Report
With recent completion of the new development work at HTSC the Hallamshire Racketball Open was a great way to show off and break in the new facilities.
With just over 70 entrants from all around the U.K and National ranking points up for grabs a lot of players were looking to get there eye in just 3 weeks before the nationals.
Womens C Grade – was a tough grade with 14 in the draw. The top 2 seeds Jackie Iosson and Julie Bradley being knocked out in the quarters made it anyones. Semi final 1 saw Emma Stallworthy (Chapel Allerton) take on one of the Hallamshire’s brightest juniors Holly Moore, it was neck and neck in each game with Holly just pulling away in each game to win 2-0.
Semi final 2 saw Sue Spink take on Sue Tolman (Huddersfield). Again a very close match Tolmans tournament experience showing as she Spink around the court to win 2-0.
The womens C final saw Holly taking charge from the start and working Sue with boast after boast. Holly won 2-0.
Womens B Grade
With Matilda Parslow (Chapel A) entering with a National Ranking of 6th, it was always going to make this a tough grade.
Semi final 1- Kate Morris (Hallamshire) vs Matilda Parslow (chapel A). This was a gruelling match with neither player wanting to take a risk, trying to work each other out of position, eventually Kate’s pace on the ball won out to take it 2-1.
Semi final 2 – Charlotte Iosson vs Jess Ireland. Both Hallamshire Players had great support and cheering from the crowd. Both with a squash history saw a lot of moving onto the ball early and a fast paced game with Charlotte pulling away to take a 2-0 win.
The Final – Kate Morris vs Charlotte Iosson. These 2 have had some battles in the past with everything on the line neither of these would give an inch. Charlotte set the pace in the 1st game with Kate being kept in the back corners and being forced into errors. 2nd game was a role reversal with Kate taking the Tee and not letting Charlotte in. A slow start in the 3rd from Kate gave charlotte a 6-0 lead and as Kate fought and fought to regain those points it was just too much of a lead with Charlotte winning 11-8 and taking the match 2-1.
Womens A Grade – With Julie Lawton taking the Womens A title in the North East Closed in March she looked favourite to do so here.
It all came down to the last match of a round robin, Katie Briggs (Hallamshire) vs Julie Lawton (Phoenix), if Katie won she took the title, if not she came third. Katie started well taking the 1st game 11-8, but could not keep the pressure up for another 2 games meaning Julie won 2-1 and another title.
Mens D Grade – Josh Park vs Martin Hambleton, In the 1st of the mens finals it was a tough match with youth overcoming experience and Josh Taking the Match 2-0.
Mens C Grade – With so many talented players the top spot could have been any bodies.
Semi Final 1 was between Ewan Bowerbank and Paul Rushby, Ewan (one of Hallamshires bright Squash Juniors) was well disciplined throughout the match but Paul being a true racketball player moved Ewan around court corner to corner, with it being point for point in the final Ewan’s fitness was starting to show as he edged it in the 3rd to win 2-1.
Semi Final 2 - was a battle for the Tee with the momentum swinging constantly. James Murphy vs Matt Jones, James took the match 2-1.
Mens B Grade – Was up for grabs with it being very tight but with Nick Bond (chapel A) topping group A and Chris Reynard (Rothwell) topping group B was promising to be a good final. After many long rallies and near winners Nick Bond won the B Grade Final.
Mens A Grade – By far the toughest grade in the tournament, after several hard matches it came down too Nottingham’s Mark Fuller and the Hallamshire’s own assistant squash coach Alex Cutts. Alex narrowly beating Neil Baldwin in the quarters 11-10 in the 3rd and then Jason Russel in the Semi’s 2-1 had had a harder draw than Mark but was confident going into the final.
Alex set off well and was leading the 1st game with Fuller looking in trouble, Fuller saw Cutts start to slow down and upped the pace and taking the tee, Fuller took the game 11-8. The second game started off as the 1st ended with Fuller extending the rallies. After another hard game Fuller took it to win 2-0.
With recent completion of the new development work at HTSC the Hallamshire Racketball Open was a great way to show off and break in the new facilities.
With just over 70 entrants from all around the U.K and National ranking points up for grabs a lot of players were looking to get there eye in just 3 weeks before the nationals.
Womens C Grade – was a tough grade with 14 in the draw. The top 2 seeds Jackie Iosson and Julie Bradley being knocked out in the quarters made it anyones. Semi final 1 saw Emma Stallworthy (Chapel Allerton) take on one of the Hallamshire’s brightest juniors Holly Moore, it was neck and neck in each game with Holly just pulling away in each game to win 2-0.
Semi final 2 saw Sue Spink take on Sue Tolman (Huddersfield). Again a very close match Tolmans tournament experience showing as she Spink around the court to win 2-0.
The womens C final saw Holly taking charge from the start and working Sue with boast after boast. Holly won 2-0.
Womens B Grade
With Matilda Parslow (Chapel A) entering with a National Ranking of 6th, it was always going to make this a tough grade.
Semi final 1- Kate Morris (Hallamshire) vs Matilda Parslow (chapel A). This was a gruelling match with neither player wanting to take a risk, trying to work each other out of position, eventually Kate’s pace on the ball won out to take it 2-1.
Semi final 2 – Charlotte Iosson vs Jess Ireland. Both Hallamshire Players had great support and cheering from the crowd. Both with a squash history saw a lot of moving onto the ball early and a fast paced game with Charlotte pulling away to take a 2-0 win.
The Final – Kate Morris vs Charlotte Iosson. These 2 have had some battles in the past with everything on the line neither of these would give an inch. Charlotte set the pace in the 1st game with Kate being kept in the back corners and being forced into errors. 2nd game was a role reversal with Kate taking the Tee and not letting Charlotte in. A slow start in the 3rd from Kate gave charlotte a 6-0 lead and as Kate fought and fought to regain those points it was just too much of a lead with Charlotte winning 11-8 and taking the match 2-1.
Womens A Grade – With Julie Lawton taking the Womens A title in the North East Closed in March she looked favourite to do so here.
It all came down to the last match of a round robin, Katie Briggs (Hallamshire) vs Julie Lawton (Phoenix), if Katie won she took the title, if not she came third. Katie started well taking the 1st game 11-8, but could not keep the pressure up for another 2 games meaning Julie won 2-1 and another title.
Mens D Grade – Josh Park vs Martin Hambleton, In the 1st of the mens finals it was a tough match with youth overcoming experience and Josh Taking the Match 2-0.
Mens C Grade – With so many talented players the top spot could have been any bodies.
Semi Final 1 was between Ewan Bowerbank and Paul Rushby, Ewan (one of Hallamshires bright Squash Juniors) was well disciplined throughout the match but Paul being a true racketball player moved Ewan around court corner to corner, with it being point for point in the final Ewan’s fitness was starting to show as he edged it in the 3rd to win 2-1.
Semi Final 2 - was a battle for the Tee with the momentum swinging constantly. James Murphy vs Matt Jones, James took the match 2-1.
Mens B Grade – Was up for grabs with it being very tight but with Nick Bond (chapel A) topping group A and Chris Reynard (Rothwell) topping group B was promising to be a good final. After many long rallies and near winners Nick Bond won the B Grade Final.
Mens A Grade – By far the toughest grade in the tournament, after several hard matches it came down too Nottingham’s Mark Fuller and the Hallamshire’s own assistant squash coach Alex Cutts. Alex narrowly beating Neil Baldwin in the quarters 11-10 in the 3rd and then Jason Russel in the Semi’s 2-1 had had a harder draw than Mark but was confident going into the final.
Alex set off well and was leading the 1st game with Fuller looking in trouble, Fuller saw Cutts start to slow down and upped the pace and taking the tee, Fuller took the game 11-8. The second game started off as the 1st ended with Fuller extending the rallies. After another hard game Fuller took it to win 2-0.
