Outstanding week for Stewartry Community Sports Club tennis siblings
It was an outstanding week for Stewartry Community Sports Club tennis players Isla and Eamon McFarlane.
Eamon started with the 14 and under category at the Ayrshire Open and, after two wins in the singles, he was narrowly beaten in the quarter final.
With partner Kieran McGuire of Prestwick – who he travels to Wimbledon with in early August – he went all the way to the finals of the doubles, where they won 6-3, 6-0 against Lewis Ndogaj and Matthew Penman of Giffnock and West of Scotland.
This was Eamon's second grade three title in a row after winning at Bridge of Allan the previous week.
Next up for both was the South of Scotland Championships played from Wednesday to Saturday at Dumfries Tennis Club. This tournament has been going since 1888 and is the most prestigious event held locally. Previous winners of men's and ladies singles have also won at Wimbledon.
Isla entered six events - three junior and three senior - and won four, losing in one final and another semi-final.
Eamon played in two junior and three senior events and won one and was a beaten finalist in the senior mixed, a great achievement for a 13-year-old.
Isla started off with victory in the 18 and under singles, beating Phoebe Spyridopolous (Northumberland Club and County) 6-2, 6-0. In the 16 and under singles she was beaten by her friend Autumn Hodgins, Dumfries 6-1, 4-6, 5-10 but they teamed up to win the 16 and under doubles 6-0, 6-4 against the Topping sisters, Eilidh and Caitlin.
Eamon won the 14 and under doubles with his partner Harris Evans, Kilmarnock who also plays for South of Scotland. They defeated the higher ranked Jack Fair of Thistle and East of Scotland partnered by Xander Platchias of Thorn Park and West of Scotland 6-3, 6-0.
Next came the open events and Eamon won his first round of the men's singles before coming up against the eventual winner Fergus Reynolds-Lewis of the home club. In the mixed doubles, partnered by Autumn Hodgins, they defeated sister Isla and Logan Carson of Dalbeattie in the semi final but lost to Fergus Reynolds-Lewis and Eilidh Topping in the final. Eamon was partnered by Bruce Todd, SCSC and Dumfries in the men's doubles but they lost to the eventual finalists in the quarter final.
Isla won two of the three top prizes. In the singles she beat the higher ranked Katherine Cameron, Rubislaw and North of Scotland 7-5, 6-2 then Phoebe Spyridopolous, Northumberland Club and County 6-3, 2-6, 10-4 and in the final Anna Curtis, Bridge of Allan and North of Scotland 2-6, 6-4 and 10-5. In the doubles she was partnered by Eilidh Topping and in the final they defeated Charlotte Beattie and Kate Yeadon of Western and West of Scotland 6-2, 7-5.
This coming week Isla is playing for South of Scotland Ladies at Frinton, Essex in LTA County Week – five days days of play on grass against other British counties. After that she is travelling to Ilkley in Yorkshire for a training camp and Eamon will join her to play in 14 and under competition
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