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Brown Advisory British Open Singles Championship 2018

Tuesday evening saw a great contest between two players at different stages in their Rackets' development. Tom Billings recently challenged James Stout for the world crown and, although he fell short, gave the champion much to think about. Alex Duncliffe-Vines is a rapidly emerging talent, always knocking on the door, full of tricky tactics and never afraid to attempt the impossible shot. Billings had progressed smoothly through the earlier rounds, dropping a game to a hard-hitting James Coyne in the semi-finals. Duncliffe-Vines had successfully navigated past both Alex Titchener-Barrett and then Nick Hopcroft, both great talents.

The first game was one-way traffic as Billings established a 10 point lead without response, in four intense hands. He retrieved everything and quickly pounced on any loose shot, combining his tenacious defence seamlessly into brutal attack. Duncliffe-Vines was undeterred and continued to probe, gaining his first point before Billing piled on three more to lead 13-1. Duncliffe-Vines tried a deft drop shot with success and then another - soon it was 4-13, but no further points would come his way as Billings ground out the first game 15/4 in a couple of more hands.

Duncliffe-Vines needed to respond and he did. Another delicate drop shot secured a 2-0 lead, doubled in the next hand to 4-0. Billings was never far away and clawed back points but it was Duncliffe-Vines who was on top, taking a 10-3 lead. However, the tide turned in one devastating hand as Billings reeled off eleven straight points to virtually close out the game. A brief flourish from Duncliffe-Vines offered a glimmer of hope but it was Billings who thumped the air, taking the game 15/11 and a 2-0 lead. It was tough for Duncliffe-Vines who was on the top of his game but saw the game snatched from under his nose.

The next game saw Duncliffe-Vines make the early running, leading 3-0, then 5-2 but without the confidence of the second game. Billings is always dangerous and came back to lead 7-6 - which he increased to 13-6 in another hand. Duncliffe-Vines rallied, and continued to play exciting rackets but it was a clearly pumped up Billings who took the third game 15/7.

The fourth game saw the lead switch a couple of times, 4-1 Billings, then 6-4 Duncliffe-Vines as he reeled off his best run. But Billing now struck, seizing the moment and 10 points without response in the next hand to lead 14-6. Facing Championship Point, it was Duncliffe-Vines who now played the shot of the evening, with a heavily sliced, boasted drop-shot, probably less than a centimetre above the tin. The gallery applauded the audacious shot and the next point. However Billings was not to be denied for long, winning the vital point to take the game 15/7, and the Championship. He had successfully defended his Open Championship with back-to-back wins.

David Norman, T&RA President, stepped up to present the Sheppard Cup. He gave thanks to organiser (and proud new father) Will Morse, to Queen's Club for the outstanding facility, second to none, represented by Andrew Stewart, and also to Lead Rackets Sponsor, Brown Advisory. David Kay-Shuttleworth, a noble contestant in the earlier rounds, represented Brown Advisory, who have recently announced their intention to extend their initial term of sponsorship to five years. Both players and their supporters retired to enjoy their Pol Roger champagne.

Results

Final

• T. Billings bt A. Duncliffe-Vines 15/4 15/11 15/7 15/7

Semi-finals

• A. Duncliffe-Vines bt N. Hopcroft 15/7 15/5 10/15 15/7 4/15 15/4
• T. Billings bt J. Coyne 6/15 15/10 15/4 15/12 15/0

Quarter-finals

• T. Billings bt N. James 15/1 15/11 15/1
• J. Coyne bt J. Giddins 10/15 15/12 15/11 12/15 15/6
• N.Hopcroft bt C. Portz 15/3 15/9 15/11
• A. Duncliffe-Vines bt A. Titchener-Barrett 15/11 4/15 15/9 15/11

Round of 16

• J. Giddins bt R. Tulley 17/14 15/3 15/11
• C. Portz bt T. Bomford 15/16 11/15 15/6 15/8 15/6
• J. Coyne bt B. Bomford 15/7 15/6 6/15 8/15 15/10
• N. James bt C. Braham 15/6 18/13 5/15 5/15 15/1
• A. Duncliffe-Vines bt M. Bailey 15/10 9/15 15/13 15/11
• T. Billings bt T. Stevens 15/3 15/0 15/7
• A. Titchener-Barrett bt A. Coldicott 15/2 15/3 15/4
• N. Hopcroft vs R.Giddins 15/10 15/10 15/4

Qualifying Results

Final Qualifiers

• Q1 C. Braham bt B. Stevens 15/6 14/18 17/15
• Q2 B. Bomford bt F. Clarke 15/6 15/12
• Q3 T. Bomford bt T. Morales 15/11 15/10
• Q4 T. Stevens bt A. Gourlay 15/12 5/15 15/9

Group A - C. Braham qualifies

• A. Judd bt P. Sutton 15/11 15/8
• C. Braham bt A. Judd 14/16 15/8 15/0
• C. Braham bt P. Sutton 15/12 15/4
• C. Braham bt J. Jameson-Black 15/3 15/11
• P. Sutton bt J. Jameson-Black 15/11 15/8
• J. Jamieson-Black bt A. Judd vs 15/9 15/3

Group B - B. Bomford qualifies

• B. Bomford bt T. Faber 15/3 15/1
• B. Bomford bt H. Faber 15/6 15/0
• T. Faber bt H. Faber 12/15 15/11 15/6
• B. Bomford bt M. Seely 15/10 15/3
• T. Faber bt M. Seely 15/6 18/16
• H. Faber bt M. Seely 15/12 18/16
  

Group C - T. Morales qualifies

• G. Tyndall bt E. Gray 15/4 15/7
• N.Hughes bt G. Tyndall 4/15 16/15 15/11
• T. Morales bt G. Tyndall 16/14 15/6
• T. Morales bt N. Hughes 15/8 15/7
• N. Hughes bt E. Gray w/o
• T. Morales bt E. Gray w/o
  

Group D - F. Clarke qualifies

• F. Clarke bt R. Sutton 15/2 15/0
• D. Kay-Shuttleworth bt R. Sutton 15/1 5/15 15/7
• F. Clarke bt G. Sandbach 15/6 15/13
• F. Clarke bt D. Kay-Shuttleworth 15/4 15/9
• G.Sandbach bt D. Kay-Shuttleworth 15/7 15/9
  

Group E - A. Gourlay qualifies

• A. Gourlay bt E. Hyde w/o
• N. Navapurkar bt D. Dundas 15/4 15/8
• A. Gourlay bt D. Dundas 15/4 15/3
• A. Gourlay bt N. Navapurkar 15/5 15/11
• N. Navapurkar bt E. Hyde w/o
• D. Dundas bt E. Hyde w/o

Group F - B. Stevens qualifies

• T. Buckley bt N. Mackenzie 15/5 15/3
• R. Williams bt N.Mackenzie 15/10 15/8
• B. Stevens bt R. Williams 15/6 15/8
• B. Stevens bt T. Buckley 15/3 15/10
• R. Williams bt T. Buckley 15/5 15/11
• B. Stevens bt N. Mackenzie 15/4 15/4
  

Group G - T. Stevens qualifies

• D. Wright bt A. Rozier-Pamplin 15/8 15/11
• T. Stevens bt L.Webb 15/2 15/0
• A. Rozier-Pamplin bt L. Webb 15/1 15/0
• L. Webb bt D. Wright w/o
• T. Stevens bt A. Rozier-Pamplin 15/11 15/2
• T. Stevens bt D. Wright 15/12 15/1
  

Group H - T. Bomford qualifies

• M. Brooks bt A. Pittalis 15/5 15/9
• T. Bomford bt A. Pittalis 15/4 15/0
• T. Bomford bt N. Brett 15/10 15/10
• T. Bomford bt M. Brooks 15/8 15/8
• M. Brooks bt N. Brett 16/15 15/9
• N.Brett bt A.Pittalis 16/15 15/8