THE SUN shone on finals day and for the second year in a row, the juniors dominated Dorchester Tennis & Squash Club’s annual Tennis Championships.

In the Men’s Singles, 16-year-old Joe Chambers successfully defended his title by beating 15-year-old Matt Smith in straight sets. Chambers had come through a tough semi-final against the 2015 champion, Hal Cazalet and proved too strong for Smith.

The only non-teenager to take home a title in the main events was veteran Sarah Skidmore, the DTSC Head Tennis Coach, who first won the ladies' singles in 1992.

Skidmore won the title for the 17th time in straight sets by defeating 19-year-old defending champion Kayleigh Budge and the mixed doubles, teaming up with 17-year-old Alex Baker to defend their title for the third year in a row.

A very closely-fought match in the mixed doubles saw Baker and Skidmore taking the first set convincingly before the teenage pairing of Chambers and Budge fought back to win a close second set.

The deciding set tie-break however was mostly one-way traffic with the defending champions running out clear winners.

Teenage pairings also won the men's and ladies' doubles. Men’s singles champion Chambers teamed up with Baker to overcome Mark Green and Andrew Irwin in straight sets, but the ladies’ doubles was a real battle.

Eventually Budge and her 15-year-old partner Emily Noel came through a very tight match to defeat Skidmore and her 16-year-old partner Rosie Simes.

It looked like a third title for Skidmore after she dominated the first set with Simes, but Budge and Noel completely turned it around and won the second set convincingly.

The deciding tie-break could have gone either way, but Budge and Noel came through to win the title.

Skidmore, Chambers and Baker all won two titles in the main events, meaning they shared the coveted Rod Skidmore Cup.

This cup is awarded to the winner of the most events in the main draw and is presented in memory of a much-missed club member and club chairman, Rod Skidmore, a Royal Naval pilot who lost his life in a helicopter crash in 2002.

Consolation events were held in all events apart from the ladies’ singles.

n Anyone interested in joining DTSC, either to play tennis for fun, have some coaching, enter a tournament or play in a team should email: admin@dtsc.org.uk or phone 01305 268103 from 9-11am on weekdays for more information.

As well as a busy tennis programme, there are also equally busy programmes in squash and racketball - come along, have fun and join the teams, internal box leagues and tournaments. There is also an active social programme as well.

Results:

Men's Singles: Joe Chambers bt Matthew Smith 6-4, 6-3; Ladies' Singles: Sarah Skidmore bt Kayleigh Budge 6-0, 6-3; Men's Doubles: Alex Baker & Joe Chambers bt Mark Green & Andrew Irwin 6-1, 6-3; Ladies' Doubles: Kayleigh Budge & Emily Noel bt Rosie Simes & Sarah Skidmore 3-6, 6-1, 10-6; Mixed Doubles: Alex Baker & Sarah Skidmore bt Kayleigh Budge & Joe Chambers 6-1, 3-6, 10-4; Men's Singles Consolation: Greg Charles bt Alister Millar 7-5, 6-3; Men's Doubles Consolation: Derek Hanby & Tim Toogood bt Martin Kimberley & Alister Millar 7-5, 6-1; Ladies' Doubles Consolation: Sue Ramsbottom & Ann Williams bt Liv Milles & Jo Sloley 7-6, 4-6, 10-3; Mixed Doubles Consolation: Al & Ros Clark bt Grahame Bennett & Jenny Warrack 6-0, 7-5