The perfect 10 for Dyer and West defends title again too
JO DYER won her 10th straight Island women’s singles title as part of a championship treble for the 29-year-old at the Guernsey Tennis Centre.
And while Dyer again saw off Lauren Barker in straight sets, Rob West came from a set down to beat Nico Robinson for his own 10th singles title and ninth on the bounce.
The well supported championship attracted a full viewing gallery and offered up some excellent closely-fought matches.
In the men’s final Robinson took a hard-fought first set 6-4 having broken West in the first game and serving with accuracy and pace to prevent the champion from breaking back.
However, West upped his game in the second set taking the match into a championship tie-break which he won – final score 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.
‘We are all lacking competition practice. I think it is fair to say it was a cagey affair,’ said West.
In the women’s singles the finalists battled for far longer than the game count would suggest with Dyer finally winning the championship 6-1, 6-3 after an hour and a half of scintillating tennis.
Dyer, who is eyeing Jo Robinson’s record 17 titles, said she was ‘really chuffed’ to come out on top but acknowledged she had a way to go to surpass Robinson’s magnificent haul.
She admitted that title No. 10 was far from straightforward.
‘I think every year is difficult and had not played each other in the meantime.
‘I don’t take anything for granted, by any means, and Lauren has definitely improved. She played a very solid match.’
Dyer later paired up with Natalie Le Cras to win a fierce and enthralling women’s doubles, 7-5, 6-7, 11-9 against Barker and Jo Robinson.
In the men’s doubles Nico and Peter Robinson were the winners after the withdrawal of Rob West and Andy Privett, the latter having torn a calf muscle before the match.
The final match of the day was the mixed doubles where West and Dyer defeated Paul Garrard and Lauren Coutanche 6-1, 6-1.
