Simon Hooker faced a new challenger, recently joined Justin Hardman when he stepped up to defend the men's singles title he won for the first time last year. Simon dominated the first set taking it to love but his opponent got into his stride making the second set a more closely fought affair. However the holder prevailed, winning the set 6-3 and with it the title.

The 45+ men's single event also saw the defending champion, Geoff Green retain his title with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Alec Spooner. This result was reversed in the 45+ men's doubles when Alec and his partner Peter Henry won a rain interrupted three set battle against Geoff and Paul Gray 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 to make it three years in a row.

Jamie McKinnon, one of Chesham Bois' rising stars took both the U18 and U16 titles with convincing victories over Will Chaplin, 6-1, 6-2, and Christian Slater 6-0, 6-2 respectively. Jamie was also in action with Stuart Lovell in the men's doubles versus the long established pairing of Stuart Foster and Geoff Reynolds. Foster and Reynolds took the first set 6-1 but found themselves a break down at 2-3 in the second. Having broken back and leading 5-4, they achieved the second break with the help of two outstanding reaction shots to take the set 6-4 and with it the title.

In the other boys' events Christian Slater won the U14 crown 6-1, 6-0 against William Rawlinson, Michael Turner defeated Matthew Spurling 6-0, 6-0 for the U12 title and Edward Chaplin won a closely fought three set battle to win the U10 event 4-5, 4-1, 10-8.

Claire Birmingham was the winner of both the Ladies Club and the U18 titles beating Kay Cornally 6-1, 6-0 in the former and her sister Laura 6-1, 6-3 in the latter. Isobel Maloney won the U12 event defeating Riona Woodbury 6-4, 6-2 and Ellie Clark the U10 in a close contest which after sharing the first two sets 4-1, 4-5, she took a third set tiebreaker 11-9 to beat Katie Gloyne.

In the boys doubles events William Rawlinson and Tom Limebere took the U16 title defeating Sam Adams and Oliver Kenright 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, Christian Slater and Luke Girling beat William Rawlinson and Michael Turner 6-2 ,6-4 in the U14 event and Matthew Clark and Michael Turner won the U12 crown with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Matthew Spurling and James McCarthy.

Alison Williams was the winner in both two ladies doubles with different partners. In the club event she teamed up with Jane Morris to beat Caroline Adams and Linda Siriyatorn 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and in the 40+ event this time with Caroline Adams, had another close three set match that lasted well into the evening finally overcoming Jane McFall and Vivian Carter 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.

The U12 girls' event saw Ellie Clark and Isabel Maloney beating Riona Woodbury and Charlotte Eaton-Hart 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

The Club mixed double event was won by Stuart Foster for the 6th time in a row and for the 12th time in 13 years. This year he teamed up again with Louise Barnett to defeat the husband and wife team Perry & Linda Siriyatorn 6-3, 6-1.

The only other mixed doubles event U12 proved another tight three set match with the Woodbury twins Greg & Riona Woodbury beating the brother and sister partnership of Matthew and Ellie Clarke 6-2, 6-4.

With 26 matches to be played it was unfortunate that there were two quite serious rain interruptions but the finals day ended with early evening of warm sunshine. Special thanks are due to Jane Freeman who provided lunches and teas, the tournament organisers Jeremy Evans (seniors) and Colin Slater (juniors), and our Sponsor Geoff Williams of the Hughes Group who presented the prizes.

Photographs:

>> FINLAS DAY PHOTO GALLERY

1. Finalists
2. Simon Hooker in action on his way to the Men's Singles title
3. Stuart Foster
4. Claire Birmingham in her Ladies Singles final