Day two of the Aldershot Grand Prix saw a very strong field of players take to the sports hall at the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre. The Men’s field was particularly open, with a number of players hopeful of becoming champion.
Men’s Singles
In his home county of Hampshire, David McBeath ruled supreme taking the Men’s Singles crown thanks to a fine display of his trademark backhand loops. McBeath beat a spirited Gavin Rumgay three straight.
One round prior Rumgay saved a number of match points in the fifth to scrape his way past Liverpool’s beaten finalist Ryota Kawai 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 14-12. Rumgay was made to work hard for his victories, beating England Juniors Luke Savill 3-1, and Tom Jarvis by the same score line in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
Third seed McBeath found the going a little easier. After winning his group comfortably he then beat Jamal Dennison 3-0, Joe Pilkington 3-0, Matt Ware 3-1 and Ryan Jenkins 3-0 en route to the final where he eventually toppled Rumgay 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.
Women’s Singles
World number 44, Xiaoxin Yang of Monaco, proved far too strong for the rest of the field in Aldershot. Yang won at a canter, not dropping more than 6 points in a single end in the knockout stages of the competition.
Yang’s dominance and class was on show throughout, first beating Emma Tovey in the quarter-finals 11-6, 11-3, 11-2. Next up was Emma Vickers, who finished third on the 2014/15 season overall series, however, even she couldn’t challenge Yang going down 11-1, 11-5, 11-6. In the final Yang met English defender Hannah Hicks and showed she was just as capable playing against chop, taking the title 11-4, 11-4, 11-4.
Hicks made her way to the final courtesy of a 3-0 win over Edyta Schmid and then a 3-1 victory against Emily Bolton, who looked capable of an upset after taking a 1-0 lead.
Under 21 Men’s Singles
Third seed Luke Savill took the Under 21 Men’s Singles title after a thrilling final with Josh Bennett. Savill prevailed 3-2 after Bennett fought hard to level at 2-2 and force the decider.
Savill was a worthy champion after knocking out pre-competition favourite and number one seed Danny Lawrence in the semi-finals. Before that he had progressed through the rounds reasonably comfortably beating Tim Denby and Adam Jepson.
Josh Bennett was unable to round off a fantastic day by winning the final, but can still be proud of his performances. Bennett seemed to make a habit of coming from behind to clinch victory. First coming from 2-0 down to beat older brother Jack, and then from one down to beat second seed Gabriel Achampong and fourth seed Liam McTiernan.
Under 21 Women’s Singles
Lois Peake rounded off a successful few weeks by becoming Under 21 Women’s Singles champion in Aldershot.
Peake stood up to her tag of number one seed, first defeating Amy Blagbrough in the semi-finals, and then coming from one behind to take the final 3-1 against Emily Bolton.
It wasn’t to be for Bolton who won group two and then beat qualifier Letitia McMullan in the semis.
Mixed Veteran Singles
Scratch entry Edger Berridge proved that it’s never too late become a champion. Berridge won the Veteran Singles after a very close and nervy final with Shaun Bibby, having only made it into the competition on the day.
Berridge lead, 1-0 and then 2-1 before clinching it deuce in the fifth. Bibby put up a great fight but it wasn’t to be for the man from South Yorkshire.
Berridge had a just as mammoth semi-final against Phil Snelson. Again he blew a lead, this time his opponent came back from 2-0 down to level. However, Berridge held his nerve to earn that final spot.
Open Doubles
In the final match of the weekend, the strong partnership of Chris Doran and Matt Ware proved too much for all in front of them. Ware is quickly making himself a doubles specialist after becoming the overall champion on last season’s series.
Gavin Maguire and Niall Cameron were the beaten finalists, but until then looked good for the title themselves. They beat Women’s Singles champion Xiaoxin Yang and her partner Anna Hursey in the quarter-finals and then Gavin Rumgay and Miles Ross in the semi-finals.
The champions Doran and Ware, made steady progress beating the McBeath brothers in four and then Adam Nutland and Ryan Fellows in three straight.
The final went all the way (as the last match of the weekend always seems too) but Doran and Ware ran out 7-11, 13-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 winners.
Results
Men’s Singles
David McBeath (Ha) bt Gavin Rumgay (SCO) 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-6)
Women’s Singles
Xiaoxin Yang (MON) bt Hannah Hicks (Ha) 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-4)
Under 21 Men’s Singles
Luke Savill (K) bt Josh Bennett (Sx) 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 11-4)
Under 21 Women’s Singles
Lois Peake (Sx) bt Emily Bolton (La) 3-1 (10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8)
Mixed Veteran Singles
Edger Berridge bt Shaun Bibby (Ys) 3-2 (11-3, 6-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10)
Open Doubles
Chris Doran (Np) & Matt Ware (Do) bt Niall Cameron (SCO) & Gavin Maguire (IRL) 3-2 (7-11, 13-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9)
Player of the Tournament
Alex Ramsden (Np)