Derby Moor Academy, Littleover
Saturday/Sunday, 10-11 September 2022
STOP PRESS: It was a successful defence of their titles for Ed Kay (Singles) and Ed & Ollie Arnold in the Doubles as the Yorkshire Open was played out for a second year at the Derby Moor Fives Club in Littleover, Derbyshire. Warm thanks go to co-organisers John Hawke and Lewis Keates as they organised and victualled a small but neat entry of 18 players over the course of the weekend.
John Hawke reports: Once again Yorkshire annexed a small part of Derby for their eponymous Fives tournament. Sadly, this year the only tenuous link with Yorkshire was that of the organiser, who is a member of the Halifax club, but now lives in Anglesey. No players from Yorkshire took part.
The organiser and tournament entrants are hugely grateful for the use of the superb Derby Moor courts and for the unstinting support provided by the club members. Special thanks go to Lewis Keates, who cajoled many participants into entering, especially those Fives ‘big names’ who showed us all how the game should be played. In a way, Lewis got his just rewards on the first day — more of that later.
Play actually got underway very close to the allotted time, with the early matches proceeding quickly. As is traditional, a call was received later in the morning announcing the lateness of Dan Tristao and Dan Grant. They arrived in time to avoid the organiser having apoplexy; the first round matches were barely delayed.
The first round progressed as predicted, except that Lewis Keates beat Cameron Low against the seeding. In the second round, three of the matches were completed without mishap for the seeds. Only the fourth match, between Keates and Tristao went to three games, with Lewis threatening to upset the tournament in both the first two games. Dan finally overcame this most tenacious of opponents 12-10, 11-12, 11-4. Semi-final matches went to plan, setting up a Kay-Tristao final to be played on Sunday morning due to the timing constraints of the tournament restaurant.
Plate matches took place as courts came free from Cup games. Knockouts were played for both plate competitions, with those knocked out of the cup in the preliminary and first round eligible for the first plate, and those knocked out in the preliminary and first round of the first plate qualifying for the second plate. This ensured that all entrants got a good number of games regardless of how they fared. Cameron Low avenged his first round cup defeat by winning the first plate, beating Oscar McIntyre in the final, with the ever enthusiastic Nick Geere overcoming Callum Yates to win the second plate.
So, off to the pub. A great meal in pleasant company rounding off an enjoyable day.
Sunday started somewhere around 9:45 with some first round doubles as the singles finalists stretched, tied their shoe laces and assembled their gloves. Once on court, Ed Kay gave a good impression of dominating Dan Tristao, who appeared less animated than normal. Whether it was the meal, the demon drink, or the long battle with the equally demonic Keates, Dan couldn’t match the play of an obviously cleaner living Ed, who retained his title with a convincing 11-5, 11-3 win.
Once the singles final was out of the way, the doubles competition picked up pace. There was only one match which threatened never to finish, with Keates (yes, him again) & Bally Singh taking three long games to see off Low & Vishal Singh 13-15, 16-15, 16-14. Every round honoured the seeding, with Ollie Arnold & Ed Kay retaining their Yorkshire Doubles crown in a thrilling final.
The plate was played as a round-robin of four pairs until the last round, when the top two played for the plate and the bottom 2 played for the second plate. Richie Murby & Oscar McIntyre beat Cameron Low & Vishal Singh to the first plate while Brian Kirk & Callum Yates eked out a win in the second plate, 16-14.
To end a most enjoyable weekend, RFA President elect Julie McIntyre presented the trophies and medals.
The organiser owes a debt of gratitude to all those who competed, to the Derby Moor club for the use of their superb facilities, to Lewis Keates for drumming up entrants of the highest quality and for his assistance running the event and posting pictures, results etc., and to Callum Yates for his organisation and scoring efforts for the doubles plate. The only downsides were the absence of Bob Dolby, who was otherwise engaged, and that of Stuart Kirby. We hope to see them both next year.
Results
Singles
Preliminary round: V Fikhter bt B Cundy 15-7
1st round: D Tristao bt Fikhter 11-2, 11-0; L Keates bt C Low 11-6, 11-1; R Murby bt O McIntyre 11-0, 11-8; J Aquilina bt V Singh 11-4, 11-1; B Beltrami bt K Davins 11-0, 11-0; D Grant b N Geere 11-2, 11-0; O Arnold bt A Goodwin 11-4, 11-4; E Kay bt C Yates 11-0, 11-1
Quarter-finals: Tristao bt Keates 12-10, 11-12, 11-4; Aquilina bt Murby 11-9, 11-0; Beltrami bt Grant 11-8, 11-9; Kay bt Arnold 11-9, 11-2
Semi-finals: Tristao bt Aquilina 11-4, 11-1; Kay bt Beltrami 11-2, 11-2
Final: Kay bt Tristao 11-5, 11-3
Plate: Low bt McIntyre 16-14
Doubles
Quarter-finals: Arnold & Kay bt Cundy & Davins 11-0, 11-1; Keates & B Singh bt Low & V Singh 13-15, 16-15, 16-14; Aquilina & Grant bt McIntyre & Murby 11-2, 11-6; Beltrami & Tristao bt B Kirk & Yates 11-8, 11-4
Semi-finals: Arnold & Kay bt Keates & B Singh 12-11, 11-9; Beltrami & Tristao bt Aquilina & Grant 11-7, 11-2
Final: Arnold & Kay bt Beltrami & Tristao 11-7. 11-7
Plate: McIntyre & Murby bt Low & V Singh 15-6
2nd Plate: Kirk & Yates bt Cundy & Davins 16-14
Ed defends his Singles title successfully
The Singles finalists
Doubles champions again
The Doubles finalists
Cameron wins the Singles Plate
Singles Plate finalists
Doubles Plate for Oscar & Richie
Ollie on the charge
Ed in full flow
Power about to be unleashed
Perfect balance
Kristians admiring Ben’s left hand
Clash of the left-handers
Home of Yorkshire Fives (these days)
Ideal viewing
Well deserved break for the organiser
Callum runs the Plates