Dartmouth’s Hugh Ryder, son of Regatta Tennis Week co-sponsors Peter and Kate Ryder (Café Alf Fres­co), maintained his grip on the men’s closed singles title after beating great rival James Cal­lard 6-3, 6-0 at Corona­tion Park writes Tony Atkins.

It was the Millfield schoolboy’s fifth title and he is now just one win short of Oliver Hayes six victories in this event.

In the ladies’ singles Beth Scorer, no stranger to collecting titles at regatta, beat Ann Woodward 6-2, 6-0 and later teamed up with her rival to win the doubles with victory over top seeds Karen Davis and Kate Watson 6-2, 6-2.

Unseeded, Scorer and Woodward knock­ed out second fav­ourites and expected finalists Yvonne Cot­tam and Jayne Turner 6-1, 6-2 in the semi-finals.

Men’s singles runner-up James Collard bounced back to win the doubles with Ryder and went on to capture the mixed title alongside Stoke Fleming’s Julie Elliott after beating second seeds Steve Cairns and Julie Elliott 6-4-6-2.

In the semi-final Cal­lard and Elliott caused a big upset with the defeat of top seeds Rufus Vincett and Beth Scorer 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

The junior under 16 singles included Astrid Thomas in the draw, but in the race for the title it was William Berry who pipped Archie Smither for the trophy.

Meanwhile in the veteran’s over-45 age group, no one person dominated but the completion was fierce in the men’s singles and mixed doubles.

Michael Wood came from a set down to beat number one seed and county player Alistair Forbes 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 and John Bretherton and Kate Watson were pushed all the way before their win over Forbes and Sue Manley 4-6, 6-4, 10-2.

Forbes missed out again in the men’s doubles with Phil Clift, the top seeds going down to Steve Cairns and Paul Tucker 6-3, 6-4. The ladies’ title was won by Julie Elliott and Tracey Whittington, who beat top seeds Sally Clarke and Yvonne Cottam 6-1, 6-2.

A titanic battle to win the men’s over-60 singles final was won by Kingswear’s Antho­ny Lyons, seeded two, who beat favourite Stephen Yates 6-7, 6-4, 11-9.

John Preston and Yates claimed the doubles with success over John Collins and An­drew Davis and Liz Harries and Caroline Jeffs beat Rosie Clive-Smith and Jayne Turner 6-3, 6-0 in the ladies’ final.

Rosie and Martin Clive-Smith completed the closed programme with victory (8-6) over husband and wife Richard and Jayne Turner in a one-set mixed doubles final.

Players and officials were once again indebted to sponsors Café Alf Fresco and Pro:Direct Sports as well as to event referee Linda Hill (Cornwall) and a committee headed by the tireless Irene and John Collins.