Last week saw a record entry of 131 players from all over Ulster compete for honours in the 2011 West Ulster Tennis Championships at Enniskillen. While last years heat wave failed to make a return appearance the generous sponsorship of Toyota Western Cars meant that all 16 winners from 2010 did return to defend their titles. However with standards rising every year only 5 of them succeeded in retaining their trophies.
Conor Schelling Tisza was one of those to defend his title with an impressive 6-2 6-3 victory over Belfast’s Karl Donaldson in Sunday’s A Men’s final although it was Conor’s semi final victory over Omagh’s David Ward which produced the match of the tournament. With David serving for the first set Conor dug deep to survive and come back to take the first set in a tiebreaker. However David hadn’t given up and playing some ferocious tennis he took the second set also in a tie break. The final set could have gone either way but Conor managed to hold out and take an epic match 7-6, 6-7 6-4.
With regular visitors to Enniskillen, Alexis and Kerri Russell producing their usual clean sweep in the ladies A events it was down to Irvinestown’s John Maguire partnered by Omagh’s Francis Venzon to keep some A silverware in the county which they managed with a convincing victory over local favourites Matthew McGann and Conor Donaldson.
With the tournament going from strength to strength, host club Enniskillen were delighted to lift 6 titles with rising star and last year’s C Men’s winner, Clive Funston, managing to overcome number 1 seed Jimmy Renfrew in 3 sets to lift the B Men’s title in the final match of the tournament. This was a sweet end to a Sunday on which Clive played a marathon 11 sets of tennis across 1 semi and 3 finals with silverware only finally being secured at the end of his 11th set of the day.
The club were delighted with the involvement of main sponsor Toyota Western Cars and look forward to another successful tournament in twelve months time. Meanwhile the players attention will now be turning to the upcoming Fermanagh Senior Open to be held in Irvinestown and due to start on 27th June.
Winners from the local Enniskillen club were B Men’s Singles – Clive Funston; B Men’s Doubles – Davy Thompson/ Jimmy Renfrew; B Mixed – Derek Elliott/Ann Elliott; C Men’s Singles – Hugh Maguire; C Men’s Doubles – Stephen Kettyles/Martin Sharkey; C Mixed – John Reihill/Josie Boyle
Other Winners were A Men’s Singles – Conor Schelling Tisza; A Men’s Doubles -John Maguire/Francis Venzon; A Mixed – Karl Donaldson/Alexis Russell, A Ladies Singles – Alexis Russell; A Ladies Doubles – Kerri & Alexis Russell; B Ladies Singles – Rachel Logan; B Ladies Doubles – Joanne Daley/Kathleen Maguire; C Ladies Singles – Bernice Sharkey; C Ladies Doubles – Mary Coyle/Mary Gilgunn.
Consolation Winners : A Events Stephen Cuthbertson; B Events Petr Vrtanik; Cathal Sheridan/Petr Vrtanik; Michelle Kennedy/Moira MacAdam; Cliff & Bernie Kells; C Events Brendan Duffy; Josie Boyle; David Lowe/Joe Whaley; Josie Boyle/Vanessa McBrien; James Wilson/Enid Redmond
