Bearsden serve up another tennis tournament success

The finalists at the 2017 Doe Sport Bearsden Summer Series Tournament held at Bearsden Lawn Tennis Club

The LTA Grade 4 event, now in its 28th year, yet again attracted over 100 competitors from all parts of Scotland.

This event is unique in Scotland and offers players of all levels of ability from ages seven to over 70 a first match of their own standard.

Highlight of the tournament was the final of the men’s tableau, with four-times winner Ian Cannon of Hamilton pitched against holder and twice winner Jack Walker of David Lloyd Hamilton.

After a close match with some outstanding play Walker finally made it a hat-trick, eventually winning 6-4 6-2 to give him three titles in a row.

The men’s Section 2 finals saw Luke Paul (Mount Vernon) facing Charlie Smith (Thorn Park) with, in the closest of contests, Luke eventually just scraping home 6-7 6-2 and 10-8 in the match tie break.

In the men’s Section 3 competition Kieran Gilmurray (David Lloyd Hamilton) proved just too strong for the home player Saurabh Vohra of Bearsden with a 6-2 6-0 win. But in the consolation event it was home player Bogdan Fodor who was the winner against Jack Brownlie (Drumchapel).

The ladies’ section also attracted a good entry and saw two newcomers to the event in the tableau final. In a match of a high standard Eilidh McLaughlin (Strathgryffe) became the new champion with a close 6-3 7-6 win over Sophie James (Newlands).

And the ladies’ Section 2 final proved to be another nailbiting contest lasting two and a half hours in which Bearsden’s Pauline Hughes took the first set 7-5, dropped the second 6-7 and eventually made it to the finishing line 10-8 in the match tie break.

Winner of the age eight and under event was Luke Kane of Strathgryffe who just clinched victory over clubmate Megan O’Brien. And in the nine and under Harry Sangster of Western was the winner with Euan Williamson of Woodend in second place.

Rowan Speed (Dunfermline) took the 10 and underr title with a 4-0 2-4 10-6 win over Callum Peat of Prestwick.

Prizes were presented to the winners by Martin Noble of Doe Sport, major sponsors of the event for over a decade. Thanks also go to local traders, Reid Shepherd, Kleerkut, Glengoyne Distillery, Paterson Holmes, Hillfoot Garage, StringsSports, Monadh Kitchen and Bearsden Tyres.

Referee was Josie Beeley, as she has been every year since the tournament’s inception in 1989.