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MAJOR U.K. JUNIOR TITLE WON IN DERBY!!

SUPERB PERFORMANCES BY ALL FOUR JERSEY YOUNGSTERS.

Josh Band [14] won the Grade 1 Under 15 title at the Derby 4* Junior Tournament over the past weekend. Nearly 300 youngsters from all over the U.K took part in four different age groups at this major annual tournament. The win was even more impressive as he was without a coach to give advice during his matches.

Band was one of 54 players competing for this particular title. In the group stage he went through as the winner beating two Essex players on the way in straight games. In the last sixteen he faced Lewis Williams the Welsh No.2 ranked player. Band was in imperious form and despatched his opponent 11 / 8, 11 / 5, 12 / 10. The quarter finals drew him against Azarel Adenbanjo the number 2 seed for the Grade 1 event and currently ranked 22 in England. Band lost the first game 8 /11 but came back strongly to take the next two 11 / 6, 11 / 9. The fourth game was a real thriller with both players trading shots with booming loops and smashes. Band's deft touch play proved to be the deciding factor as he closed out the game 12 / 10 and the match 3---1. In the semi-final he met Jack Cleminson from Northampton who had just despatched the number 5 seed. Band raced to a two game lead with scores of 11 / 6, 11 / 8. Cleminson was having problems coming to terms with the angles and spin produced by the Jersey player but rallied in the third to win 5 / 11. As in the previous match the fourth game was nip and tuck but once again Band had the mental strength to close it out 12 / 10 forcing errors from his opponent. The final was against another top Welsh player Huw Jones. The left handed Band was simply unstoppable with both his backhand and forehand working superbly. Jones had no answer to the barrage of winning shots as Band took the match and the title 11 / 6, 11 / 4, 11 / 4. In doing so he has created history by winning the first ever National Title for the J.T.T.A. and managed it by only dropping 2 games. Max Tupper [14] and his brother Hugo also played in

In the Under 13 Boys' Open Singles, Hugo Tupper [11], another left handed player played with great maturity to advance from his group as runner-up. His win against Matthew Callcut in four games was measured and in the end very clinical as he drove his opponent onto the defensive with highly spun loops. His next adversary was Marvin Obi another more highly ranked player. This did not faze the young Jersey player as he took complete control of the match winning in three straight games 11 / 4, 11 / 7, 11 / 6. His side of the draw however pitched him against the number 1 seed Sam Walker who is currently the number two in the U.K. in this age group. Tupper played well but his more experienced and illustrious opponent won in three games.

In the Under 15 Boys' Open Singles Band won his first group match with relative ease

11 / 2, 11 / 8, 11 /5 but was then beaten in three straight games by England's No. 11 Alistair Smith. He had to win the last match against another player ranked much higher than him and got off to a storming start taking the first two games 17/ 15, 12 /10. However, the thought of the final later in the day for the Grade1 was obviously on his mind as he relaxed his game and in doing so let his opponent back into the game 11 / 13 in the third. Alistair Smith then took full advantage and closed out the match 11 / 8, 11 / 7.

Max Tupper also had a great first match beating Jared Knowles from Berkshire three straight before facing Alexander Holland. Tupper lost the first two games narrowly and seemed destined to lose the match. However, with great mental strength and some superlative shots he came back from the dead to win the next three games and the match 13 / 11, 11 / 8, 12 / 10. This was a brilliant performance but he was then desperately unlucky not to go through to the knock out stages losing by a single point on count back.

His brother, Hugo found the going very tough. This was hardly surprising as he was drawn in Group 1 with the top seed Daniel Lowe and two other high ranked players. He performed to the best of his ability but lost all three matches.

All four Jersey lads participated in the Under 18 Boys' Open and Grade 1 singles. It was Josh Band's turn to have a tough group with the England No. 17 ranked Billy Deville and Daniel O' Connell the Wales No.2. Both matches were very close with Band narrowly losing 8 / 11, 9 / 11, 9 / 11 to O' Connell and 8 / 11, 9 / 11, 15 / 13, 4 / 11 to Deville. Sam Walker had sadly scratched from the group. Fifteen year old Luke Walker made his first appearance being just too old to compete in the Saturday matches. His was a baptism of fire in the strongest group of all having to face top U.K Juniors Matthew Mulley from Essex, Anthony Barella from Durham [ranked 34 in the U.K] and Sean Doherty the Scotland No.5 Under 18. Walker played his normal exciting attacking style taking games from Mulley and Barella the latter being 11 / 7 in the second. The extra experience of his opponents told in the end although Walker only lost by the odd couple of points in each game. Eleven year old Hugo Tupper knew there was nothing to lose against the much older players he was facing. He kept the ball on the table and played some exquisite shots taking a game off Edward Mitchell ranked 47 th in the U.K before being edged out in the fifth 10 / 12 by top Essex County player Alex Holland. Max Tupper lost his first game to Neil Irwin from Ireland but stormed back with some devastating loops to take the next three and the match 11 / 7, 11 / 6, 11 / 5. He then faced Graeme Barella the England No. 34 who proved to be far too strong losing in three close games. He then met Nick Gilmour from Staffordshire and despite another spirited performance lost the match three straight. In the Under 18 Boys' Grade 1 all four Jersey players were in action again. Luke Walker found the going tough against Jonathan Evans from Hampshire who got everything back. Walker lost in three but then bounced back to beat Neil Irwin from Wales 13 / 11, 11 / 8, 12 / 10 in a highly entertaining contest full of brilliant attacking and defensive shots. Max Tupper was growing in confidence all the time and took a game from Matthew Mulley before succumbing 3—1 in games. He then had to meet the multi-talented Michael Bates from Lincolnshire ranked 40 for the tournament. On paper this was a totally one sided affair but Tupper had not read the script. He turned in the best performance of his young career to date. He won the first game 11 / 5 but then lost the next two 12 / 14, 4 / 11 and the writing seemed to be on the wall. However he upped his game finding superb angles and kept this opponent under immense pressure forcing a time – out as well. Tupper went on to seal a magnificent victory in the fifth game 11/ 8,

11 / 6 to finish his tournament in fantastic style by taking this highly ranked scalp. Josh Band found the power of the fifth seed, James Ward from Staffordshire a little too much losing in three games. However, against another seasoned Dorset player, Matt Rogers, He came back twice from a game down to finally take the match 11 / 8 in the fifth for another Jersey win. Hugo Tupper kept his best for last. After narrowly losing to Connor Neenan from Middlesex he had to play James Liddiard who was ranked no fewer than 58 places higher than him in the tournament. Tupper lost the first game 9 / 11 but then moved up about three gears to transform his match completely. He took complete control of the rallies keeping the ball alive and killing at just the right moment. He took the next three games with the other Jersey players cheering him on 12 / 10, 11 / 7, 11 / 9 to win the match and to record his best ever victory.

“All in all this has been a brilliant Tournament for the Jersey players,” said J.T.T.A. President Chris Band. “All four boys recorded some brilliant results thanks to all their hard training under the expert eye of our Development Officer, Craig Gascoyne. To bring back a major Junior National trophy as well was a fantastic bonus and is testament to the J.T.T.A's commitment to the junior players and to the development of the sport in Jersey.”

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