It’s a record-breaking weekend for Alpha stars

It was the first time they had completed the feat in their 50 year history, while all of the beaten finalists were also from the dominant Lisburn club.

Tony Stephenson, the defending champion in the Mens Singles, was to cruise through the opening rounds with consummate ease and would have been the happiest of the squad’s players with his two titles in the Mens Singles and Mens Doubles.

For Stephenson, it has been quite a difficult season as he, like most of his clubmates, had to play qualifying rounds on the European circuit as part of their Commonwealth Games preparations.

Stephenson’s quarter-final opponent was his doubles partner Tony Murphy and it was Stephenson who was to go through to a semi-final against Jonathan Harron, who had come through 21-7 in the deciding set having lost the second 21-18 to Sean Ng Shyuele, and was a 21-19 21-18 winner over Ross Lightbody in the opening round.

Alpha’s Andrew McKee brought an end to the aspirations of young Nhat Nguyen 21-17 21-10 and despite a close opening set against Jack O’Brien, the outcome was never in doubt as he booked a semi-final place against Stuart Lightbody 21-19 21-7.

Lightbody had to pull out of the Estonian Championships back in January when he had to be rushed to hospital for an appendix operation on the eve of the squad’s departure. He has come back earlier than anticipated, a testimony to his unwillingness to rule out his chance of making the trip to the Commonwealth Games.

Flame-haired Lightbody led 11-9 at the break and always maintained a few points advantage to take the opening set 21-16. Andrew McKee fought his way back into the semi and from a 4-3 deficit was to race into a 11-7 lead by taking eight of the next points.

Long rallies were obviously playing right into the hands of McKee and Lightbody was always on the back foot unable to finish off the points quickly and it was no real surprise that McKee took the game into a decider 21-14

Both players, having been a former doubles partnership, knew their opponent’s game intimately and when McKee enjoyed a 11-7 advantage there was doubt as to whether Lightbody could come back.

This doubt was answered by the 21-year-old as he got back into the match to level at 13 all and actually led 16-13 before McKee turned his game around to take his quest for the singles title one step further 21-19.

It was Stephenson, however, who retained his title winning 21-13 21-9. He went on to add the doubles title for good measure with his partner Tony Murphy, much to his delight:

He said: “It’s great because we know each other and we get on well. We’ve known each other a long time and we understand each other’s game.

“Hopefully we’ll play together at the Commonwealths but again that’s down to the selectors.”

Seeded second, the Murpy/Stephenson partnership then ended the hopes of Jonathan Harron and Ross Lightbody 21-13 21-14 before seeing off Satchal Madden and Paul Reynolds 21-18 21-11 to bring them face to face with Ciaran Chambers and Ryan Stewart. The number one seeds who have been enjoying quite a bit of success recently and had a 21-16 21-15 victory over Ian Suffern and Colin Watterson in the semi-final.

With so much at stake, the more experienced Murphy and Stephenson ran out the victors 21-16 21-11.

In the ladies singles, on her way to lifting the coveted title, Alpha’s Alannah Stephenson knocked out the top seeded Rachael Darragh who is a member of the High Performance squad. Lasting just short of the hour mark, the Wallace High School pupil recorded a three set victory which will have reverberations throughout Ireland.

Stephenson won the opening set 21-12, lost the second 11-21 and the Lisburn youngster was in control in the decider. This is will go down as a very important victory for Alannah who won the Irish Young Player of the Year award earlier this season.

In the semi-final, she had a 21-6 21-9 victory over Rebecca Getty to give her a final with 22 year old Sinead Chambers, who had beaten Ciara Dwyer 21-8 21-14.

Miss Stephenson got her challenge off to a great start winning the opening set 21-8 but it was her more experienced opponent Chambers who was to get back into the match and the second set was one which could have gone either way.

However, Alannah’s game continues to make great strides and she secured the Womens Singles title by taking the second set 22-20.

Experienced Sinead Chambers and Caroline Black lifted the doubles crown after coming out on top in the recent National Championships and defeated Keady Smith and Alannah Stephenson 21-13 21-16.

With Stuart Lightbody and Caroline Black knocking out the top seeds Ciaran and Sinead Chambers in an epic semi-final 21-19 15-21 21-17 there was a further sting in the tail of the Ulster Open when Ryan Stewart and Keady Smith, the No2 seeds, who had knocked out the seeded Tony Murphy and Alannah Stephenson 21-19 21-16 in the semi-final, were to fight their way back into the final having lost the opening set 21-19.

They took the match into the decider when they won the second 23-21 and ran out 22-20 victors in the final set.

The organisers appreciate competition sponsors Roadside Motors Lisburn, Electro and Mark McAlpine.