Romayne Stewart was the undoubted star turn at the Cippenham Young Players’ Autumn Festival, a 1-star open tournament. The Middlesex boy won both the under-18 and under-16 events, beating Cippenham’s Ben Naylor-Smith in the final on both occasions.

Stewart and Naylor-Smith were not alone in reaching the finals of two events. Shae Thakker, another of Ken Phillips’ young Cippenham stars, also had this honour, winning the under-12 event and being runner-up in the under-14s. In each final, he met one of a pair of Swedish brothers, with Erik Wahlgren taking the under-14 boys’ crown and Johan Wahlgren being the defeated finalist in the under-12s.

Two of the four age groups saw a sufficient number of entries for the girls to have their own competition. Another Cippenham protégé, Megan Ashfield, continued her fine recent form by winning the U18 girls’ singles, beating Zoe Davies in the final, while in the under-14s Federica Tazartes got the better of Ashfield’s Cippenham team-mate Jemma Walker.

The pre-tournament organiser was Catherine Hayes, while Ken Phillips was both Referee and organiser each day of the event.

Results:

U18 boys’ singles: Romayne Stewart (Mi) beat Ben Naylor-Smith (Bu)
U18 girls’ singles Megan Ashfield (Bu) bt Zoe Davies (E)
U16 singles Romayne Stewart (Mi) bt Ben Naylor-Smith (Bu)
U14 boys’ singles Erik Wahlgren (SWE) bt Shae Thakker (Bu)
U14 girls’ singles Federica Tazartes (Sy) bt Jemma Walker (Bu)
U12 singles Shae Thakker (Bu) bt Johan Wahlgren (SWE)
U18 boys’ Consolation Sam Miller (Do) bt Ben Graham (Do)
U16 consolation Jack Stockdale (E) bt Zoe Davies (E)
U14 boys’ Consolation Matthew Hazell (Sy) bt Joseph Sheppard (Gs)
U14 girls’ Consolation Habina Seo (Ha) bt Yassmine Al-Amrie (Mi)
U12 consolation Habina Seo (Ha) bt Bruce Yao (He)

Paul Stimpson
September 19, 2014