IDEAL tennis weather brought out the best in Manor Park Tennis Club's tournament finals day.

Fran Eckersley retained her ladies singles title with exemplary tactical tennis, despite a great performance from 14-year-old Lizzie Gorton, who had entered the ladies competition for the first time, (6-0 6-2).

Partnered by Rory Guilding, Fran went on to take the mixed doubles trophy by winning a fast-paced, exciting match against Chris Skinner and Nancy Zhang (6-4 6-4). Fran, whose tennis is sponsored by Leonard Simmons Associates of Malvern, recently became county ladies' singles champion and county ladies' doubles champion with her partner Everley Morris from Bromsgrove.

Steve Bauer dominated the men's singles final from the start with awesome serve and attacking tennis which restricted Ben Marks' natural game (6-2 6-1).

Steve joined Manor Park as a coach last autumn when he moved from Wiltshire. Ben Marks (16) was delighted to have reached the final.

Partnered by his father, Mike Marks, Ben went on to retain the family doubles trophy in an amazing, highly contested and extremely close match against Barry and Richard Tuck (6-3 3-6 7-6). Richard Tuck and Ben Marks seemed evenly matched, both exhibiting powerful tennis when they contested the U17 boys singles title. However, Ben took the trophy (7-5 6-4).

Penny Smith and Louise Thorp won the ladies' doubles trophy despite losing the first set to runners up Ali Tuck and Ali Reid (5-7 6-0 6-1).

Club coach Chris Skinner partnered by Dave Reid found particularly fine form in the second set when the beat Geoff Smith and Rory Guilding (7-6 6-1) in a dynamic match enjoyed by all.

Nick Hall and Tom Hurley took the men's veterans trophy with runners up Andrew Sanders and Eddie Bray (6-0 6-3).

Spectators enjoyed the mixed 45's doubles final which swung both ways before Barry Tuck and Jo Marks took the title (3-6 6-2 6-3) with Nick Hall and Ali Tuck, the runners-up.

Tony Fryer won the men's singles plate (6-2 6-3) with Charlie Titmuss (a junior member) runner-up.

Barney White and Colin Weedon beat Peter Clement and Ralph Cook (6-2 6-4) for the men's doubles plate. The ladies' doubles plate was won by Helen Burton and Collette James (1-6 6-4 6-3), runners-up Bev Bond and Bev Brocklehurst. Dave and Liz Hallam took the mixed doubles plate (7-5 6-4), runners-up Barney White and Helen Burton. Katherine and Mike Stokes won the family doubles plate beating Pippa and Steve Lewis in a very evenly matched final (0-6 6-4 6-3). Teresa Guest beat Lynn Dee to take the ladies' singles plate.

The U11 girls' singles was won by Zo Guest, (6-0 6-2) with Emma Shaw runner-up. Seb Timmermans won the U11 boy's singles in a long match against Callum Reid (6-1 3-6 6-2). The U13 girls' singles final also swung both ways before being won (6-3 0-6 6-2) by Katherine Panton-Kent, runner-up Katherine Stokes. David Hodgetts played decisive, strong tennis to take the U13 boy's singles trophy (6-0 6-0) with runner-up Harry Wickett.

Lizzie Gorton, in fine form, won the U15 girls' singles (6-2 6-2) with Katherine Panton-Kent runner-up, and also the U17 girls' singles (6-0 6-1) with Emma Marks runner-up Stephen Coffey beat Ryan Hardiman (6-1 1-6 6-3).

In the junior doubles, Zo Guest and Emma Shaw beat Catherine Fleming and Gemma James (6-0 6-2). Seb Timmermans and Jordan Hick beat Callum Reid and Chris Colenso (6-7 6-3 6-3) to take the U11 boy's doubles and Katherine Stokes and Holly Wootten beat Pippa Lewis and Emily Rushen (6-2 7-6) in the U15 girls' doubles. The U15 boy's doubles was won by Ryan Hardiman and Stephen Coffey (6-0 6-1) with runners-up Tom Guilding and Ben Shaw. Ellie Cornelius won the U11 girls plate. George Hodgetts defeated Tom Marks (6-1 6-2) in the U13 boy's plate, and Emily Rushen beat Ella Guest (6-1 6-1) to win the U13 girls' plate. Jack Cooney beat Harry Wickett (6-4 6-4) to win the U15 boy's plate. The U15 boy's doubles plate was won by Tom Marks and James Herd (7-6 6-0) with runners-up Harry Muskin and Tom Fathers.