REPORT BY LEE HORTON
ESSEX players Josh Stephens, Aliza Sheikh, Leah Brooke, Oliver Green and Alice Green all came away from last weekend’s Connaught Junior Open clutching winners’ trophies.
The popular event, run by coach and mentor Dave Webster, attracted a healthy field spearheaded by a strong Essex presence.
Josh, fresh from competing at last week’s British Under-11 Festival in Yorkshire, held off the challenge of Kent’s Malik brothers, Bailey and Heston, to take win the boys’ U-11 event. It was a strong entry with a dozen players chasing the top spot. Leah, from Harwich, got the better of Manuela Horscroft to take the girls’ U-11’s.
Aliza Sheikh receives her U-13 trophy from Dave Webster
Aliza, playing on her home courts, looked impressive as she captured the U-13 girls’ trophy. Essex pair Hannah Morley and Libby Connor also finished one and two in the Plate event.
Piper-Rose Tatum has been enjoying a rich vein of form over recent weeks and she again produced the goods finishing second to the talented Torrie Malik in the Under-15 girls. Paige McCoy was another Essex player looking good. She finished fourth.
Billericay’s Ollie Green, up to five in the current England U-13 rankings, stepped up an age group and carried all before him in the U-15’s. A final win over the exotically named Sebastian de la Vega capped an impressive weekend’s work. More good performances from Jamie Carroll and Josh Stinson (4th) maintained the Essex presence.
Twelve-year-old Ellie Hewes from Colchester aimed high entering the Under-17 event and more than equipped herself, especially against England ranked number 12 Rawan Elkalaawy, the eventual winner, Great experience and a terrific display from Little Miss Dynamo.
The U-19 girls’ event provided a decent challenge for our England number three, Alice Green. The spoils were hers finishing ahead of Hertfordshire’s Amber Marshall and Essex colleague Collette Whittington.
Another excellent event run by the Dave Webster and his team.
WINNERS:
Under-11 boys: Josh Stephens
Under-11 girls: Leah Brooke
Under-13 boys: Joss Sim Baskar
Under-13 girls: Aliza Sheikh
Under-15 boys: Ollie Green
Under-15 girls: Torrie Malik
Under-17 boys: Oscar Khoo
Under-17 girls: Rawan Elkalaawy
Under-19 boys: Curtis Malik
Under-19 girls: Alice Green
