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2008 Northern Tournament

Andrew Mitchell reports:

A respectable 18 pairs entered the competition and, although a number of the top players were once again absent, the continuing re-emergence of Old Wulfrunian Fives partly filled the gap.

The group stages produced no surprises, with the eight top seeds progressing comfortably, the main point of interest being the competition for top spot in group 2 between Anthony Theodossi and Ryan Perrie and the two Mark Yates. The two Marks emerged victorious from three tight games.

In the quarter-finals, Anthony and Ryan again had a close fought match against Doug Foster and Pete White. Although Doug and Pete won 2-0, both games went to tie-breaks.

The other quarter-finals were all won reasonably comfortably, as were the semi-finals. In the top half, James Toop and Howard Wiseman beat the two Marks 12-4, 12-1, 12-2. Meanwhile Peter Dunbar and Will Jones had progressed comfortably through to the final, beating Foster and White 12-6, 12-3, 12-8.

In the final, Peter and Will caused a bit of a surprise by winning the first game 12-2. They were also competitive in the second game for a while before James and Howard moved up a gear or two and won the next three games 12- 6, 12-2, 12-2.

Festival

An unusually small field of 16 pairs entered, with far fewer school-age entrants; the average age was therefore rather higher than usual. But the Fives was none the worse for that and the social side of things was probably more enjoyable.

As usual, with a number of unknown quantities, there were no doubt a few pairs who were unlucky with the draw but by the semi-finals the cream had risen to the top!

In the first semi, an all Monday Club affair, Mike Blake and Jamie Doran met Tony Walters and Chris Yaxley and, although the more experienced pair managed to get the match reduced to best of three, Mike and Jamie ran out winners 12-9, 12-8. Meanwhile, Ollie and Charlotta Cooley beat Richard Black and Stephen Brooke 3-1 in the other semi-final.

That proved to be only set that the Cooleys lost as they ran out winners 12-1, 12-9, 12-5 in the final.

Plate Competitions

Records are a little incomplete, but the Championship plate was won by Theodossi and Perrie.

In the Festival plates, Plate A, for early losers in the knockout stages, was contested mainly by three Windsor and Eton pairs. A tight pool was won, on a countback of games won, by Ian Mitchell and Dom Shepherd. Plate B, for those knocked in at the group stages, was won by C Brock and A Robinow who beat James Westrip and Joe Hunt 12-7, 12-5 in the final.

A big thank you to everyone, particularly all the regulars, for your continuing support for the tournament.

Results

Semi-Finals

H Wiseman & J Toop beat M Yates & M Yates 3-0 (12-4, 12-1, 12-2)

P Dunbar & W S Jones beat P White & D Foster 3-0 (12-6, 12-3, 12-8)

Final

H Wiseman & J Toop beat P Dunbar & W S Jones 3-1 (2-12, 12-6, 12-2, 12-2)

Plate Final

A Theodossi & R Perrie beat L Brock & A Rankine 2-0 (12-6, 12-9)

Festival

Semi-Finals

M Blake & J Doran beat A Walters & C Yaxley 2-0

O Cooley & C Cooley beat R Black & S Brooke 3-1

Final

O Cooley & C Cooley beat M Blake & J Doran 3-0 (12-6, 12-9, 12-5)

Plate A (group losers)

C Brock & A Robinow beat J Westrip & J Hunt 2-0 (12-7, 12-5)

Plate B (losing quarter-finalists)

Three-way tie in a pool of four between I Mitchell & D Shepherd, T Goodman & J Shepherd and D Cooper & R Cooper. Mitchell & Shepherd pipped the Coopers on games won.