TOURNAMENT SUCCESS FOR TAUNTONS JUNIORS

Taunton players won three out of the four LTA junior rankings tournaments held on the indoor courts at Taunton Tennis Club in January. Players from Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Avon and South Wales took part.

 Rosemary Moss of Taunton won the 12 & under girls’ tournament, putting away some fantastic winning shots in the final to beat Pearllan Cipriano, currently ranked second in her age group in Somerset. On the way to the final she beat Charlotte Smith of Taunton 4-0, 4-0 and Courtney Parsons of Burnham 4-0, 4-1.

 Taunton’s Ben Giles beat Dougal Collins Smith of Somerset 4-1, 4-2 to win the final of the boys’ 12 & under tournament. He survived a fantastic battle in the semi-final against Jonathan Barber, also of Taunton, before eventually winning 5-4, 2-4, 10-5.

 Taunton’s Zander Tremaine and Tamsin Sandy of Cornwall won the 14 & under tournaments. Zander beat Kieran Davies of Somerset in the final 4-1, 1-4, 10-5, having knocked out Lewis Taylor of Avon 4-0, 4-1 and Kieron Butler of Cornwall 4-2, 5-3 in the previous rounds.

 Anna Howe of Taunton lost 5-3, 5-3 in the semi-final to eventual winner Tamsin Sandy, but managed to clinch third place when she beat Alex Oelmann of South Wales 4-2, 4-5, 10-7 in an exciting and highly competitive play-off.

 Players on this circuit are awarded rankings points for their tournament results. The top eight players at end of the winter season are invited to the grand finals in April. The tournaments are coordinated and refereed by Debbie Butland, Junior Tennis and Competitions Coordinator at Taunton Tennis Club.