IT’S down to the nitty gritty tonight at the busy Sellers International tennis.
After a week of intense competition at Huddersfield Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, the last four in both the men’s and ladies singles will do battle from 6.30pm.
The club are keen to welcome supporters and have a BBQ in operation tonight from 7.00pm – in addition to a visiting Spanish Padel team – on the eve of their finals day.
Thongsbridge No1 seed Dan Sinclair remains in pole position for the men’s title after defeating his brother Nathan 6-4 6-2 to reach the semi-finals.
Tonight he will take on Sheffield’s Simon Howson, who took out Andrew Lee 6-2 7-5 to book his place among the last four before also progressing in the 18s and Under section with a couple of wins.
Marsden coach Sean Stafford, the No3 seed, is aiming to reach the final when he takes on No2 pick Phil Warley, especially as Stafford lost only two games in defeating Mohammad Shaffiq to go through.
Kim Atkinson (Thongsbridge), Louis Bottomley (Huddersfield) and Carrie Wagstaff (Batley) carry local hopes in the ladies semi-finals. No1 seed Caroline Mount, from the host club, suffered an unexpected defeat to the unseeded Laura Hopton, going out 7-5 6-3, so No2 ranked Bottomley will be hoping to cash in when she faces Wagstaff.
Bottomley was in solid form to beat Louise Holtum 6-4 6-3 in the quarters, while Wagstaff knocked out No3 seed Katie Jessop of Leeds 6-3 6-3.
Hopton’s reward for knocking out the top seed is a meeting with No3 Atkinson, who knocked out Lauren Hewett 7-5 6-3.
Two Huddersfield pairings – Pete Vann and Stuart Gill and Andrew Daykin and Oliver Moorhouse – are through in the men’s doubles.
Nathan Sinclair (Thongsbridge) and fourth seed Harry Edwards (Huddersfield) have joined Howson in the later stages of the 18s and Under.
The top three seeds – Troy Dixon, Adam Bowen and John Carmichael-Plester – are all through in the Boys 16s, but fourth seed Alastair Gray went out in the second round to Ben King.
Huddersfield’s Euan Wilson-Baig, who will contest the 12s final after stepping up from the 10s for the first time, went out of the Boys 14s to Oliver Humphries, but only after an excellent battle and a tie-break which went against him 10-8. He is now in the 14s consolation draw.
