* British Open Singles and Doubles Championships 2024

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Nick was out of the blocks quickly, playing superbly to race into a 4-0 lead. His shot section and execution were sublime and virtually unplayable. But Camden isn’t World Champion on reputation alone and managed to gain a foothold in the set at 1-4, but Nick pushed on to 5-1. The players then shared the next two games to leave Nick to secure the first set, 6/2.

Camden came out fighting in the second to make the early running, but Nick struck back to take a 3-1 lead. The galleries were expectant, and unusually vocal – would the champion fall. But now Camden dug deep to level and then lead 4-3. Nick levelled again at 4-4 and was a whisker from 5-4, before Camden fought back and then on to take the set 6/4, and level the match.

The third set was one-way traffic on the scoreboard, but far from reality on court. Both players were playing well, but Camden simply took the key points and the critical moments to take the set 6/0.

Camden, now on an eight-game run, took the first game in the fourth (nine game sequence) to make the early running. Nick wasn’t finished and, to great applause, levelled before Camden won the next two games to lead 3-1. Nick had to do something and once again reversed the match, taking the next three games to build a slender 4-3 lead. But Camden’s brilliance now came to the fore as he closed in on the title, taking the next two games to lead 5-4 and 40-love – three match points. Nick survived on a knife edge, remarkably recovering to deuce and then taking the game – 5-all. The decider saw Cam take a 40-15 lead and two more match points; Nick survived the first but not the second, Camden taking the set and match 6/5. Four remarkable sets of Real Tennis and Camden’s seventh British Open success, and three in succession.

Fred Satow, T&RA’s outgoing Chairman thanked the main sponsor, Sir John Ritblat, Pol Roger, the T&RA and the Queen’s Club team, especially marker, Neil Mackenzie who controlled the match in his usual unflappable style. Sir John then presented the prizes to finalist, Nick, and the champion, Camden. Camden praised his valiant opponent and expected many more matches in the near future.

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From the first point, Tim and Camden brought their A game, playing stunning, mobile, brilliant, spellbinding Tennis – and they were literally untouchable. Nick and Leon fought hard and made incredible recoveries to keep themselves afloat, but the World Champions always went just one shot further with remarkable boasts and seemingly impossible pick-ups from the ball which ought to be dead. It was a true master-class in doubles Tennis and kept the Dedans in awe. The games simply stacked up, and Nick and Leon kept raising their game only to see the lightning-fast Camden and the evergreen Tim relentlessly turn defence into attack. The first two sets were over and the Word Champions held a two-love lead.

A huge roar from the watching galleries erupted when Nick and Leon struck first in the third set to make the early running. Camden and Tim had the answers and took the next two games, before their opponents levelled at 2-all. But this spurred the wonderful Champions on further and they took the next three games to hold a 5-2 lead. A brief flurry recovered the next game but it wasn’t long before the set was wrapped up 6/3, and the match. This was Camden and Tim’s fifth British Open Doubles title as a pair, although both are serial winners with other partners.

Overall, a successful week for both pairs, with Nick and Leon’s highlight probably their epic match with former World Champions, Rob Fahey and Steve Virgona, in the semi-finals, which went to 6/5 in the fifth.

Richard Compton-Burnett, incoming T&RA Chairman, thanked everybody and allowed the event’s sponsor, Sir John Ritblat, and the T&RA’s patron, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, to present the prizes. The winners enjoyed jeroboams of Whispering Angel, along with the precious silverware.

Max Warner won the Grays’ Junior of the Year racquet; at age 13, he currently holds the Under 16 and Under 18 British Open titles and the Under 19 World Championship.