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News Menu Draws and Fixtures All the latest from the world of Rackets. News Archive Look through our past news items, going back a full four years: 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 Ask Your Question If you've a specific question - ask the Rackets.co.uk Team. ............................................ Specialist Links Sponsorship We provide promotion & sponsorship opportunities to suitable companies. Site Terms Our complete terms of use.	Robinson wins second Amateur Championship photo Dowling Alister Robinson beat Charlie Danby in straight games 15/1,15/5,15/9 to win the 2005 Lacoste Amateur Singles. Robinson who last won this Championship in 2001 put up an immaculate display of attacking rackets which never gave Danby, whose first major final this was, a chance to settle. Charlie, seeded 7, had provided the tournaments major upset when he beat the defending Champion Guy Smith-Bingham in the 1/4 finals 15/3,7/15,15/7,15/6. in this match Danby played by far the more intelligent game serving well, hitting the ball to a good length, straightening it and cutting it off before the back wall during the rallies leaving Guy trying to hit too many outright winners early in the rallies. In the semi final round Charlie beat the evergreen Willie Boone 3 games to 1 15/3,1/15,17/16,15/0. Willie was bidding to play in his 24th Amateur final and when he reached game point at 2/1 in the set to three at the end of the third game it seemed likely that he might do it. Danby however showed his mettle by refusing to buckle and having won that game he took the match 15/0 in the fourth. He succeeded by serving well especially to the right hand side, Boone's backhand wing and despite having been steamrollered by Willie's hammer serves in the second game continuing to attack on the return of serve some of his takes being truly inspired. Ali dropped his only game of the competition in the 1/4 final against John Prenn. Having won the first two games for the loss of only 10 points he found the former World Champion too good in the third, Prenn's serve and return of serve especially on the back hand side being reminiscent of John in his pomp. In Robinson's semi final against 4th seed Tim Cockroft the eventual Champion was always in control and although Tim fought hard and there were a number of entertaining rallies the result was never in doubt. photo Dowling The first game of the final was dominated by Ali who took a 7/0 lead in his first hand before serving a double fault. Charlie was unable to capitalise on this and did not score on his serve and despite putting Ali out for no further score straight away in his next hand Ali won the 8 points he needed for the game. the second game followed a similar pattern Robinson going to a 5/0 and then 10/1 and 12/1 before serving another double to let Danby in, who served 3 aces in winning 4 points to take his score to 5/12. Robinson won the game in his next hand. At this stage of the match apart from the 2 double faults Robinson had played virtually faultless rackets and Charlie in his first singles final since beating Harry Foster in the Public Schools Singles in 1991, was not being given a chance to find his game. In what was to be the final game, Danby at last began to play some of the rackets of which he is capable, contesting the rallies on equal terms and finding a length on his serve but it was too late there was to be no stopping Robinson who continued to have the final say however hard Danby contested the points and finished the match with another ace. He served 23 aces to Charlies 9. Draw Other Links ....................................................................................................................................... Read About The History Of Rackets From its roots of a game played outside taverns, through to the modern game. About The Past Champions The past and present leading players of the game. Find Out The Latest Results In The World Of Rackets All the results, fixtures and draws for the UK game.