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Harry Foster defeated Mark Hue Williams by three games to two 15/4,9/15,15/9,12/15,15/10 to retain his Invitation singles title and to stretch his winning run in singles tournaments, over the last three seasons, to eight.

Foster had an untroubled run through the round robin stages beating Hue Williams, David Makey, professional at Tonbridge and James Beaumont, this group provided both finalists in Foster as group winner and Hue Williams as runner up. The other group consisting of James Coyne, Mark Hubbard, Charlie Danby and Alex Titchener-Barrett was more open with all the players losing at least one match. Hubbard lost to Danby, Danby lost to Coyne and Titchener-Barrett, Titchener-Barrett lost to Hubbard and Coyne, and Coyne lost to Hubbard. This left Coyne winning the group to play Hue Williams in the semi finals and Hubbard to face Foster.

Coyne had ample opportunity to beat Hue Williams, leading 9/0 in the first game before losing it 11/15 and then taking the second 15/0. This pattern was repeated in the next two games Mark winning the first to 10 before James took the fourth comfortably 15/3. Mark's greater experience, assisted by some unnecessary errors from James took him through to the final,taking the last game 15/7. The World Champion had an easier passage in his match beating perennial opponent Mark Hubbard in four games 15/9,6/15,15/8,15/6.

The final lasted 75 minutes and or the first hour the action although at times furious found neither player at their best. Foster having won the spin, served two aces, but then won serve four more times before scoring another point. he went to 4/2 and then 8/2 before Hue Williams served two aces to reach 4/8 before Harry, back in the box, had a run of 7 points including 4 successive aces from 11/6 to take the game 15/6. Although he then took an 9/7 lead in the second game, this time it was Mark, having won serve, who had a run of 8 points and helped by three unforced errors from Harry, won the game 15/9.

The third and fourth games followed a similar pattern and although both protagonists were hitting some great shots there was also a good deal of over hitting. When Harry having won the third game 15/9 then led by 11/6 and then 12/6 it seemed as though he was going to take the title in four games, Mark having put him out with a very good low, hard backhand return down the wall won eight points straight to go to 14/12 and although Foster won serve once more he served poorly onto the back wall and Mark having made no mistake with a straightforward kill finishes the game with an ace. Over the course of the match Harry served 32 aces with 22 of them coming in the first and last games, 10 and 12 respectively and Mark served 26.

The last game produced the best rackets from both players. Hue Williams opened up with 3 ace serves but then lost his turn, serving a double fault.

Foster at last seemed to find his timing and this combined with his renowned determination ensured he won the day. During many of the rallies he looked to be in trouble only to produce an extraordinary shot, no more so than at 12/10 ahead he found a winner from an impossible position deep in his backhand corner to go to 13/10 and then served 3 aces to take the game and the Championship.

Draw

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