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Titchener-Barrett got off to a fast start serving to a length and killing the ball when he had the opportunity, without making any unnecessary errors. Indeed throughout the match Alex played with great maturity only on rare occasions falling into the trap of over hitting. He took an 8/0 lead in his first hand and after his second service run held a 13/3 advantage. At this stage he seemed to be in charge of the match. Jamie having got back in showed that it would not be that straightforward by having a service run of 8 to get back to 11/13. Alex put him out with a good backhand return of serve straight and to a nice length and having reached game point finished off the game with an ace , one of the 14 he would serve over the course of the match.

Stout put Titchener-Barrett out for no score at the start of the second game and had a run of nine points before being put out himself. During this run he played to his strengths, showing why he will continue be so difficult to beat, hitting almost all of his shots to a good length, making very few unforced errors and avoiding over hitting being content to get the ball back if there is no other option. His movement around the court is deceptively good, as he rarely looks to be hurrying but reaches virtually every ball. It took him only three more hands to win the game.

photo T im Edwards

The next two games followed a similar pattern with Alex playing well, hitting the ball hard, straight and low when he had the chance and trying to concentrate his play on his opponents backhand. This produced some delightful rallies for a packed gallery but Stout ended up winning 90% of them. An exceptionally neat and contained player he

rarely hits the ball flat out but can do so when he wishes to do so. the final game was the closest of the match with Alex keeping just in front almost to the wire building leads of 8/3, 11/8 and then 13/10 before Jamie having regained service won the next 8 points in one hand, serving 5 aces four of them in the set to five, to win the game and the match. He served 25 service aces in total.

Stout had beaten Professional Singles Champion Mark Hubbard in the semi finals winning 15/14,15/8,15/3,15/8. Titchener-Barrett had come out on top in a magnificent struggle against World Champion Harry Foster, winning 15/7 in the seventh and last game, the first time Foster had been beaten in single sin two years. John Prenn of sponsors Lacoste paid tribute to both the quality of the play and the sportsmanship of both players at the on court presentation at the end of the match.

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