Southern success for Hastings vets

Ritchie Venner (Saints) teamed up with Essex-based Lorestas Trumpauskas to clinch the over-40s men’s doubles by beating Andy Trott (Northamptonshire) and John Alsop (Bedfordshire) 11-4, 11-4, 12-10 in the final.

Venner, the national number five veteran man, lost to his top ranked doubles partner 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 2-11 in the semi-finals of the over-40s men’s singles at the K2 Crawley.

Rose Rainton (Hollington) captured the over-40s women’s doubles in partnership with Sanya Clements (Dorset). They defeated Sue Collier (Cheshire) and Sandra Rider (Yorkshire) 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-4 in the final.

Rather like Venner, Rainton was also knocked out of the over-40s women’s singles in the semi-finals by her doubles partner over five games. Rainton, ranked sixth, was pipped 11-8 in the fifth by second-ranked Clements.

Venner and Rainton joined forces to reach the semi-finals of the mixed doubles where they were edged out 9-11 in the deciding fifth game by the Kent combination of Joe Kennedy and Jackie Williams.

Sheila King (Tigers) got to the final of the over-50s women’s doubles alongside Jenny Harrison (Essex). They went ahead against Teresa Devaney (Ireland) and Maria Gaftea (Romania) before succumbing 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.