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Shrewsbury Boys Win Sensational Open Final

29/03/19: Shrewsbury pair Will Sissons & Dan Humes beat Eton's Alfie Backhouse & Xander Watt at Shrewsbury today in a magnificent open final.

In front of a huge crowd, the Shrewsbury boys eventually triumphed in a four hour, five game marathon winning the fifth game 15-12 to end an absolutely thrilling and top quality match.

Mark Williams reports:

Under 15s

40 pairs from ten schools entered this competition, which excludes the eight quarter-finalists from last year's Under 14 competition. There were eight pools, with four pairs qualifying for the 2nd round, which set a Pool 1st against a 4th, and a Pool 2nd against a 3rd in best of three matches. All of the former resulted in easy wins for the Pool 1st; however, there were three cases where the 3rd won in the latter: Berkhamsted 2, Shrewsbury 6 and Eton 4.

In the 3rd round (best of five games), all Pool 1sts were kept apart, and five of them won comfortably in straight games. There were three exceptions: Shrewsbury 2 beat Eton 3 3-0 after a close 2nd game, Eton 2 beat St Olave's 2 3-0 after very close first and third games. However, the match of the day was between Harrow 2 and Eton 1 (who had surprisingly come second to St Olave's 2 in their pool); Harrow won two tight games 12-10 and 12-8 which were extremely hard fought and of a high standard; Eton rallied strongly, improving significantly to win the next two games 12-7. In the fifth game, Eton got off to a good start once again and lead 11-6, but Harrow rallied and had caught up to 9-11 before Eton finally won the crucial point. It had been a match played to the highest standards of both play on court and etiquette, and all four players deserve congratultion for providing such a fine spectacle: the cliche that neither pair deserved to lose was certainly appropriate.

In the quarter-finals (best of five games, Harrow 1 and Shrewsbury 1 won easily in staright games, and Ipswich 1 fought hard with plenty of talent in all 3 games against an increasingly consistent Eton 1 before succumbing.

The match of the round was between St Olave's 1 and Alleyn's 1 (including Gwydion Wiseman). Alleyn's reached step in the first game, before losing 11-12 and managed to level in a close second game 12-9, and went on to win the third game 12-3.
St Olave's fought back strongly to comprehensively win the third 12-3, before Alleyn's got off to a splendid start in the fifth and didn't yield. Once again it had been a splendid contest played to a high standard with impeccable etiquette from both pairs.

One semi-final was played early because of other commitments, and Harrow 1 proved far too convincing for Alleyn's who fought hard, but could not make much headway against a very strong and talented pair.

In the other semi-final, Shrewsbury 1 won the first game convincingly aginst Eton 1, but the latter improved their consistency and fought hard in both second and third games, however, Shrewsbury played well to shade both.

In the final, a very talented Harrow pair cut well and played consistently attacking fives with strong left-hands to beat Shrewsbury in straight games. Shrewsbury played well throughout, scoring 9 points in both second and third games, but Harrow always held the aces.

Last Sixteen

Harrow 1 beat Berkhamsted 2 3-0 (12-0, 12-0, 12-0)

Shrewsbury 2 beat Eton 3 3-0 (12-5, 13-12, 12-2)

Alleyn's 1 beat Eton 4 3-0 (12-6, 12-2, 12-5)

St.Olave's 1 beat Shrewsbury 6 3-0 (14-12, 12-5, 12-5)

Ipswich 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 3-0 (12-8, 12-7, 12-2)

Eton 1 beat Harrow 2 3-2 (10-12, 8-12, 12-7, 12-7, 12-9)

Eton 2 beat St.Olave's 2 3-0 (14-11, 12-2, 13-11)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 5 3-0 (12-5, 12-8, 12-3)

Quarter-Finals

Harrow 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 3-0 (12-0, 12-3, 12-1)

Alleyn's 1 beat St.Olave's 1 3-2 (11-12, 12-9, 12-3, 3-12, 12-3)

Eton 1 beat Ipswich 1 3-0 (12-8, 12-10, 12-8)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 2 3-0 (12-5, 12-3, 12-6)

Semi-Finals

Harrow 1 (P.Ashworth & J.Barley) beat Alleyn's (G.Wiseman & S.Scott) 3-0 (12-3, 12-5, 12-1)

Shrewsbury 1 (R.Mcdonald-O'Brien & D.Taylor-West) beat Eton 1 (B.Smailes & H.Halfhide) 3-0 (12-4, 12-10, 12-8)

Final

Harrow 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-5, 12-9, 12-9)

 

Under 16s

47 pairs from ten schools entered this competition, including pairs from Malay College and Westway. The top eight seeds were excluded until the last 32 (3rd round), and three pairs qualified from each pool. Six of the 12 pools were won by Shrewsbury pairs, which illustrated their strength in depth. Pool 1sts had a bye through to the 3rd round, and the 2nd round matches were Pool 2nds v 3rds. There were two cases of the latter defeating the former: Mill Hill 2 and Eton 5.

In the 3rd round (best of three games), 11 Shrewsbury pairs qualified, but there were no surprises and every match was won 2-0, the closest one being Shrewsbury 1 against Highgate 3: 12-8, 12-8.

In the fourth round (best of five games) there were some closer matches, and only three were straightforward. Westway narrowly lost the first two games to St Olave's 3, won the third but were convincingly beaten in the fourth. Berkhamsted 1 (both under 15) dismissed 5th seeds St Olave's 2 with some convincing fives to win three close games. Eton 3 went a game up against Highgate 2 and lead in the second, before succumbing in 4 games.

All three quarter-finals were over in straight games, but Eton 2 and Harrow 1 came close to winning their first games against St Olave's 1 and Highgate 1 respectively.

Last Sixteen

Eton 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 3-0 (12-0, 12-0, 12-0)

St.Olave's 3 beat Westway 1 3-1 (12-6, 13-10, 11-12, 12-5)

Berkhamsted 1 beat St.Olave's 2 3-0 (12-8, 13-10, 12-8)

Highgate 2 beat Eton 3 3-1 (8-12, 12-9, 12-4, 12-4)

St.Olave's 1 beat Berkhamsted 2 3-0 (13-10, 12-4, 12-2)

Eton 2 beat St.Olave's A 3-0 (12-3, 12-3, 12-7)

Harrow 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-7, 12-5, 13-12)

Highgate 1 beat Eton 4 3-0 (12--5, 12-2, 12-9)

Quarter-Finals

Eton 1 beat St.Olave's 3 3-0 (13-3, 12-2, 12-2)

Highgate 2 beat Berkhamsted 1 3-0 (12-4, 12-4, 12-9)

St.Olave's 1 beat Eton 2 3-0 (12-10, 12-3, 12-2)

Highgate 1 beat Harrow 1 3-0 (13-11, 12-0, 12-6)

Semi-Finals

Eton 1 (M.Russell & S.Hopkins) beat Highgate 2 (W.Bliss & E.Heywood) 3-0 (12-10, 12-1, 12-4)

St.Olave's 1 (I.Jochim & Y.Bleunven) beat Highgate 1 (G.Everitt & W.Ryan) 3-0 (13-11, 12-1, 12-4)

Final

Eton 1 beat St.Olave's 1 3-1 (12-5, 7-12, 12-1, 12-9)

 

Open

51 pairs from ten schools entered this competition, including seven pairs from Q E Barnet and 15 from Shrewsbury. The top eight seeds were excluded until the last 32 (3rd round), and three pairs qualified from each pool. Pool 1sts had a bye through to the 3rd round, and the 2nd round matches (one game) were Pool 2nds v 3rds. There were two cases of the latter defeating the former: Westminster 2 and Shrewsbury 8.

In the 3rd round (best of three games), nine Shrewsbury pairs qualified, and the only match which went to three games was between Eton 4 and Westminster 1; the latter narrowly won the first game 12-9, but Eton rallied strongly and improved their consistency to win 12-8, 12-7.

In the 4th round (best of five games), Harrow 1 had to scratch against St Olave's 1 because of an injury, and Eton 1, St Olave's 2, Eton 3 and Shrewsbury 1 won in straight games. Highgate 1 and St Olave's 3 were locked at one all after two close games, before Highgate ran away with the next two, and Berkhamsted 1 (brothers) played brilliantly in their first game against 6th seeds Eton 2 to win 12-5; the latter were then stung into action and won the next three games.

The match of the round was between Highgate 2 and Shrewsbury 2: the former winning the first game comfortably; the pairs then alternated the next 3 games which were all set and extremely close, before Highgate pulled away in the fifth.
One quarter-final was played early between St Olave's 2 and Highgate 1; in a very entertaining, fast and competitive match, St Olave's ended up playing most of the telling shots against Highgate's bravado, and won in straight games.

Last Sixteen

Eton 1 beat Shrewsbury 4 3-0 (12-4, 12-4, 12-9)

Highgate 2 beat Shrewsbury 2 3-2 (5-12, 14-11, 11-13, 14-12, 12-1)

St.Olave's 2 beat Eton 4 3-0 (12-3, 12-4, 12-2)

Highgate 1 beat St.Olave's 3 3-2 (12-7, 9-12, 12-3, 12-2, 13-11)

St.Olave's 1 beat Harrow 1 3-0 (10-2 scr)

Eton 2 beat Berkhamsted 1 3-1 (5-12, 12-5, 12-7, 12-7)

Eton 3 beat Charterhouse 1 3-0 (12-4, 12-4, 12-3)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Highgate 3 3-0 (12-2, 12-6, 12-7)

Quarter-Finals

Eton 1 beat Highgate 2 3-0 (12-1, 12-4, 12-2)

St.Olave's 2 beat Highgate 1 3-0 (12-6, 12-4, 12-4)

St.Olave's 1 beat Eton 2 3-0 (12-5, 12-9, 12-6)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 3 3-0 (12-7, 12-0, 12-6)

Semi-Finals

Shrewsbury 1 (W.Sissons & D.Humes) beat St.Olave's 1 (P.Sathiyamoorthy & S.Balaji) 3-0 (12-8, 12-7, 12-8)

Eton 1 (A.Backhouse & X.Watt) beat St.Olave's 2 (I.Jochim & Y.Bleunven) 3-0 (13-11, 12-3, 12-4)

Final

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 1 3-2 (9-12, 13-12, 12-6, 13-15, 15-12)

 

Under 14s

Last Sixteen

Harrow 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 3-0 (12-0, 12-0, 12-0)

Berkhamsted 2 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-6, 12-7, 12-2)

Eton 1 beat Berkhamsted 3 3-0 (12-5, 12-4, 12-4)

Highgate 1 beat Eton 2 3-0 (12-10, 12-6, 12-9)

St.Olave's 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-6, 12-6, 12-3)

Ipswich 1 beat Holyport 1 3-0 (12-0, 12-3, scr)

St.Olave's 2 beat Highgate 2 3-1 (15-12, 9-12, 12-0, 12-4)

Berkhamsted 1 beat Ipswich 4 3-0 (12-0, 12-0, 12-1)

Quarter-Finals

Harrow 1 beat Berkhamsted 2 3-0

Eton 1 beat Highgate 1 3-1

St.Olave's 1 beat Ipswich 1 scr

Berkhamsted 1 beat St.Olave's 2 3-0

Semi-Finals

Harrow 1 beat Eton 1

St.Olave's 1 beat Berkhamsted 1

Final

Harrow 1 beat St.Olave's 1 3-0

 

Under 14 Beginners

Semi-Finals

Eton 1 beat Harrow 1

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 2

Final

Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 1 3-1

 

Boys Festival

Last Sixteen

Westminster 1 beat Malay College 1 12-3

LA Zuoz 1 beat Ipswich 2 12-2

Aldenham 2 beat Stowe 1 12-4

Shrewsbury 2 beat Malay College 2 12-4

Shrewsbury 1 beat Aldenham 3 12-11

Shrewsbury 3 beat Westminster 2 12-8

Aldenham 1 beat Ipswich 1 12-3

Shrewsbury 4 beat LA Zuoz 2 13-10

Quarter-Finals

Westminster 1 beat LA Zuoz 1 2-0 (12-8, 12-4)

Aldenham 2 beat Shrewsbury 2 2-0 (12-0, 12-3)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 2-0 (12-5, 12-9)

Aldenham 1 beat Shrewsbury 4 2-0 (12-5, 12-9)

Semi-Finals

Aldenham 2 (R.Brick & R.Booth) beat Westminster 1 (D.Gore & L.Doody) 2-1 (9-12, 12-10, scr)

Aldenham 1 (J.Telensky & S.Harvey) beat Shrewsbury 1 (B.Anwar & J.Berry) 2-0 (12-4, 12-1)

Final

Aldenham 1 beat Aldenham 2 15-14

 

Girls Open

Last Sixteen

Shrewsbury 1 beat Highgate 2 12-10

Berkhamsted 2 beat Shrewsbury 5 12-7

Shrewsbury 3 beat Shrewsbury 6 12-4

Berkhamsted 1 beat Highgate 3 12-4

Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 4 12-8

Northgate/Woodbridge beat Shrewsbury 11 12-2

Westminster 1 beat Shrewsbury 7 12-1

Shrewsbury 2 beat LA Zuoz 1 12-6

Quarter-Finals

Shrewsbury 1 beat Berkhamsted 2 2-0 (12-3, 12-3)

Shrewsbury 3 beat Berkhamsted 1 2-0 (12-4, 12-5)

Highgate 1 beat Woodbridge/Northgate 2-0 (12-2, 12-9)

Shrewsbury 2 beat Westminster 2-0 (14-12, 12-3)

Semi-Finals

Shrewsbury 2 (K.Oswald & L.Ware) beat Highgate 1 (E.Williets & M.Barry) 3-0 (12-9, 12-8, 12-6)

Shrewsbury 3 (I.Wong & I.Morris) beat Shrewsbury 1 (S.Breese & E.Graham) 3-2 (12-9, 12-9, 9-12, 8-12, 13-12)

Final

Shrewsbury 2 beat Shrewsbury 3 3-2 (13-14, 12-5, 3-12, 12-7, 12-9)

 

Girls Festival

Quarter-Finals

LA Zuoz 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 12-1

St.Olave's 2 beat Shrewsbury 1 12-3

Highgate 1 beat LA Zuoz 2 12-3

St.Olave's 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 12-0

Semi-Finals

LA Zuoz 1 (L.Treherne & M.Gao) beat St.Olave's 2 (S.Kannan & J.Chiang) 2-1 (12-10, 9-12, 12-8)

St.Olave's 1 (S.Lumsden & J.Tu) beat Highgate 1 (L.Ruddock & C.Moeran) 2-0 (12-6, 12-5)

Final

St.Olave's 1 beat LA Zuoz 1 2-0 (12-9, 12-5)

 

Mixed Competition

Last Sixteen

LA Zuoz 1 beat Shrewsbury 8 2-0 (12-9, 14-12)

Shrewsbury 2 beat Highgate 4 2-0 (12-2, 12-8)

Highgate 2 beat Shrewsbury 5 2-0 (12-5, 12-4)

Westminster 1 beat Shrewsbury 11 2-0 (12-6, 12-1)

Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 6 2-1 (8-12, 12-8, 12-8)

Ipswich 1 beat Shrewsbury 7 2-1 (7-12, 12-10, 12-3)

Highgate 3 beat Shrewsbury 3 2-1 (6-12, 12-3, 12-5)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Shrewsbury 4 2-0 (12-7, 12-7)

Quarter-Finals

Shrewsbury 2 beat LA Zuoz 1 2-0 (12-3, scr)

Highgate 2 beat Westminster 1 2-1 (12-3, 7-12, 12-11)

Highgate 1 beat Ipswich 1 2-0 (12-7, 12-6)

Shrewsbury 1 beat Highgate 3 2-0 (12-10, 12-10)

Semi-Finals

Shrewsbury 2 (E.Graham & D.Humes) beat Highgate 1 (E.Williets & I.Apukhtin)

Shrewsbury 1 (S.Breese & W.Sissons) beat Highgate 2 (M.Barry & C.Duah)

Final

Shrewsbury 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 2-1

 

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