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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.	Harry Foster and John Prenn of sponsors Lacoste This season's Lacoste sponsored Open Singles proved to be one of the most open for many years with two unseeded players reaching the semi finals for the first time in more than 10 years. 26 year old Mark Farmiloe, who lost to Harry Foster in straight games in the semi finals, had pulled off the upset of the Championships when he beat Neil Smith, former World Champion and 4th seed, in the round of the last sixteen and them franked this form by defeating fifth seed James Beaumont in the 1/4 finals. Most unfortunately half way through the first game of his semi final with Foster he pulled a muscle in his left arm and although he played on, the injury definitely blunted one of the main weapons in his armoury, his serve, but having shown his ability at this level he should go further soon. The other unseeded player to reach the semis and who also put out two seeds, was the extraordinarily evergreen Willie Boone. At 56 and now with a leonine head of hair gradually turning from grey to white, Willie put out sixth seed Charlie Danby in a close five games winning the final game 15/12, before dismissing third seed and newly crowned Professional Singles Champion, Mark Hubbard, who is a mere 1/4 of a century younger, in four games, using his hammer serve to great effect. He used it well again in his semi final against Guy Smith-Bingham and although he lost 3 games to one showed tremendous fitness and his usual determination. The final saw the World Champion at his most tenacious. Behind for the first half of the first game, he came back from 5/8 down to take the next 10 points in one hand to win 15/8. Once again his powers of retrieval were most marked. Time and again throughout the match he reached balls that looked to be beyond his reach thereby frustrating his opponent. Another noticeable feature was the speed of the balls used throughout the tournament, which led to some stunning rallies but also did not allow the full skill of the players to show through. Foster was in control from the start of the second game, which he began with an ace and then took a 5/2 and then 7/4 lead before reaching game ball at 14/4 in his next hand. Service changed hands six times before he was able to take the game and a 2 games to love lead with an ace, his 7th game ball. The next two games provided the best rackets of the match with both players now more accustomed to the severe pace and able to return serve to better effect. Harry began the third game with a run of 7 including 3 aces and it appeared that this game might go the same way as the first two. Guy however was starting to straighten the ball more and to hit it harder and this gave foster less time and kept him more on the defensive and guy was able to level the scores in two hands and then to take the lead 11/8 on his next service and then go to game ball with two aces. Harry fought back to 12 /14 but then served onto the back wall and having killed with a hard low forehand straight down the wall, Guy took the game with another ace. He continued to dominate in the fourth game going into a 7/3 lead and then leading 10/6 and 12/8 before taking the two points he needed to level the scores at 2 games all. As in the third game he was winning points by keeping the ball straight and cutting out unforced errors. Harry Foster is always dangerous when under pressure and so it proved in what turned out to be the final two games. Guy was unable to keep up the standard of the two games he won and although he tried new tactics, a series of drop shots, Harry came in at 4/4 ad went to 10 4 in one hand and then 13/6 and took the game 15/8. Harry was by now at the top of his game and Guy wsa looking weary and the last game was brief with Foster going to an 8/2 and then 13/3 lead in two hands before taking the game with two aces. Foster thus finishes the singles season on this side of the Atlantic as he began, undefeated. 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.