Barker bags title at ninth attempt

There was a sense of deja vu as she lined up for the Hiscox Island Championships women’s singles final last weekend against Jo Dyer, an opponent who has beaten her eight times towards her tremendous tally of 12 individual titles.

But this time, after a thrilling duel that went down to a tie-breaker, Barker unexpectedly took top spot at the Guernsey Tennis Centre.

‘I was at the point I thought it would never happen,’ she said.

‘I honestly felt quite shocked.’

Dyer’s 6-2 win in the first set matched the direction of previous encounters, before Barker began to play with confidence and

hit back by taking the next 6-3.

Given that she had not taken a set in a Dyer final before, she added: ‘Once I got to that tie-break, that was when I realised I could win.

‘I was trying really hard to stay calm. I did not want to bottle it.’

After storming to a six-point lead in the tie-breaker, she managed to get across the line 10-6.

That gave the tennis coach and former development officer massive cause for celebration, but she did not fail to credit her rival.

‘Jo is a formidable opponent and it’s incredible that she’s won this tournament so many times before,’ she said.

‘I think it’s definitely going to give me a boost in confidence.

‘It’s always a mental block playing against Jo, because I have lost to her so many times.

‘It feels nice to break through that barrier in my head.’

In the men’s singles, Rob West brought his own title tally to 12 after prevailing against Nico Robinson.

That formed an important part of a terrific treble for West, who won the men’s doubles with Tom Turner and the mixed with Dyer.

The combination of Barker and 14-year-old Chloe de la Mare came out top in the women’s doubles.

n Full Island Championships report on page 35.