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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.	Foster wins Amateur Championship John Prenn of Lacoste presents the trophy to Harry Foster Harry Foster beat Guy Smith-Bingham by three games to two, 17/15,7/15,8/15,15/9,15/9, in a close and exciting match, to win his first Amateur Championship. In the semi finals Harry beat Jonathan Larken, 15/14,15/5,15/18,15/5. For the second time this season Foster won but this was a much closer affair than the semi final of the Invitation 3 weeks ago, Larken had game point in the first game and won the third as he was taking serve better and was able to trouble the World Champion in the rallies. In the other side of the draw Smith-Bingham won convincingly 6,1,4, as he played well and Ali had a poor match. There were, for once, some surprises in the earlier rounds as 3 seeds lost before the 1/4 finals perhaps the outstanding win being that of Alaister Orchard, who kept his head in the eye of the on court storm, to beat Willie Boone three games to one, 11/15,15/18,15/5,15/8,15/0. The other surprise result was the defeat of 5th seed and 2005 finalist Charlie Danby by Richard Spender in straight games 15/12,15/12,15/5. James Beaumont had a good tournament beating 8th seed and US Amateur Champion Alex Coldicott and then taking a game of Foster in the 1/4 finals. The final, full of exciting rallies, was closely contested all the way untill half way through the fifth game when Foster got his head in front for the first time since winning the first game in the set to three. Foster led by 8/1 and then 9/3,11/6 and then 13/6 before Guy reached 11/13 in his next two hands. Harry got to game point but was put out by a great backhand return and Guy with two aces and a crosscourt winner reached 14 all. Both players had 2 blank hands in the set to 3 before Foster took a 2/0 lead and although Guy won one point Harry took the game with an ace. Throughout the match Harry served 11 fewer aces than Guy, 19 to Guy's 30.[Photo Dowling] Guy dominated the second and third games serving better and choosing his shots well although still prone to error, particularly when trying drop shots which he continued to do throughout the match with mixed fortune to say the least. He had two key runs of serve, in the second game from 6/5 to 10/5 and again from 10/5 to 14/5 before winning the game with an ace. The third game saw Smith-Bingham at his best varying his pace choosing, hitting the ball fiercly in the rallies and serving well; again he had a crucial run of serves from 5/8 down to lead at 11/8 and then 14/8 before a serve from Harry onto the back wall presented him with an easy kill before winning the game with his second game ball. The fourth and final games saw the World Champion at his grittiest, time and again retrieving balls from seemingly impossible places and putting pressure on Guy who had to win many rallies 2 or 3 times. In the fourth game he was helped when at 4 all and 4/6 down by unforced errors from Guy and at 9/8 by a double from his opponent Harry used these mistakes to fight his way back into the match. The final game was nip and tuck for six hands each as neither player was able to put together a run. Guy was the first to break the deadlock going from 4/2 to 7/2, Foster fought back to 6/7 and then took a lead he never relinquished at 10/7 and then 12/8 before he let Smith-Bingham back in with aback hand error. guy only managed a point before Foster had his first Championship point, and although he failed at the first attempt he won his first amateur Championship with his next serve. 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.