Ladies Open Singles Championship 2011

Claire adds Rackets crown to Real Tennis top spot

Women's world Real Tennis number 1 Claire Vigrass, 20, added the first-ever Neptune British Open women€s rackets championship to her formidable tally of Real Tennis titles, powering her way through the inaugural event without dropping a game. The tournament at Queen's Club followed a successful women's challenge match at Malvern College in November and attracted entries from a group of enthusiastic newcomers mostly accomplished players from other racket sports, among them the Queen€s Club tennis doubles champion Alex Kurkjian, the winner of the Malvern women€s rackets challenge plus South African squash star Barbara Vintcent, triathlete Jo Perriam, and former world Real Tennis champion Sally Jones. Most had been introduced to the game by Queen€s Club professional and former world champion Howard Angus and Alex Kurkjian who organised the first women€s open rackets evenings last summer, which produced growing numbers of converts to the sport.

Claire, the hot favourite won her group in style, her heavy serving, speed around the court and extra weight of shot proving too much for her opponents, although Barbara Vintcent who finished second in the group improved visibly with every match. The other group was decided by a marathon battle in which Sally Jones held her nerve against the fluent Alex Kurkjian, squeaking through the decider 18-13. Claire, who is also overwhelming favourite for the women's world Real Tennis championship in April,€ started in dominant style in her semi-final against Alex who after dropping the 2 opening games began hitting with more power and confidence and found a better length on her explosive serve which paid dividends, although Claire always looked capable of unleashing an untouchable angled drive and came through comfortably.

Barbara Vintcent had a far closer struggle against the dogged but inexperienced Sally Jones en route to the final, trailing 1-2 before her intelligently varied serve and excellent retrieving off the back wall turned the tide and she closed out the deciding game 15-10.

In the final, as expected, Claire was again untouchable, playing near-faultless rackets and growing in confidence as her serve did the damage while anything returned short of a length was dispatched with clinical efficiency. Despite some resourceful rallying from Barbara and brave attempts to vary the pace and angles, there was only going to be one winner and while the tournament proved a friendly and exciting introduction to rackets for most of the field, Claire already looks a class act.

Photos courtesy of Paulo Elias/Mat Lloyd