Kay and Beltrami triumphant in the Yorkshire Open 2026

Derby Moor Academy, Littleover

Saturday, 5th September 2026

Bob Dolby reports: There was an element of the circus, in the best possible sense, about this season’s Yorkshire Open — with swings & roundabouts and acrobatics of the most entertaining sort. No clowns, but shades of Houdini and prodigious acts of prestidigitation in the rear depths of the court. The rapid Spanish ball in use for the day encouraged power play, but for all the brutality with which the ball was being struck in every match there were delightful displays of wristy-twisty dropshots in the front left-hand corner to draw gasps of admiration from the spectators.

The entry was small — hats off to the Light Blues and the home club for their contingents — but the standard was high and the youngsters could only be inspired by what they saw from the highly ranked players in every match. There were definitely three competitors — Harry, Max and Zach — who have never played as well as they did on the day to win the Singles and Doubles Plates.

Both draws progressed as per seeding, as tends to be the case in our game. Emrys Thursfield and Lewis Keates did their very best to prevent a Kay/Beltrami final; as often applies, the scores don’t do justice to the effort expended. The Singles final involved Ed Kay building a 7-0 lead in the first game, only to find Ben Beltrami fight back to lead 9-8, before Ed reasserted himself and closed out 11-9. In the second game Ed gradually induced enough errors from Ben to make it through in straight games, his sixth time of winning the title.

Looking at Doubles draw, many may have expected a comfortable victory for the pairing of Ben & Ed. And with the score 10-3 in their favour in the first game of the final a six o’clock finish looked pretty certain. However, Anthony and Lewis were loth to give up their title lightly. They pulled up their metaphorical sleeves, struck every ball with renewed vigour, hit walls and nicks, and some twenty minutes later took the first game 12-10.

It was only to be expected that Ben and Ed would come back hard in the second game, which they did — 11-5. Max Staryk & Zach Winson Yates had meanwhile won a three-game seesaw Doubles Plate final, so organiser Lewis was able to present medals and plates to the youngsters before returning to the court.

Back in play, Anthony found himself under relentless attack on the left-hand wall in the third game. For all that, the score stalled briefly at 6-all. “This could go either way” said a wise old head watching on. It did. 11-7 to Ben & Ed, but not without dogged and often acrobatic resistance from the Derby Moor pair. Ben and Ed last won this title together in 2019.

Whatever the future of this event, with no adult Fives currently being played in Yorkshire, Derby Moor remain delighted to offer their facilities for it. With a small entry this year it was possible to complete a full programme of Singles and Doubles in the one (long) day. A highly enjoyable, valuable and rewarding day.

Singles

1st round: Z Winson Yates bt H Katz 11-0, 11-0; An Goodwin bt M Staryk 11-0, 11-4; A Iraizoz bt D Wright 11-1, 11-1; M Ord bt H Hill 11-6, 11-7

Quarter-finals: E Kay bt Winson Yates 11-1, 11-0; E Thursfield bt Goodwin 12-10, 11-6; L Keates bt Iraizoz 11-1, 11-3; B Beltrami bt Ord 11-1, 11-0

Semi-finals: Kay bt Thursfield 11-2, 11-0; Beltrami bt Keates 11-3, 11-2

Final: Kay bt Beltrami 11-9, 11-4

Plate: 1st Hill W3; 2nd Winson Yates W1; 3rd Wright W1; 4th Staryk W1

Doubles

Quarter-finals: Hill & Wright bt Kirby & Kirk 11-4, 11-8; Ord & Thursfield bt Staryk & Winson Yates 11-3, 11-6

Semi-finals: Beltrami & Kay bt Hill & Wright 11-0, 11-4; Goodwin & Keates bt Ord & Thursfield 11-0, 11-4

Final: Beltrami & Kay bt Goodwin & Keates 10-12, 11-5, 11-7

Plate: Staryk & Winson Yates bt Kirby & Kirk 11-4, 4-11, 11-6