Neptune British Open Singles Championship 2013
Report
The Open this year was a huge success and was enjoyed by both spectators and players alike. It was held back at the home of the game, The Queens Club, now all the work has finished and the galleries are perfect to get the most out of watching the great game. There was a fantastic entry this year and it meant that the qualifying rounds on the first weekend were hectic and full of some top rackets. Only the top 12 went straight through the last 16, so there were plenty of impressive players trying to get through the qualifying groups. A special mention must go out to Patrick Maxwell who got through his group beating Ali Gourlay on his way to setting up a last 16 round match against no.1 seed Alex Titchener-Barrett.
The semis finals were played on the Friday evening with a very good crowd for the ATB v Christian Portz match which resulted in ATB winning 4-2. The crowd seemed to be ever increasing for the 2nd semi final where no.2 Will Hopton and no.3 seed James Coyne battled it out in what was an exciting match. It was one of those days for Coynie where everything he hit was perfect and Hoppy had nothing to combat the hard hitting and severe serving of his opponent. Coyne won 4-0.
The final on Sunday was another mouth watering prospect with two of the hardest hitters in the game going head to head. ATB played with some amazing control and was looking good for a 4-0 victory especially at 9-0 up in the 4th. That wasn’t what Coynie had in mind and with some excellent serving and some brilliant killing of the ball he got back into the match winning 17-16. This got ATB thinking again and with some great serving and a very calm mentality ATB went on to win the championship. Well done to ATB for winning yet another title and showing that he has without doubt matured and changed his game and now looks a real threat to Stout.
Results
Sunday 27th - Final
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt James Coyne (3) 15/9 15/5 15/5 16/17 15/8
Friday 25th - Semi-Finals
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt Christian Portz (4) 15/9 14/18 10/15 15/4 15/3 15/5
James Coyne (3) bt Will Hopton (2) 15/9 15/11 15/2 15/13
Portz did well to take a 2 games to 1 lead, but then fell away as AT-B improved to close out the match.
Coyne went for broke from the starting gun and never let up at all, playing the kind of scintillating strokes of which he is uniquely capable. Hopton saved 4 match points from 14-8 down in the 4th, and got back to 13-14 with a spectacular series of retrievals but in the end on his 5th match point James got his place in the final.
Thursday 24th
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt Ben Snell (8) 15/5 18/13 15/10
Christian Portz (4) bt Tom Billings (5) 15/5 12/15 15/13 16/14
Wednesday 23rd
Will Hopton (2) bt Nick James (7) 12/15 15/4 15/8 15/3
James Coyne (3) bt Mark Hubbard (6) 15/9 15/4 15/12
Tuesday 22nd
Will Hopton (2) bt Alaister Orchard 15/12 15/7 15/9
Alex Titchener-Barrett (1) bt Patrick Maxwell 15/3 15/8 15/5
Monday 21st
Tom Billings (5) bt James Male 12/15 5/15 15/12 18/17 15/9
Mark Hubbard (6) bt Ryan Tulley 17/14 15/11 15/9
James Coyne (3) bt Steve Tulley 15/4 15/8 15/12
Christian Portz (4) vs Jamie Giddins 15/3 15/6 14/16 15/3
Sunday 20th
Ben Snell (8) bt Alex Coldicott 15/0 15/7 15/6
Nick James (7) bt Richard Spender 11/15 15/10 15/6 2/15 15/14