Fletcher and Simmons claim National Deaf Tennis Championships titles in Welwyn Garden City

Press Release

Fletcher and Simmons claim National Deaf Tennis Championships titles in Welwyn Garden City

Wiltshire’s Lewis Fletcher won his second men’s singles title and Oxfordshire’s Beth Simmons won her third women’s singles title as the 2015 National Deaf Tennis Championships drew to a close on May Day Bank Holiday Monday at Gosling Tennis Centre, Welwyn Garden City.

Fletcher regained the men’s singles crown he won for the first time in 2012 when he beat 12-time former champion and top seed Peter Willcox 6-1, 6-1 in the final. He also beat second seed Jack Clifton 6-0, 7-6(1) in the semi-finals.

“It’s been a great weekend for me in terms of results, but also mentally it’s put me in good shape for the rest of the season,” said Fletcher. “I would like to thank my wife Catherine and Stuart Wilkinson at the Tennis Foundation for having faith in my potential and I’m really excited now for the rest of the season.”

Simmons won a hat-trick of titles after claiming the women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles, while Fletcher completed the Championships with both the men’s singles and doubles titles. Fletcher regained the men’s singles crown he won for the first time in 2012 when he beat 12-time former champion and top seed Peter Willcox 6-1, 6-1 in the final. He also beat second seed Jack Clifton 6-0, 7-6(1) in the semi-finals.

“It’s been a great weekend for me in terms of results, but also mentally it’s put me in good shape for the rest of the season,” said Fletcher. “I would like to thank my wife Catherine and Stuart Wilkinson at the Tennis Foundation for having faith in my potential and I’m really excited now for the rest of the season.”

Simmons beat Valerie Copenhagen 6-0, 6-0 in the decisive women’s singles round-robin match at the three-day Championships and sealed her third women’s National title for the loss of just one game throughout the event. Simmons partnered Copenhagen to win the women’s doubles title after the duo beat Savannah Elliott and Savanna Ramsbottom 6-0, 6-0.

After winning her fifth women’s doubles National title, Simmons also earned her fourth mixed doubles title and her third in four years with Willcox when they beat Jack Clifton and Copenhagen 6-3, 6-2 to retain their crown.   "I have really enjoyed the annual National Championships and I am delighted to repeat the hat-trick,” said Simmons, who also won all three titles in 2005 and 2014. “I would like to thank the Tennis Foundation and SportAid for their support with funding and coaching. The National Championships is a fantastic opportunity for players of all standards to play in deaf competition and I am excited to see the less experienced players coming through.”

Jack Clifton won his first senior National title when he partnered Fletcher to win the men’s doubles title, the duo defeating Nicholas Ansell and Willcox 6-0, 6-1 in the title decider to end the event having dropped just five games in their three matches.

Middlesex’s Esah Hayat ended the event by adding the boys’ singles and doubles titles to his victory in the men’s consolation singles. Hayat beat Toby Clifton 4-0, 4-0 in the boys’ singles final and partnered Patrick Kilcullen to beat Toby Clifton and George Kilcullen 4-1, 5-4(4) in the boys’ doubles decider.

With opportunities for players of all standards, 19 aspiring young deaf players also took part in a junior coaching clinic on the second day of the National Championships and also had the opportunity to watch some of the country’s and the world’s leading players in action.

Organised by the Tennis Foundation, this year’s National Championships gave members of the National Deaf Tennis Squad the chance to put in eye-catching performances ahead of the selection of the British team to contest the first World Deaf Tennis Championships, which will take place in Nottingham in July.

Tickets for the World Championships cost £5, please visit www.worlddeaftennischamps.co.uk for more information.