* Amateur Singles Championship 2024

A tight first game between Richard Owen and Alex Duncliffe-Vines promised much with plenty of power from both players, but it was Richard who prevailed 15/10. Thereafter the match was a comfortable victory for the World Doubles champion, dropping only seven points in the next two games. Freddie Bristowe seemed to be coasting at two games to love and 6-3, then Tom Stevens had a run of 8 to 11-6, and won the game 15/9! But then normal service was resumed and Freddie himself had a long run, from 2-1 to 11-1 and it was plain sailing from there.

The remaining two quarter-finals saw defending champion, Rory Giddins, ease his way through in straight games against James Rossiter. The, later, eight-time champion, Alex Titchener-Barrett fell behind losing the first game, but then slowly asserted himself, beating last year's finalist, Julius Manton-Jones, in four games.

Freddie Bristowe is the first to reach Sunday's final, beating defending champion, Rory Giddins, in style. A tight first game could have gone either way but it was Freddie who pushed hardest and found his length at the perfect time, winning 15/11. Freddie started to take control in the second, although Rory's resistance was athletic in returning many well placed shots. But Freddie prevailed, winning 15/7, before breezing through the third game in full control. At 0-11, Rory had a chance but again Freddie was too strong; Freddie recovered serve and saw the game out.

Alex Titchener-Barrett took on Richard Owen in a tantalising encounter. Both players started strongly but it was Richard who was first to settle and established a commanding first game lead which he served out. Alex came back strongly in the second game to level the match. But then Richard found the afterburners to steer his way through the next two games and set up a final with Freddie.

The final

The top seed, Freddie Bristowe, started the match the stronger, quickly settling into his rhythm, using his pace around the court, swept into a 6-0 lead and then 10-0 on the next hand. Richard Owen, the eighth seed and doubles world champion didn’t have any answers as Freddie matched his power with supreme athleticism. But slowly and surely Richard crept back into the game, 2-10, then 4-10, 8-10 and finally levelling with a mixture of sublime serving and elegant backhands. But Freddie wasn’t finished, using his stroke-play, reached game ball at 14-10 only for Richard to cleverly win back the service. But this proved to be a short-lived hope as Freddie soon returned to the box to serve out the game, 15/10.

The second game started at the high level of the first, with both players off the mark at 2-2. Richard’s perfect length gave him a small advantage at 5-2, but Freddie’s dogged defence saw him recover to 3-5, before sweeping into the lead 7-5. The match was very tense, with few points on either side but at 8-7 to Freddie, Richard suddenly started answering the questions, matching and bettering his younger opponents’ shots, taking seven points in one hand to lead 14-8. Freddie wasn’t quite finished, recovering the service and adding a couple of points before Richard rallied and secured the second game 15/10. The match was now level in all respects, one game-all, 25 points apiece.

Neither player really established any prominence in the third game, and 2-all became 4-2 to Richard, before Freddie starting hitting perfect angles and had a remarkable eight-point hand to lead 10-4 and then 11-5. Richard returned brilliantly recover the service and then added four points to reduce the deficit 9-11. Two more points for Freddie took him to 13-9 but, with both players upping their match play, Richard recovered the service and adding four points of his own to level 13-all and see Freddie call a set to three. Richard was in brilliant form and his service was powerful and accurate and he swept through the required three points to win the second game, 16/13, and turn the match on its head into a two-one lead.

The fourth game now saw Richard largely in control, dominating the service and play with ever-increasing sublime length. Although Freddie continued to return seemingly impossible shots from the corners, it was Richard who controlled the scoreboard, from 2-0, to 5-0 and then 9-0, before Freddie scored a point, 1-9. Richard then served to match point, only for superb play from Freddie to keep the packed gallery on edge, as Freddie dug deep to reach 4-14. But this was a bridge too far, Richard winning the championship point at second time of asking and win the famous Amateur Singles bowl for the first time.

Final score: Richard Owen beat Freddie Bristowe, 10/15 15/10 16/13 15/4. Huge thanks to the Jesters for their sponsorship of amateur Rackets for the next three years. A great entry organised expertly by Alastair Gourlay. Charles Hue Williams praised the players and Stephen Finch, Chairman of the Jesters, presented the prizes.