Sean Hodkin and Freya Christie claim first titles of 2019 at the British Tour opener in Loughborough

LOUGHBOROUGH University has played host to the first LTA British Tour Premier Tier event of 2019, as a season opener to the LTA British Tour 2019 circuit.

With increased prize money for British Tour Premier Tier events in 2019, and following hot on the heels of the British Tour Masters staged at the University in early December, 20 world ranked players arrived to battle it out for the men’s and women’s title’s.

Top seed for the men’s event was 17-year-old George Loffhagen at a career high world ranking of 687, whilst Loughborough University men’s 1st team were well represented with five players in action including Joe Newman-Billington, fresh from capturing his first British Tour title in Sheffield at the end of December.

However, it was British Tour Masters 2017 champion Sean Hodkin who came through a strong men’s field to capture the title.

Impressive victories over Loffhagen in the quarterfinal, followed by 3rd seed Isaac Stoute in the semi-final saw the 20-year-old from Lincoln, up against the unseeded Julian Cash in the final.

Cash, was returning to competitive action after a nine month injury lay off. However, it was difficult to tell the 22-year-old from Brighton, who was ranked inside the world top 1000 before his injury, had been away. In a high quality 1st round match against 2nd seed

Luke Johnson, Cash emerged the victor 6-1 0-6 7-5, and continued this form on route to the final, including a 4-6 6-3 6-2 defeat of Loughborough number 1 George Houghton in the quarter-final.

But with his supporter’s club making the short trip from Lincoln, it was Hodkin who edged the final with a 6-4 6-4 victory.

The women’s event saw 21-year-old Freya Christie capture the title. Christie, a three time LTA British Tour Masters champion, is no stranger to Loughborough having been based at the University in her formative years.

Now based back in her home city of Nottingham, the number 2 seed was in impressive form, winning the title without the loss of a set. After her 6-4 6-2 defeat of 4th seed Tiffany William in the final, Christie was understandably delighted to win the title, getting some good matches under her belt ahead of competing on the ITF World Tennis Tour.