With qualification for the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships at stake, there were plenty of competitive matches at the Blackpool 4* over the weekend.

Matches in the Junior and Cadet categories contribute to the leaderboards which provide a qualifying route into their respective age group Nationals next year. Winners are automatically invited (if eligible) and points are awarded according to how far players go in the competitions.

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Leaderboards

Cadet Girls | Cadet Boys
Junior Girls | Junior Boys

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Brooke Morris won the Junior Girls’ title the hard way, with fifth-game triumphs in both the semi-final and final.

First up, she saw off Hannah Saunders 3-2 (12-10, 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5), then overcame Eva Eccles 3-2 (7-11, 12-10, 14-12, 9-11, 11-8) to take the gold.

Eccles had her own challenges in reaching the final, notably a 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12) victory over Charlotte Wong in the quarters. She went on to beat Catherine Lv in the semins in four.

Yan Massa Hiko took the Junior Boys’ title with a five-set final victory (11-4, 13-15, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3) over Rohan Dani.

Hiko had his challenges en route to the final, beating Jake Davidson 3-2 (6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8) in a quality quarter-final and then getting past Abraham Sellado 3-1 (11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 14-12) in the semis.

Dani’s route was smoother, beating Noah Narshall in three in the quarters and Marcel Ndongala 3-0 (11-7, 14-12, 11-8) in the semis. Ndongala’s 3-2 (11-7, 11-13, 8-11, 17-15, 15-13) win over Zac Greenhough in the quarter-finals was a standout match of the weekend.

In the Under-17s, the girls’ champion was Eccles, who beat Saunders 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-7) in the final.

Eccles had lost the first game of her semi-final against Lv before coming back to win 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7); Saunders beat Millie Noble 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-6) at the same stage – having had to quell a fightback by Morris in the quarters, taking that one 3-2 (11-7, 11-2, 4-11, 11-13, 11-9).

Sellado took the boys’ crown with a 3-1 (11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7) final victory over Sebastian Srna.

In the semi-finals, Sellado beat Theo Kniep in four (11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6), while Srna triumphed in a tight five-setter against Rory Thomson – 10-12, 11-6, 13-11, 5-11, 11-6 the score.

Both Srna and Thomson had lengthy quarter-finals, Srna defeating Ryan Holland 3-2 (8-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7) and Thomson overcoming Harry Hill 3-2 (11-13, 11-4, 15-13, 6-11, 11-7).

In the Cadet Girls, Saunders came through a tough semi-final against Lok Liu Lam to win 3-2 (11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-3), while the other semi-final saw Wong advance courtesy of a 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-7) scoreline against Senuli Ranasinghe.

The final was decided in three straight in Saunders’ favour, though Wong was close to extending the match before going down 11-6, 12-10, 14-12.

The Cadet Boys’ final was a thriller and Holland eventually came out on the right side of the scoreline, beating Kniep 3-2 (11-13, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9).

Holland also had a protracted semi-final, in which he defeated Hill 3-2 (17-15, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7).

Kniep defeated Aaron Wong 3-0 (15-13, 15-13, 13-11) in a tight semi-final, having earlier come from behind to beat Malek Shamakh 3-2 (11-2, 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5) in the quarters.

In the Under-13 Boys, gold went to Ronan Lamont-Tierney, who defeated Lev Sahmurov in the final by an interesting-looking 3-2 (11-0, 10-12, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7) scoreline.

The victor had also needed five games in the semi-finals, where he again came from behind to see off Malek Shamakh 3-2 (11-4, 4-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6). Sahmurov’s semi was a more routine 3-0 (5, 6, 4) against Liam Stockton.

The corresponding girls’ event was won by Senuli Ranasinghe, who overcame Phoebe O’Brien 3-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-5).

By contrast, her semi-final was a hard-fought 3-2 (12-10, 12-14, 6-11, 11-2, 11-5) win over Mindy Gao, while O’Brien defeated Yi Ching Yu 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 12-10).

Three new recently qualified umpires were supported and mentored by Tom Purcell at the event following a recent umpires course held in Blackpool in October. They were Rick Booth, Tony Fuller and Peter Hoole.