Brown Advisory British Open Singles Championship 2016
Final
Sunday 24th January
- Jamie Stout (1) bt Alex Titchener-Barrett (2) 15/8 15/1 15/7 15/11
Reporting
The eight group winners from the Qualifying Tournament met on Sunday 17th to establish who would qualify for the main draw. Tom Bomford won a tight match against Alastair Gourlay and will play Wellington's professional, Ryan Tulley, in the Round of 16. Nick Hutton proved too strong for Henry Britton and his reward is a match against World Champion, Jamie Stout. Patrick Maxwell won through a tough match against Dom Wright but then injury prevented him continuing in the Open, handing a bye to James Coyne in the next round. The final match saw Haileybury professional, Graeme Tyndall, recover from a game down to win through against a strong George Sandbach, recently reinstated as an amateur. Tyndall will play Richard Owen in the Round of 16; another tough test.
The match between Tom Billings against Alastair Orchard contained some fine rallies and stylish winners from both players, but although Billings was not fully on song, he was clearly in too good practice for Orchard to be able to seriously trouble him.
Alex T-B was in devastating form against Alex Coldicott ATB served with tremendous pace and cut, and put away balls from all over the court with imperious command. From 2-1 in the first game he served through the remainder of that opening game and through the whole of the second game in one hand of 28 points. Even in the third game, in seven hands, Coldicott could only muster 3 points.
Monday evening saw two straightforward matches with local professional, Ben Snell, despatching the ever-steady Will Morse; and then Richard Owen overpowered the rapidly improving Graeme Tyndall. Both matches were over in three straight games. Quite a year for the Graeme in his first year as a full-time professional!
Tuesday evening completed the Round of 16. Nick James took the first games against Christian Portz. But Portz levelled, before gaining the upper hand in the third and then a straightforward fourth and final games. Jamie Stout stepped off the plane earlier in the day, and controlled his match against a resilient Nick Hutton, who should be proud of a good tournament. The final match saw Tom Bomford take a tight first game, before Ryan Tulley levelled after an even tighter second. Tulley eased the third and then won a hard fought final game. Bomford also has reason to be very satisfied with his fabulous results.
The first three quarter-final were played on Wednesday. Alex Titchener-Barrett didn't let the hard running Ryan Tulley into the match, taking two straightforward games and then a closer third. ATB started strongly taking four points without reply. Tulley rallied to 1-5 but ATB continued to score at ease, moving from 9-1 to 13-1, and then taking the first game in the next hand. Three hands in the second saw him establish a 13-0 lead. Although Tulley fought back to 3-13, ATB quickly won the two remaining points to take a two game lead. More of the same in the third, ATB leading 3-1, 4-1 then 9-1. But now Tulley fought back, clawing his way back to 4-9, but ATB's lead was too much and he soon held match point at 14-7. A miraculous return by Tulley forestalled the inevitable with ATB winning his match at the second time of asking.
The second quarter-final saw a clash of styles with the power of James Coyne matched against the speed and agility of Tom Billings. It was the latter who won through after a close first game followed by two much shorter games. The first game was the tightest by a long margin. Billings struck first to lead 4-0, before Coyne levelled. Billings then took the next four points to lead 8-4 and then 11-5. Coyne dug in to narrow the deficit to 8-11 but the advantage was with the fast moving Billings who closed out the first all-important game 15/9. Billings carried his advantage into the second to lead 6-1. Coyne pulled a couple of points back but the momentum was with Billings who was putting the ball away cleanly. From 10-4, after a couple of exchanges of serve it was Billings who played the more composed shots to close out the game in a couple of hands. The third game started with a close struggle to 2-all but again Billings surged ahead 5-2, then 7-2, then 10-2. Coyne stemmed the flow but shortly later it was 14-3. Coyne saved the first match point but couldn't make the second, as Billings won through to set up a semi-final clash with ATB.
Another potentially close match concluded the evening's play, with Richard Owen playing Christian Portz. Portz won an edgy first game, before Owen responded with the next two and then won through a tight fourth game. After a tense start, both players were sharing points but a six point run took Portz to 10-3. Owen came back over a series of hands to secure a narrow lead 11-10. It was soon 12-all and anybody's game. Portz took the next two points and held game point but Owen levelled and a set to three was called. The tension reached new heights as the game reached 2-all and both players had a couple of game points; however it was Portz who held his nerve to win the first game 17/16. The second game started slowly, but it was Owen who started to dominate taking eight points in his second hand and then a further four to lead 12-1. Portz held his nerve, resisting Owen's powerful strokes, and fought back to 3-12; but two point later it was 14-3. Owen squandered a couple of game points with Portz edging back, but all too slowly, and Owen didn't waste his third game point to level the match. Owen continued his domination in the third taking a 10-0 lead in his first hand. Portz pulled a point back, but Owen took the next four to game point. Owen dropped serve allowing Portz a couple of points but made sure next time he regained the serve. A tense fourth game saw the lead change hands with both players having periods in control. Owen surged ahead to lead 12-7, but Portz wasn't giving up, scoring six points in a hand. Owen doggedly resisted and levelled to 13-all and a set to three was called. After a couple of hands it was a visibly relieved Owen who finally won through to the semi-final.
The last quarter-final on Thursday evening saw an all-Cheltonian clash; Jamie Stout again local professional, Ben Snell. An exciting game was only going to have one result, but the good friends kept the watching gallery, including new sponsors Brown Advisory, very well entertained. A straight games win for Stout produced yet another old-school clash, with the ever-improving Richard Owen.
Friday evening and the traditional Queen's Club semi-final festival of Rackets. The first match saw Jamie Stout power through his former Cheltenham colleague, Richard Owen, in straight games, 4-0. A masterful display of fine Rackets where the world champion's speed and anticipation were too good on the night. The games were tight but Stout was always in control although he commented later it was his toughest match in years! The last game saw Stout stitch together periods of dominance, as he took five straight points without reply in the first hand and then carried the momentum through to match point, achieved at the second time of asking.
The second semi-final saw Alex Titchener-Barrett win through four games to three against Tom Billings, and the match was every bit as tight as the score suggested. ATB dominated the first game and held game balls in the second at 14-12. But Billings levelled and then won the set to three without conceding a point. Billings then carried this momentum into the third game, before ATB bounced back to level after a close fourth, in which he eventually reversed his fortune of the second by winning the set to five without conceding a point. Billings again took the initiative to lead three games to two but ATB surged back to level in a close sixth to take the match into the deciding game. ATB held a healthy 13-8 lead in the final game before a clash near the front wall caused an injury break. Returning to the court, it was ATB who held his nerve to win the remaining two points and clinch his place in Sunday's final. A long match, calmly marked by Steve Tulley, in which both players held the initiative at times, but ATB's resilience and power just about overcame Billings' enthusiasm and pace.
The final was a fine spectacle of Rackets enjoyed by the packed Queen's Club gallery. Although Jamie Stout was generally in control, Alex Titchener-Barrett elevated his game to try and match the champion; the end result was a series of magnificent rallies, with inspirational recovery play and breath-taking winners. The champion looked good for his four love win, but admitted that ATB asked some serious questions.
The first game saw Stout start the stronger, immediately at his peak, easing away to 4-1 and then, with a run of seven points to lead 11-1. ATB rallied and nudged himself back into the game, scoring a precious point or two whenever he gained service. Stout added another point and eventually reached 12-8. At this point, his focus was acute and he reeled off the next three points to take the first game. Stout continued this run into the second game, taking the first four points and then seven more on his next hand to lead 11-0. ATB was not cowed and broke his duck, but that turned out to be a consolation as Stout scored the remaining four points in a brace of hands, without losing another point. Absolute dominance by the champion at this stage in the match, as he worked his way into a two game lead.
The third game started slowly, with the competitors playing extremely well to cancel each other's efforts. Stout's 3-1 lead was briefly overtaken, as ATB dug deep to pick off three consecutive points to lead 4-3. Stout responded by taking four more of his own to lead 7-4. Neither could really break away, even when Stout played an inch perfect reverse back-hand to rapturous applause from the gallery. This brought the best out of ATB, and he played his own deft winner. Points were slowly gathered, but predominantly by the champion, turning a 9-7 lead into a 13-7 advantage. But Stout was unable to find the winners as ATB fought robustly. However, it was inevitable when Stout inched home, finally picking up two points to take a three game to love lead. A similar pattern prevailed in the fourth game, with both players playing exciting Rackets but Stout slowly drawing away. However, it wasn't one-way traffic and a 3-2 Stout lead became 7-5 after good scoring from both competitors. But now Stout struck, taking a further four points in the next hand to lead 11-5 and close in on victory. ATB once again haled his nerve, inching back into the game and then scoring four successive point in a hand for the first time. The score was 11-all and the game was potentially in the balance. However, this rear-guard action provoked Stout to new heights and he picked off the remaining four points to take the fourth and final game; and with it the Open Championship.
The T&RA President, David Norman, praised both players after the match and thanked new sponsors, Brown Advisory, for their welcome patronage of the finest ball and racquet sport in the world. David Kay-Shuttleworth, who himself played in the Open Qualifying, presented the prestigious Sheppard Cup to the worthy champion.
Alex Titchener-Barrett and Jamie Stout await the prize-giving
Results
Final
- J Stout (1) bt A Titchener-Barrett (2) 15/8 15/1 15/7 15/11 Watch match
Semi-finals
- J Stout (1) bt R Owen (4) 15/10 15/12 15/8 15/5 Watch both matches
- A Titchener-Barrett (2) bt T Billings (3) 15/5 14/17 6/15 18/15 7/15 15/10 15/8
Quarter-finals
- A Titchener-Barrett (2) bt R Tulley (8) 15/1 15/3 15/8 Watch match
- T Billings (3) bt J Coyne (5) 15/9 15/4 15/4 Watch match
- R Owen (4) bt C Portz (6) 16/17 15/5 15/3 16/13 Watch match
- J Stout (1) bt B Snell (7) 15/11 15/1 15/7 Watch match
ROUND OF 16
- T Billings (3) bt A Orchard 15/5 15/9 15/3
- A Titchener-Barrett (2) bt A Coldicott 15/1 15/0 15/3
- J Coyne (5) bt P Maxwell w/o
- B Snell (7) bt W Morse 15/1 15/5 15/8 Watch match
- R Owen (4) bt G Tyndall 15/5 15/8 15/3 Watch match
- C Portz (6) bt N James 9/15 15/5 15/9 15/4 Watch match
- J Stout (1) bt N Hutton 15/8 15/8 15/10 Watch match
- R Tulley (8) bt T Bomford 12/15 17/14 15/7 15/12 Watch match
Qualifying Results
Final Eliminators
- T Bomford bt A Gourlay 15/12 15/12
- N Hutton bt H Britton 15/5 15/3
- P Maxwell bt D Wright 15/3 16/15
- G Tyndall bt G Sandbach 2/15 15/14 15/12
Group 1
- G Sandbach bt L Fitzwilliams 15/6 15/6
- R Musgrave bt L Fitzwilliams 15/10 7/15 15/7
- G Sandbach bt R Musgrave 15/6 15/5
- O Howick bt L Fitzwilliams 16/14 15/10
- G Sandbach bt O Howick 15/8 15/12
Group 2
- N Hutton bt H Faber 15/2 15/3
- C Braithwaite bt H Faber 15/7 15/14
- N Hutton bt C Braithwaite 15/10 15/1
Group 3
- J Fuller bt C Foreman 15/8 15/3
- T Bomford bt J Fuller 15/10 15/8
- T Buckley bt C Foreman 15/4 15/2
- T Bomford bt T Buckley 15/5 15/10
- T Bomford bt C Foreman 15/1 15/3
- J Fuller bt T Buckley 15/6 15/10
Group 4
- P Maxwell bt D Kay-Shuttleworth 15/3 15/2
- B Stevens bt D Kay-Shuttleworth 15/5 15/9
- P Maxwell bt B Stevens 15/2 15/11
- N Stamp bt D Kay-Shuttleworth 15/2 15/8
- B Stevens bt N Stamp 15/8 15/3
- P Maxwell bt N Stamp 15/0 15/2
Group 5
- A Gourlay bt D Pennick 15/3 15/8
- P Sutton bt D Pennick 15/7 15/0
- A Gourlay bt A Judd 15/10 15/4
- P Sutton bt A Judd 13/15 15/10 15/2
- A Judd bt D Pennick 15/4 15/5
- A Gourlay bt P Sutton 15/10 15/2
Group 6
- D Wright bt S Mason 15/12 15/3
- S Mason bt D Dundas 15/1 15/6
- D Wright bt D Dundas 15/10 15/0
Group 7
- G Tyndall bt R Wakely 15/9 15/0
- R Wakely bt T Floyd 15/1 15/8
- G Tyndall bt T Floyd 15/7 15/3
Group 8
- D Titchener-Barrett bt S Roundell 15/6 15/11
- L Winstanley bt S Roundell 15/12 10/15 7/15
- H Britton bt D Titchener-Barrett 15/5 15/11
- D Titchener-Barrett bt L Winstanley 4/15 15/8 15/12
- H Britton bt S Roundell 15/2 15/8
- H Britton bt L Winstanley 15/3 15/5