Elgin Tennis Club youngsters rally to the cause as junior championships are staged at Duff Avenue and Cooper Park
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TENNIS was one of the first sports to resume from the coronavirus lockdown, and Elgin Tennis Club have staged their junior club championships.
The best young racquet stars in the town contested a series of good quality matches played across seven age groups.
Tournament organiser Teresa Tait said: “The club juniors returned to coaching from the beginning of May and although they were unable to compete out with the club, they have completed box leagues and now the junior club championships.
“Due to Covid we have not been able to have a finals day with spectators, however this hasn’t stopped some great matches being played.”
The nine-and-under girls was a very close competition won by Rose Christie winning five of her six matches.
Play was keenly contested with Isla Johnston, Ellie Hommel and Eilidh Anderson all winning four games, while less experienced players Lucia Aykroyd, Crystal Fraser-MacKenzie and Ellen Garden were very close behind.
Donald Coull won the nine-and-under boys, with Drew Murdoch second and Borys Sulkowski third.
Mille Ralph defeated reigning 10-and-under champ Connie Simpson 4-1, 4-0 in a great match which was much closer than the scoreline suggests.
New member Sophia Aykroyd beat last year’s 12-and-under winner Amelie Anderson in a very competitive match, while the third place play-off was a rematch between the 10-and-under finalists, Ralph again beating Simpson 4-1, 5-4(1). The consolation final between Jessica Williamson and Eva Thomson is still to be completed.
For the second year running, Harris Nairn won the 12-and-under boys but he had to come from a set down to defeat Cameron Breheny 2-4, 4-0, 10-6. This match was a joy to watch, played with great skill and sportsmanship, with long rallies and many deuces.
Third was Finlay Murdoch who beat his younger brother Drew 4-0, 4-0.
Newcomer Lewis Ackroyd won the 14-and-under boys’ title in a tight contest against Lewis Simpson, who took his best game to the match but couldn’t manage to overcome his opponent, a 6-4, 6-4 winner.
Zen McClure retained the 16-and-under title, beating Lewis Aykroyd in the final 6-2 6-3.
Ackroyd had again beaten Simpson in the semi-finals in a repeat of their 14-and-under final, while McClure saw off Tom Christie 6-0, 6-2 in the other semi.
The adult club championships is also ongoing and it is hoped that the club will be able to hold finals on September 19.
