Trophy

The Ilkley Trophy is a professional tennis tournament that features on the ITF Women’s Circuit and the Men’s ATP Challenger Tour. Part of the short grass court season, a good performance here can help secure a wild card entry to Wimbledon. 

For Saturday it was the singles semi-finals and the doubles finals, and although I didn’t stay all day I saw most of both men’s semi finals and the women’s doubles final. 

Todays image shows Belgian Zizo Bergs (ATP Rank 207) preparing to receive serve in his match against Australian Alexei Poyrin (Rank 92) on his way to winning through to the final. Later, American Jack Sock (129) overcame Constant Lestienne (164) of France in a close-fought three setter.  

In the women’s doubles I was a bit puzzled by there not being a deciding third set with it 1-1 after two. Instead the champion tie-break (first pair to 10 points) was used.  Lizette Cabrera (Australia) and Sujeong Jang (Korea) were happy (extra) to beat the the British pair of Naiktha Bains and Maia Lumsden to take the trophy.

After the heat of the previous couple of days it was quite a cool and windy day, but there were good quality matches all around.  And having once experienced a day at Wimbledon I can say that this was a much calmer and more enjoyable event.