Young Sarnians impress as Muir and Bland prove class
TWO unseeded Guernsey youngsters joined forces superbly to come within reach of a senior men’s doubles title at badminton’s own Easter tournament.
The visitors typically dominate the Senior Silver and Masters Bronze, but David Trebert and Alex Tapp reached Saturday’s men’s doubles final against Guernsey star Paul Le Tocq and English partner Ben Wheatley at the Rohais Halls – a situation that ensured at least one local would get their hands on the trophy.
Le Tocq first won the men’s doubles title 22 years ago, before either of last weekend’s opponents were born, but he and his partner had to fight through three sets in this competitive final.
Le Tocq and Wheatley’s experience showed as they won the first set 21-9.
But Guernsey champions Trebert and Tapp used their young legs and fitness successfully in the second, displaying a high work rate and scoring some fantastic points to edge it 24-22 and force a decider.
The final set remained close until the half-way mark, upon which the more experienced duo broke away to triumph 21-16.
Trebert, who alongside Tapp was recently picked for the home Island Games team, took plenty of encouragement from the way they played.
‘We didn’t really have much pressure on us because we weren’t seeded,’ he said.
‘We’re happy. A couple of mistakes at key moments, but I’d say everything else was pretty good.’
So how has his Games selection motivated him?
‘It’s piqued my interest a little bit more. I enjoy it a lot more now… I play a lot more regularly and have got more consistent with things.’
After a turbulent period with his exclusion from Guernsey first-team training and the Island Games team, Le Tocq has thanked Tapp for the odd training session together.
‘Full credit to him and he’s really improved in the men’s doubles,’ he said.
‘Really pleased for him.
‘For Guernsey, I’m very upset not to be in the team, but hopefully these young guys get the full experience and can really push for places – if they play like that, they will.’
Ahead of making his All England Masters debut this coming weekend, he added: ‘The veteran events have really given me a new lease of life.’
Le Tocq also won the men’s masters doubles, accompanying Guernsey’s Kevin Le Moigne to a 21-16, 21-19 victory in the final.
But the rich field of 40 visiting entrants made their mark in the other events.
Hampshire’s Ben Muir won the men’s singles, while English national champion Georgina Bland took the equivalent women’s honours.
Unsurprisingly, the combination of Muir and Bland proved too much to overcome in the mixed doubles.
Bland also joined Ann Hubscher to add a women’s doubles title.
FINALS
Senior Silver
Women’s singles
Georgina Bland beat Jo Dix 21-10, 21-13.
Men’s singles
Ben Muir beat Jacob Marklew 21-12, 20-22, 21-12.
Women’s doubles
G Bland, A Hubscher beat S Burgess, J Dix 21-13, 21-16.
Men’s doubles
P Le Tocq, B Wheatley beat A Tapp, D Trebert 21-9, 22-24, 21-16.
Mixed doubles
B Muir, G Bland beat M Law, A Hubscher 21-17, 21-19.
Masters Bronze
O40 mixed doubles
N Ponting, J Bradbury beat P Le Tocq, L Swan 21-16, 21-19.
O40 men’s doubles
K Le Moigne, P Le Tocq beat N Goode, N Ponting 21-16, 21-19.
O55 men’s doubles
P Emptage, N Ponting beat N Goode, M Haddon 21-14, 21-16.
O40 women’s doubles
S Burgess, J Dix beat T Hutchinson, S Peaston 25-23, 21-10.
