Up and coming Thorpe Bay player Ashlee Tyrrell was left frustrated as an injury wrecked her hopes of county glory.

Smiles all round - for Thorpe Bay LTC coach and tournament organiser Jon Lee (wearing cap) with club players (l-r) Jade Blackman, Jay Smith and Sarah Needham Picture: DEREK SMITH

The teenager reached two singles finals at the Essex Closed Junior Championships at the weekend but was forced to concede the pair after being injured in the second set of the girls' under-14 showdown.

Ashlee lost the first set 6-0 to Helen Parrish before being forced to retire. And the injury meant the youngster also had to concede her under-16 final to Parrish too.

Louis Watts, from Hockley, lost 7-5 6-3 to Billericay's Jonathan Cornish in the boys' under-10 singles final.

But there were disappointments for other south-east Essex players during the county LTA's junior blue ribband event which was held at Thorpe Bay LTC for the 30th year.

Hockley's John Western went down 6-3 6-4 to Ben Pritchard in the boys' under-16 singles final, before Pritchard defeated Michael O'Gara 7-6 7-6 in a thrilling under-18 boys' singles showdown. Thorpe Bay's Jade Blackman was beaten 6-0 6-3 by Victoria Simpson in the girls' under-18 singles showpiece.

The tournament was organised by Jon Lee, Russell Pickup, Kaye Gordon, Keith Palmer and John Aggas at the Thorpe Bay Gardens club, while Rochford and Southend East MP Sir Teddy Taylor presented the prizes to the winners.

Published Thursday September 2, 2004

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