but again ATB surged back to 13-13. The final comeback was to be ATB's, winning the set to 3 without loss of another point, and the Amateur Championship in the process.
It was James Coyne who settled in the first game and it took a sublime ATB forehand winner to score his opening point. With the early exchanges mainly equal, it was ATB who nudged ahead to 8-3 and then 12-5. Coyne's reflexes kept him alive but ATB's pace set him up with game point which he secured with a fabulous rally to take the opening game 15-7.
The second game started similarly closely matched with Coyne starting to find his length with the backhand return of service. Successive hands of 4 then 2 points stretched his advantage to 8-2, before ATB responded with interest to lead 10-8. Both players won supreme rallies as then vied for the upper hand. The game levelled at 10-all then 12-all with a stealthy return from Coyne. But then ATB found a couple of delicately placed serves for game point which he converted to take the all important second game 15-12, and a two games to love lead.
ATB continued the third in the same manner finding good width to establish a 4-0 lead. Coyne rallied to 5-4 before ATB won a hit point narrowly missing his own heel with a perfectly placed drive to wrong foot his opponent. Shortly later it was Coyne winning a top class exchange to level at. 6-all. ATB varied his service well to stretch what seemed to be a match winning lead of 12-6, but this inspired Coyne to embark on an incredible comeback winning the next 9 points and the third game 15-12. The match was poised on a knife edge with the score two games to one.
Coyne's incredible fight back continued into the fourth game taking the first 6 points to lead 6-0 - 15 points without reply. At this point it was ATB who started to find his angles and fight his way back into the match, before once again the Coyne return of service stemmed his recovery. Coyne led 10-4 before a brief ATB resurgence closed the gap to 10-6. But then Coyne found a series of perfectly placed services, played at pace, to close out the fourth game 15-6 and leave the match perfectly poised at two games all.
Resplendent in a fresh yellow headband, it was Coyne who made the early move in the fifth and final. Those spectators who had left in the third were missing a remarkable match. Playing near perfect Rackets and winning rallies with his trademark powerful shot-making, Coyne established a 8-3 lead and then 10-3. ATB looked deflated but found the willpower to mount a last ditch defence, clawing his way back to 9-10 with some brilliant and inspired play of his own. Coyne rallied to reach 13-9 and narrowly missed a drive to let ATB back in. The opportunity was taken closing to 12-13, with Coyne having a second chance to move to game point. He didn't take this and ATB forced the next point to 13-all; Coyne called a set to three. With everything so close it was ATB who found his range to take a 2-0 lead and reach Championship Point. Coyne fought to the last but ATB crossed the line at the next attempt winning the game 16-13, and the Amateur Championship by three games to two.
This result retains the title for ATB winning his sixth successive Amateur Championship, an incredible achievement. The packed gallery was swollen by the players from the Public School Singles and their School Professionals. William Maltby presented the prizes and thanked Robin Geffen for his munificent support to Rackets.
SEMI FINALS
ATB beat Tom Billings 15/10, 15/9, 15/5. Alex went to 9-0 in the first hand, playing very calmly and steadily, and led 11-3 and 13-3, but Tom, ever the fighter, had a good run to 10-13 in one hand only to lose the serve and then rather tamely allow Alex to take the game with 2 quick points. Again in the second game, Alex built a lead based on solid serving, going up 9-5, but was pegged back to 8-9, and then, when 13-9 up, Alex had again had two easy points to go 2 games up. Although in the third game the score of 15/5 to Alex looks comfortable, Tom got into hand no less than 9 times, but by this stage Alex was taking serve consistently well and giving little away and Tom could only score in 2 of those 9 hands.
James Coyne beat Nick James 15/2, 18/17, 15/4. The first and third games were as one-side as the scores suggest, Coynie serving well and putting some good shots away with confidence, plus the occasional spectacular shot from nowhere as only Coynie can do. The second game, however was either player’s for the taking. Nick led 11-1 and 13-7, but he couldn’t finish it off. He chose set 5 at 13-all and had 2 game balls, one at 4-3 and one at 4-4, but James kept on coming at him to take the game 18/17. After that it was plain sailing for James, Nick making his opponent’s task that much easier with a number of unforced errors.
RESULTS
Tuesday 26th
Harry Franks bt Alex Judd 3/15 5/15 15/5 15/2 15/9
Thursday 28th
Alaister Orchard (6) bt Alex Duncliff Vines 15/13 15/13 8/15 15/12
Will Morse bt Dom Wright 15/9 15/9 5/15 15/3
Friday 29th
Felix Clarke bt Tom Seymore Mead 15/7 15/4 15/4
James Bailey bt Patrick Sutton 3/15 7/15 15/10 15/10 15/9
Saturday 30th
Richard Spender bt Patrick Maxwell 15/10 15/5 15/3
Nick Hutton bt Rob Fahey w/o
Will Nicholls bt Simon Higson w/o
Alex Coldicott (7) bt David Dundas 15/3 15/5 15/0
Sunday 1st
James Bailey bt Harry Franks 15/9 16/13 15/8
Nick James (3) bt Nick Hutton 15/3 15/5 15/4
James Fuller bt Dominic Titchener-Barrett15/3 15/3 ret
Alastair Gourlay bt George Sandbach 12/15 7/15 15/9 15/6 15/1
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt Felix Clarke 15/2 15/2 15/2
Richard Spender bt Alaister Orchard (6) 9/15 7/15 18/16 15/11 18/17
Tuesday 3rd December
James Male (5) bt Will Morse 15/1 15/3 15/8
Alex Coldicott (7) bt Alastair Gourlay 15/5 15/1 15/8
Wednesday 4th December
Tom Billings (4) bt Will Nicholls 15/2 15/10 15/3
James Coyne (2) bt James Fuller 15/3 15/11 15/9
Quarter Finals
Thursday 5th December
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt James Bailey 15/3 15/3 13/7
Nick James (3) bt James Male (5) 15/11 15/7 15/3
Friday 6th December
Tom Billings (4) bt Richard Spender 15/10 15/12 15/0
James Coyne (2) bt Alex Coldicott (7) 15/10 15/11 15/4
Semi Finals
Saturday 7th December
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt Tom Billings (4) 15/10 15/9 15/5
James Coyne (2) bt Nick James (3) 15/2 18/17 15/4
Final
Tuesday 10th December
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt James Coyne (2) 15/7 15/12 12/15 6/15 16/13