It was literally a case of “winner stays on” at last weekend’s Langham Hall Tournament at the Guernsey Padel Club.
Mauro Becker, who entered the Men’s Open, the 40+ and 50+ events, arrived at the Club at 9.30am on Sunday and eventually got off court at 4pm after the end of the Men’s Open Final.
The Langham Hall LTA Grade 3 has become an integral part of the Spring Calendar at the Guernsey Padel Club with over 100 players competing, including some who travelled from Jersey, Alderney and the UK.
The event began on Friday afternoon with the popular Legends (Over 60s) which sees open pairings of men, ladies’. and mixed.
After some close matches throughout the draw, local racket sport stalwarts Andy Privett and Ian Robinson were too strong, defeating Rick Denton and Tony Woodland decisively in the final 6-0, 6-0.
Also on Friday, the U14 and U18 events again showcased the rapidly improving talents of younger players.
With the De La Mare and Gomes siblings away competing in the UK, the draws were left open for new champions to be crowned.
In the under 18s Emile Curle and Aidan Payne fought back from a 4-8 deficit in the deciding set tie break to clinch victory from Ed Morgan and Louisa Hardouin, 6-1, 2-6, 11-9.
The Under 14 event was also decided on a Championship Tie Break with the number 2 seeds, Rocco Elliott and Hamish McLellan edging victory from the top seeds Danny Conchar and Oli Hardouin, 1-4, 4-0, 10-6.
With the sun unexpectedly appearing on Saturday morning, it was time for the Open, 40s and 50s events.
During the early stages matches went to form with few upsets, and it was Mauro Becker who was coming forward as the standout player of the weekend reaching the semi finals of all three events, leaving him with potential of having to play six matches on Sunday.
Becker and his partners prevailed to reach all three finals.
First up it was the Men’s 50+ event where he paired with Andy Privett and faced the strong Jersey pair and top seeds, Craig Stewart and Stephen Watson. Privett and Becker took a relatively straightforward victory 6-4, 6-1.
As Becker continued to remain on court for the over 40s event, he was joined by partner Tim
Eggimann, taking on talented local brothers Phil and Richard Radford. With the match finely balanced at 4-4 in the first set, an epic rally lasting over 50 shots, saw Phil Radford aggravate an existing calf injury, forcing him to retire and handing the trophy to Becker and Privett.
Completing the six match “Winner Stays On” challenge, Becker and Eggimann had also reached the final of the Men’s Open, where they faced the dangerous unseeded combination of Theo Hamilton and Nico Robinson.
In a display of shot making with some huge overheads from the giant Robinson, Becker and Eggimann, had finally met their match as Robinson and Hamilton comfortably won 6-2, 6-3.
In the Ladies events it was pleasing to see the biggest ever entry in Ladies’ 40+ after a strong effort to encourage more women to compete.
The Channel Island combination of Chantelle De La Mare (Guernsey) and Emma Devenport (Jersey) provided themselves to be in a different class from all comers, barely being troubled throughout the weekend.
They lifted both the Open and 40+ trophies beating Caroline Kandili and Steph Stuart 6-2, 6-2 in the over 40’s event and Katie Inder and Sasha Kazantseva-Miller 6-0, 6-1 in the Open event.