Good Evans! Callum and Mollie steal show

Mollie Patterson and Callum Evans both won the senior singles titles and the under-21 versions to make it a day of doubles at the Blackpool Grand Prix.

It was actually a treble for young Welshman Evans, who had taken the Band 1 competition the previous day.

Women’s Singles

Winner Mollie Patterson (right) and runner-up Jo Keighley

Mollie Patterson beat Jo Keighley in the final, but it was the semi-finals where the most dramatic results happened.

Keighley defeated top seed and series leader – as well as last season’s overall champion – Karina Le Fevre 3-0 (13-11, 11-9, 11-4) to book her place in the final.

Meanwhile, Patterson came from 2-0 down to defeat second seed Emily Bolton 3-2 (7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9) in the other semi.

The final was always going Patterson’s way and she clinched it 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-3).

Men’s Singles

 

Callum Evans defeated Shaun Ellis 3-1 (11-4, 11-4, 4-11, 11-6) to take the top title, having gone through the earlier rounds without dropping a game against Peter Smallcombe, Jamie Nordin and Joseph Goss – who he beat 14-12, 11-8, 11-8 in the semi-finals.

Ellis’ semi-final was more of a struggle as he had to dig deep to overcome Graeme Barella 3-2 (11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 14-12, 12-10).

U21 Men’s Singles

Callum Evans (centre) and Jamie Nordin with Carol Miles

Callum Evans completed his on-the-day double with a 3-0 (13-11, 11-9, 11-7) victory over Jamie Nordin.

The top two seed Evans earlier saw off Lancashire pair Rhys Davies 3-1 (11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-6) in the quarter-finals and Zak Cantor 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 12-10) in the semis.

Nordin, who came through the bottom half of the draw after winning Group 2, defeated Scotland’s Charlie Morton 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-8) in the quarters and Ryan Choong of Lancashire 3-0 (13-11, 17-15, 11-8) in a tough semi.

U21 women’s Singles

Mollie Patterson (left) and Beth Richards

Mollie Patterson’s second win of the day came in the round-robin Under-21s as she won all four matches.

Only second-placed Beth Richards managed to take a game off the Norfolk teenager, going ahead before Patterson hit back to win 3-1 (9-11, 11-3, 14-12, 11-3).

Grace Clement of Wales came back from 2-0 down to Lancashire’s Sandy Choong to triumph 3-2 (7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-8), which was enough to finish third.

Veterans’ Singles

Jason Thompson (left) and Rory Scott

It was five sets and comebacks all the way as Jason Thompson overcame Rory Scott to win the title.

Both semi-finals were five-setters, as was the final, and the victors came from 2-1 down on each occasion. It was Thompson who eventually sealed the title with a thrilling 3-2 (11-6, 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 13-11) victory.

In the last four, Thompson defeated Ben Willson 3-2 (1-3, 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-2), while Scott beat Gerry Campbell in an even closer 3-2 (11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 12-10).

Author: via Table Tennis England
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