North West Open Championships
Y Club, Manchester
Sat/Sun 11-12 January 2020
STOP PRESS In the first regional tournament of the decade Ed Kay won his first North West Singles title, becoming the 13th player to do so since its inauguration in 1968. Previous winners are David Gardner (1), John Howe (1), Wayne Enstone (27), Neil Roberts (3), Ian Fuller (1), Hamish Buchanan (1), John Beswick (3), Phil Bishop (2), Ed Fuller (2), John Minta (2), Dan Tristao (6) and Will Ellison (3).
In the Doubles Will Ellison notched up his seventh North West title, this time with Dan Grant, with whom he won once before in 2016. He has also won with Charlie Brooks twice, John Minta twice and Hal Mohammed once.
Fives was not the only game at which some 20 or so players excelled. Full report to come, including news of the new playing surface on the courts at the Y Club!
Scores
Singles
1st round: D Fox bt T Wakelam 11-2, 12-11; J Sumner bt G Marshall 11-2, 11-1; A McCreath bt J Smith 11-12, 11-1, 11-3; M Suddaby w/o N O’Connor; T Walker bt K Brice 12-11, 1-11, 11-8
2nd round: E Kay bt Fox 11-9, 11-2; P Hanton bt H Jefferies 11-9, 11-6; M Shaw bt Sumner 11-6, 11-1; J Aquilina bt McCreath 11-0, 11-3; D Grant bt Suddaby 11-5, 11-6; R Whitehorn bt O Arnold, 11-8, 12-10; J Tilston bt L Keates 11-5, 11-6; W Ellison bt Walker 11-1, 11-3
Quarter-finals: Kay bt Hanton 11-0, 11-3; Aquilina bt Shaw 4-11, 11-2, 11-1; Grant bt Whitehorn 11-2, 11-0; Ellison bt Tilston 11-3, 11-2
Semi-finals: Kay bt Aquilina 11-0, 11-4; Ellison bt Grant 11-3, 11-3
Final: Kay bt Ellison 11-4, 10-12, 11-9
Plate: Arnold bt Keates 15-5
Doubles
1st round: Fox & Minta bt Brice & McCreath 11-4, 11-6; Hanton & Jefferies bt Darlington & McCreath 11-5, 11-7; Smith & Suddaby bt Keates & Whitehorn 11-4, 11-7; Guthrie & Page bt Martin & Harrison 11-4, 11-6
Quarter-finals: Ellison & Grant bt Fox & Minta 12-11, 11-1; Aquilina & Tilston bt Hanton & Jefferies 11-6, 11-1; Arnold & Beltrami bt Smith & Suddaby 11-4, 11-2; Kay & Shaw bt Guthrie & Page 11-2, 11-0
Semi-finals: Ellison & Grant bt Aquilina & Tilston 11-4, 11-6; Beltrami & Arnold bt Kay & Shaw 11-6, 11-6
Final: Ellison & Grant bt Arnold & Beltrami 11-0, 3-11, 11-5
Plate: Brice & McCreath bt Keates & Whitehorn 15-13