Neptune British Ladies Open Report and Photos 2017
Go to Neptune British Ladies Open Results 2017
Neptune British Ladies Open Championships 2017
5th – 9th April 2017
Claire Fahey Singles Champion with Alex Garside
Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass Open Doubles winners
Clare Bucknell and Issy Hunt winners of the Doubles Plate
Saskia Bollerman & Tara Lumley Open Handicap Doubles Winners
Izzy Candy & Georgie Willis Open Handicap Doubles Finalists
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Sarah Vigrass Singles Finalist with Alex Garside
Penny and Tara Lumley Doubles Finalists with Alex Garside
Lucy Hutchinson & Candida Nicholls Doubles Plate Finalists
Someone showing excellent taste
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Tara Lumley winner of Singles Plate with Alex Garside
Georgie Willis Singles Plate Finalist with Alex Garside
Team Kit!
Clare, Issy, Izzy and Saskia taking a break
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Georgie Willis
Nice weather, a great entry, and some fabulous tennis – what more could one ask from the Open Championships? Not to mention the excellent Brie and Bacon baguettes and other foody delights on offer in the Clubroom. We had current stars, former stars, rising stars… and the play was jaw-droppingly good. I don’t know how many people out there still think that Ladies’ tennis is all about ‘Lay-deez popping a ball about’. If so, they should have been dragged to Seacourt to re-arrange their neurons.
Open Singles
Normally, the first rounds of an Open Championship progress sedately without surprises as the big names progress serenely through to the semis and finals. Not this time. The ultimate Final was indeed between sisters Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass, so no change there. However, left behind at the Quarter-final stage were two big hitters: Freddy Adam, vanquished in two sets by Irina Dulbish; and former World Champion Penny Lumley, overcome in three by Saskia Bollerman. And in the Plate, Alex Garside – another former World Champ – was knocked out by ever-improving young player Georgie Willis in a thrilling three-set battle. It was all part of what many participants celebrated as the Changing of the Guard, with so many younger players really strutting their stuff and – ever so nicely – announcing what could be a new era.
There were some excellent matches in the initial days: Lucy Hutchinson played out of her skin twice: against Clare Bucknell in the main Singles draw, and against Georgie Willis in the Plate. Alas for her, she couldn’t make her staunch defence and excellent ground strokes translate into won games. Another fascinating match in the first round was between Jess Garside and Irina Dulbish, where Jess hung on in the rests but just lost those vital points, to valiantly lose 6/3 6/2.
Open Singles
Normally, the first rounds of an Open Championship progress sedately without surprises as the big names progress serenely through to the semis and finals. Not this time. The ultimate Final was indeed between sisters Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass, so no change there. However, left behind at the Quarter-final stage were two big hitters: Freddy Adam, vanquished in two sets by Irina Dulbish; and former World Champion Penny Lumley, overcome in three by Saskia Bollerman. And in the Plate, Alex Garside – another former World Champ – was knocked out by ever-improving young player Georgie Willis in a thrilling three-set battle. It was all part of what many participants celebrated as the Changing of the Guard, with so many younger players really strutting their stuff and – ever so nicely – announcing what could be a new era.
There were some excellent matches in the initial days: Lucy Hutchinson played out of her skin twice: against Clare Bucknell in the main Singles draw, and against Georgie Willis in the Plate. Alas for her, she couldn’t make her staunch defence and excellent ground strokes translate into won games. Another fascinating match in the first round was between Jess Garside and Irina Dulbish, where Jess hung on in the rests but just lost those vital points, to valiantly lose 6/3 6/2.
Irina Dulbish
On Friday, we had the quarter-finals. First, Freddy was put out by Irina, in what looked like a fairly straight-forward 2 sets, (I’m sure Freddy didn’t think so), where Irina seemed unfazed by Freddy’s trademark volleying skill. This match was followed by the elimination of Penny, which began with business as usual as Penny sailed through the first set to take it 6/1. But Saskia was learning fast, and held on shot for shot till it was a nail-biting 5 all in the second. With deuce after deuce in this game, Saskia got the final point to take the set. From then on, she was on a roll, and though Penny went 2/0 up at the start, that was it for her. Saskia was just the stronger, cutting the ball and out-gunning her opponent to take eight games in a row, and move through to the semis 1/6 6/5 6/2. Meantime, Sarah Vigrass easily overcame Clare Bucknell in a double bagel, while Claire Fahey still had her feet up, with a bye taking her direct to a semi-final meeting with Irina.
In that semi, Claire (suffering throughout the Championships with tonsillitis) made uncharacteristic errors on both ground strokes and returns of serve. But that takes nothing away from Irina’s play – she was giving as good as she got during rests, sometimes even out-powering Claire to force an error. However, at the vital moments Claire always had an answer, banging in a side-wall force to the dedans, or laying a Chase better than a Yard with aplomb. Claire took the first set 6/1. By the middle of the second set, she was looking tired, not surprisingly, and again conceded one game – much deserved by Irina who was still playing powerful tennis, especially when retrieving low ground strokes. But Claire now seemed to decide that she just wanted to go home and nurture her tonsils: she took a bit off her pace, cut out the errors, and was able to walk off the court with 6/1 6/1 under her belt.
In that semi, Claire (suffering throughout the Championships with tonsillitis) made uncharacteristic errors on both ground strokes and returns of serve. But that takes nothing away from Irina’s play – she was giving as good as she got during rests, sometimes even out-powering Claire to force an error. However, at the vital moments Claire always had an answer, banging in a side-wall force to the dedans, or laying a Chase better than a Yard with aplomb. Claire took the first set 6/1. By the middle of the second set, she was looking tired, not surprisingly, and again conceded one game – much deserved by Irina who was still playing powerful tennis, especially when retrieving low ground strokes. But Claire now seemed to decide that she just wanted to go home and nurture her tonsils: she took a bit off her pace, cut out the errors, and was able to walk off the court with 6/1 6/1 under her belt.
Sarah Vigrass
Saskia against Sarah Vigrass was another excellent tussle, with Saskia making great use of drive volleys on both return of service and in the rests (around 30 – 40% of her shots were volleys in the first set). Every game was hard fought, but Saskia was on top and once she moved 3/2 ahead, Sarah couldn’t find the weapons to overtake her. At 5/2 Sarah was 40/15 up, but Saskia got back to deuce, and after five more deuces, sealed the set 6/3. In the second set, Sarah finally got ahead at 3/2, after five games which all went to deuce. Energised by this, perhaps, she served with more attack and also began to mix up pace and length. Saskia was now the more tentative one, with her volley count down to about 15- 20% of her shots. Sarah took the second set 6/3 and moved on to sweep all before her in the third, now with perfect length in her shots, plus some lucky tambour edges and beautiful side-wall serves trickling down the back wall. Sarah goes through 3/6 6/3 6/0.
In the Singles Final, it was therefore business as usual with sisters Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass meeting each other once more. Sarah took first blood and the first game, but Claire (still suffering from tonsillitis) was obviously keen to get things over with. She made a number of unforced errors, but got all the essential points. Particularly fine were her pick-ups of Sarah’s fiendishly tight railroad serves, which barely lifted off the floor. Perhaps she wasn’t chasing short balls as keenly as usual, but Sarah didn’t take advantage, sending too many wild shots into the net. After a 6/1 score in the first set, Claire allowed herself her first smile, foxed by a tricky extra bounce from Sarah’s serve in the first game of the second - and Sarah was 40/0 up. The smile was obviously one of confidence, as Claire first got back level to deuce, and then took that first game. This was followed by another deuce game with four advantage points to Sarah, all saved by Claire, who then only needed one advantage of her own to take the second game. After that, Claire was very much on top and although Sarah got one more game (sealed with a great dedans force) she was having to work very hard indeed to keep up. Claire won the set and the title, 6/1 6/1.
In the Singles Final, it was therefore business as usual with sisters Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass meeting each other once more. Sarah took first blood and the first game, but Claire (still suffering from tonsillitis) was obviously keen to get things over with. She made a number of unforced errors, but got all the essential points. Particularly fine were her pick-ups of Sarah’s fiendishly tight railroad serves, which barely lifted off the floor. Perhaps she wasn’t chasing short balls as keenly as usual, but Sarah didn’t take advantage, sending too many wild shots into the net. After a 6/1 score in the first set, Claire allowed herself her first smile, foxed by a tricky extra bounce from Sarah’s serve in the first game of the second - and Sarah was 40/0 up. The smile was obviously one of confidence, as Claire first got back level to deuce, and then took that first game. This was followed by another deuce game with four advantage points to Sarah, all saved by Claire, who then only needed one advantage of her own to take the second game. After that, Claire was very much on top and although Sarah got one more game (sealed with a great dedans force) she was having to work very hard indeed to keep up. Claire won the set and the title, 6/1 6/1.
Tara Lumley
Plate Singles Final
In the Plate Final, Georgie Willis met Tara Lumley in an excellent match, with Georgie’s persistence and retrieving skills versus Tara’s accurate use of the tambour and lovely classic ground strokes into corners. Tara quickly went 4/1 up, mainly because she was able to attack Georgie’s sidewall serve bang into the forehand corner time and time again, leaving Georgie stranded mid-court. At this point, Georgie finally changed her serve to a high sidewall and was rewarded with two games going to deuce. But alas for Georgie, Tara still won both and then the set, 6/1. Georgie carried on fighting gamely, but was outclassed by Tara’s skilful placing and movement round the court. With a final lovely shot up the wall that just missed the tambour, Tara won the Plate 6/1 6/0 – a score that was perhaps unfair to her opponent’s quality play.
Championship Doubles
Nine pairs fought it out for the Open Doubles title, won the previous year by Freddy Adam and Irina Dulbish. Unlike the Singles competition, there were no surprises in the first two rounds and all the matches were over in two sets. By the semi-finals, the remaining pairs were Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass against Saskia Bollerman and Sue Haswell; and Freddy Adam with Irina Dulbish against Penny and Tara Lumley.
Amazing displays of volleys were on show in the Claire/Sarah v Saskia/Sue semi-final. In quite a few rests, the ball hardly ever hit the floor, as it zoomed around from corner to corner to tambour to gallery or grille. Games were played high-octane, with little in it for power and defence against power. But somehow the Vigrass sisters always seemed to end up with the game points and though Saskia and Sue never looked fazed and continued to play lovely crisp shots under extreme pressure, the match never looked in doubt: 6/1 6/2 to Claire and Sarah.
In the Plate Final, Georgie Willis met Tara Lumley in an excellent match, with Georgie’s persistence and retrieving skills versus Tara’s accurate use of the tambour and lovely classic ground strokes into corners. Tara quickly went 4/1 up, mainly because she was able to attack Georgie’s sidewall serve bang into the forehand corner time and time again, leaving Georgie stranded mid-court. At this point, Georgie finally changed her serve to a high sidewall and was rewarded with two games going to deuce. But alas for Georgie, Tara still won both and then the set, 6/1. Georgie carried on fighting gamely, but was outclassed by Tara’s skilful placing and movement round the court. With a final lovely shot up the wall that just missed the tambour, Tara won the Plate 6/1 6/0 – a score that was perhaps unfair to her opponent’s quality play.
Championship Doubles
Nine pairs fought it out for the Open Doubles title, won the previous year by Freddy Adam and Irina Dulbish. Unlike the Singles competition, there were no surprises in the first two rounds and all the matches were over in two sets. By the semi-finals, the remaining pairs were Claire Fahey and Sarah Vigrass against Saskia Bollerman and Sue Haswell; and Freddy Adam with Irina Dulbish against Penny and Tara Lumley.
Amazing displays of volleys were on show in the Claire/Sarah v Saskia/Sue semi-final. In quite a few rests, the ball hardly ever hit the floor, as it zoomed around from corner to corner to tambour to gallery or grille. Games were played high-octane, with little in it for power and defence against power. But somehow the Vigrass sisters always seemed to end up with the game points and though Saskia and Sue never looked fazed and continued to play lovely crisp shots under extreme pressure, the match never looked in doubt: 6/1 6/2 to Claire and Sarah.
Tara and Penny Lumley knocking up
In the second semi-final, things were a lot closer. All four – Freddy, Irina, and mother and daughter Lumley – played a similar game, with very few unforced errors and lots of strong volleying. Irina was not quite as awesome with her volleys as in her Singles against Claire and Freddy’s serve was perhaps not as tight as it might have been. …. But really this is searching for straws to explain the lop-sided score, when there seemed so little between the pairs: 6/1 to Penny and Tara in the first set.
The second set was an absolute treat for those watching in the dedans. Freddy and Irina began to pepper Tara with vicious whamzingers, especially when she was defending the grille and they forced a number of errors . Plus Irina began to get to grips with Tara’s drag serve. All was level at 4 all. Then there followed an amazing game to delight the crowd, with nine deuces, back and forth between the pairs, including 4 hits to the grille by Penny and volleys at full strength flowing off every racquet. In the end, Penny and Tara took the game; but Freddy and Irina fought back in the next to again draw level - 5 all. It was 40/15 to Penny and Tara, with them serving, having laid a Hazard Chase. A return of serve into the net gave the Lumleys the match, 6/1 6/5. A fantastic effort all round.
The second set was an absolute treat for those watching in the dedans. Freddy and Irina began to pepper Tara with vicious whamzingers, especially when she was defending the grille and they forced a number of errors . Plus Irina began to get to grips with Tara’s drag serve. All was level at 4 all. Then there followed an amazing game to delight the crowd, with nine deuces, back and forth between the pairs, including 4 hits to the grille by Penny and volleys at full strength flowing off every racquet. In the end, Penny and Tara took the game; but Freddy and Irina fought back in the next to again draw level - 5 all. It was 40/15 to Penny and Tara, with them serving, having laid a Hazard Chase. A return of serve into the net gave the Lumleys the match, 6/1 6/5. A fantastic effort all round.
Claire Fahey, Sarah Vigrass, Penny Lumley, Tara Lumley before the Doubles Final
The Doubles Final was closer than most matches against the Vigrass pair, as Penny and Tara Lumley fought tooth and nail. In the first set, it all looked fairly hopeless for them. Tara’s drag serve, so effective in her other matches, was just being swotted by Sarah like an annoying bluebottle into any corner where there wasn’t a Lumley. And every shot from Claire was an awesome weapon that either slotted into the dedans or the Winning Gallery, or skidded off the floor about one inch high. However, Penny and Tara hung on, with Penny being the steady pair of hands keeping everything in play, while Tara hovered nearer the net to intercept any ball coming her way with a volley aimed at the far nick. But the first set was comfortably taken by Claire and Sarah 6/2.
The second was a much more nail-biting affair. Penny had to soak up rockets targeted mostly at her, while Tara was fast as a flea around the court trying to pick up anything loose. All was even up to 4/4. Two furious rests in the next game had the dedans holding their breath. Five times a ball was launched at apparently super-sonic speed straight at Penny and five times she defended, until she just couldn’t hold it for number six. Point to Claire and Sarah. Then the same scenario in the next rest, but this time Penny managed to win the point, and then the game: 5/4 to the Lumleys… The door was, however, firmly slammed by Claire and Sarah, who took the next game to love to make it 5 all. In the final game, Claire twice used her favourite forcing shot, off the side wall into the dedans, and she and Sarah went on to win the game and the title, 6/2 6/5, after a glorious display from all four players of how to play doubles.
The second was a much more nail-biting affair. Penny had to soak up rockets targeted mostly at her, while Tara was fast as a flea around the court trying to pick up anything loose. All was even up to 4/4. Two furious rests in the next game had the dedans holding their breath. Five times a ball was launched at apparently super-sonic speed straight at Penny and five times she defended, until she just couldn’t hold it for number six. Point to Claire and Sarah. Then the same scenario in the next rest, but this time Penny managed to win the point, and then the game: 5/4 to the Lumleys… The door was, however, firmly slammed by Claire and Sarah, who took the next game to love to make it 5 all. In the final game, Claire twice used her favourite forcing shot, off the side wall into the dedans, and she and Sarah went on to win the game and the title, 6/2 6/5, after a glorious display from all four players of how to play doubles.
Candida Nicholls, Lucy Hutchinson, Clare Bucknell, Issy Hunt
Doubles Plate
The ball may not have whizzed around the court quite as fast as the Open Doubles, but there was still some excellent tennis on court for the Doubles Plate, between Lucy Hutchinson and Candida Nicholls (both well strapped-up on various limbs) against younger pair Issy Hunt and Clare Bucknell (who could both bend at the knees to a depth which their opponents – and many in the dedans – could only reminisce about). Lucy and Candida came out fighting against their rather nervy opponents, and once they got to the service end, began to reel off the games. Lucy’s serve was on song, dropping low and tight, and Candida was hitting forceful returns that overpowered her opponents. First set to Lucy and Candida 6/2.
The first game of the next set also went to them, but then finally Issy and Clare began to gel, with some clever side-hugging shots that brought out their first smiles of the match. The pattern then became hard driven shots from Issy and Clare, returned with defensive lobs from Lucy and Candida (many going into the dedans but most returned). Issy and Clare were now energised and walking tall, as it became an even contest. But all the lucky points and mishits were going against Lucy and Candida, and their opponents romped home to even up the score, 6/3, and one set all.
In the third, Candida and Lucy were looking tired, as well they might. They were losing their former consistency and too many shots were flying from their racquets onto the penthouse to be slaughtered. The games rushed away from them, as Issy and Clare peppered the corners and tambour with impunity. The match was won with a final shot which had to beat Chase better than half a yard – straight into the dedans as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Final score to Issy and Clare: 2/6 6/3 6/1.
The ball may not have whizzed around the court quite as fast as the Open Doubles, but there was still some excellent tennis on court for the Doubles Plate, between Lucy Hutchinson and Candida Nicholls (both well strapped-up on various limbs) against younger pair Issy Hunt and Clare Bucknell (who could both bend at the knees to a depth which their opponents – and many in the dedans – could only reminisce about). Lucy and Candida came out fighting against their rather nervy opponents, and once they got to the service end, began to reel off the games. Lucy’s serve was on song, dropping low and tight, and Candida was hitting forceful returns that overpowered her opponents. First set to Lucy and Candida 6/2.
The first game of the next set also went to them, but then finally Issy and Clare began to gel, with some clever side-hugging shots that brought out their first smiles of the match. The pattern then became hard driven shots from Issy and Clare, returned with defensive lobs from Lucy and Candida (many going into the dedans but most returned). Issy and Clare were now energised and walking tall, as it became an even contest. But all the lucky points and mishits were going against Lucy and Candida, and their opponents romped home to even up the score, 6/3, and one set all.
In the third, Candida and Lucy were looking tired, as well they might. They were losing their former consistency and too many shots were flying from their racquets onto the penthouse to be slaughtered. The games rushed away from them, as Issy and Clare peppered the corners and tambour with impunity. The match was won with a final shot which had to beat Chase better than half a yard – straight into the dedans as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Final score to Issy and Clare: 2/6 6/3 6/1.
Izzy Candy, Georgie Willis, Tara Lumley, Saskia Bollerman Open Handicap Doubles Finalists
British Ladies Open Handicap doubles
Eight pairs in two round robin groups fought it out for a place in the final four, playing best of six games. Two pairs won their groups with a perfect score of 18: Law and Wilson, and Bollerman and Lumley. They then played the runner-up pairs in the opposite group: Candy and Willis (defending their 2015 title), and Hutchinson and Nicholls.
The Final (played Best of 8) was between Tara Lumley with Saskia Bollerman against Izzy Candy and Georgie Willis, with Tara and Saskia giving 15/0we 15 as handicap. As you might expect from those four players, it was of a very high standard of tennis, played competitively but also with a great sense of fun and comradeship.
Tara and Saskia went ahead at the beginning of the match, reaching 4/1 apparently with ease, with the help of lots of high octane volleying. Izzy and Georgie were more susceptible to crumbling under pressure, but at 2/4 settled down. Georgie began to read the shots coming for the grille, and Izzy’s volleys were now landing flat and low. But the advantage stayed with their opponents, who made hardly any errors and punished anything loose. At 4/6 to Tara and Saskia, Georgie laid two chases, both Worse than 2, and came up to the service end to defend them. Great play from both ends, as five shots from Tara and Saskia attacked the chase, all of which would have won and all of which were returned with interest. Finally, however, the Chase was lost with attack number 6 falling worse than 3. Something very similar happened with the next Worse than 2 chase, and Georgie and Izzy must have hoped to win this game having triumphed twice in such difficult rests. But it was not to be, and somehow the next points and games disappeared, so in the end Tara and Saskia won comfortably, 8/4.
Eight pairs in two round robin groups fought it out for a place in the final four, playing best of six games. Two pairs won their groups with a perfect score of 18: Law and Wilson, and Bollerman and Lumley. They then played the runner-up pairs in the opposite group: Candy and Willis (defending their 2015 title), and Hutchinson and Nicholls.
The Final (played Best of 8) was between Tara Lumley with Saskia Bollerman against Izzy Candy and Georgie Willis, with Tara and Saskia giving 15/0we 15 as handicap. As you might expect from those four players, it was of a very high standard of tennis, played competitively but also with a great sense of fun and comradeship.
Tara and Saskia went ahead at the beginning of the match, reaching 4/1 apparently with ease, with the help of lots of high octane volleying. Izzy and Georgie were more susceptible to crumbling under pressure, but at 2/4 settled down. Georgie began to read the shots coming for the grille, and Izzy’s volleys were now landing flat and low. But the advantage stayed with their opponents, who made hardly any errors and punished anything loose. At 4/6 to Tara and Saskia, Georgie laid two chases, both Worse than 2, and came up to the service end to defend them. Great play from both ends, as five shots from Tara and Saskia attacked the chase, all of which would have won and all of which were returned with interest. Finally, however, the Chase was lost with attack number 6 falling worse than 3. Something very similar happened with the next Worse than 2 chase, and Georgie and Izzy must have hoped to win this game having triumphed twice in such difficult rests. But it was not to be, and somehow the next points and games disappeared, so in the end Tara and Saskia won comfortably, 8/4.
Our thanks to the Seacourt Club members and staff for their hospitality and excellent dinner on Saturday; to Nino Merola and Aaron Flippence for their precision marking over four days; to Pol Roger for the champagne prizes; to Club members who very kindly hosted the players; and to Neptune Investment for their generous sponsorship of the tournament.
In particular, thanks to Alex Garside, Viv Dawes and Lucy Hutchinson for all the organisation, paperwork and endless cheerfulness.
Report and photos by Linda Fairbrother
In particular, thanks to Alex Garside, Viv Dawes and Lucy Hutchinson for all the organisation, paperwork and endless cheerfulness.
Report and photos by Linda Fairbrother