Quality tennis in open event
Strong entry of 230 players
TENNIS IS alive and well in Wexford. The Rocket Broadband/ Kearney Property Wexford Senior open took place over the bank holiday weekend and the entry of 230 players from all over the country proves that.
With the Class 1 men’s singles event attracting 16 of the best players in the country this year, tournament referee Bernie Morrissey was delighted with the quality of tennis on display over the weekend.
The men’s Class 1 singles final on Monday afternoon produced some brilliant shot-making from winner Julian Bradley and Dorian Kos who had a relatively easy route to the final.
The ladies’ championship singles was won by newcomer Katie Kirby who defeated Miriam Delgado Palomar.
With seven singles grades there was competition for players at their own level and games were fierce, with several matches extending beyond two hours duration. There were five mixed doubles and eight doubles, and most players took part in two events.
After nearly 450 sets of tennis between Saturday morning and Monday evening, the last final of the weekend was a tight Class 4 mixed doubles where Sarah Egan (Boat Club) and Martin O’Hanlon (Carlow) beat Colin Campbell (Templeogue) and Ruth Milne (Sandycove) 7-5, 7-5.
As well as thanking tournament sponsors Rocket Broadband and Kearney Property, Bernie thanked her constant companion and organising partner Seán Rossiter, the local clubs and court owners for the use of their courts and, in particular the players, who continue to support this Wexford event each year.
The following is a list of local finalists in the tournament -
Men’s singles Class 2: Bjorn Jenkins (W.H.B.T.C.) beat Shane Jenkins (W.H.B.T.C.).
Men’s doubles Class 2/3: Bjorn and Shane Jenkins (W.H.B.T.C.) beat Brian Farrell and Karl Walsh (Clontarf).
Ladies’ doubles Class 2/3: Sandra Moore (Clontarf) and Grace Morrissey (Lansdowne) beat Joan Bowe and Anne Marie Kelly (W.H.B.T.C.).
Mixed doubles Class 4: Martin O’Hanlon (Carlow) and Sarah Egan (W.H.B.T.C.) beat Colin Campbell (Templeogue) and Ruth Milne (Sandycove).
Men’s doubles Class 4: Jody Kehoe and Iain Walker (W.H.B.T.C.) beat Ian Donnellan (Catholic Institute) and Keith McDonald (Castleknock).
Ladies’ doubles Class 4/5: Gerardeen O’Connor and Hilary Prendergast (St. Anne’s, Waterford) beat Glenda McKeown and Gemma Walsh (W.H.B.T.C.).
Mixed doubles Class 5: Damien Fahey and Charlotte O’Keeffe (W.H.B.T.C.) beat George O’Connor (Piercestown) and Muriel Byrne (W.H.B.T.C.).
Men’s singles Class 5: Charlie Hogg (Hillbrook) beat Damien Fahey (Piercestown)
Mixed doubles Class 6/7: John White (unattached) and Aisling O’Shea (Mount Pleasant) beat Seamus McQuaid and Collette Blake (W.H.B.T.C.).
Men’s singles Class 6/7: Christian Nea (Naas) beat Richard Merriman (W.H.B.T.C.).
Mixed doubles Plate: William Murphy (Hillbrook) and Fionnuala Walsh (Brookfield) beat Andrew Roche (Carlow) and Madge Redmond (W.H.B.T.C.).
Full draws, scores and results are available on www.whbtc.ie