Wrexham Tennis Centre was the scene of two career landmarks over the weekend as Kettering’s Dermot Bailey and Newport’s Debbie Brazier claimed the men’s and women’s singles titles at the ITF Futures Series Wrexham Wheelchair Tennis Tournament.
Bailey ensured his debut inside the Top 50 of the men’s singles world rankings with victory at the seventh of nine world ranking events in Britain in 2015 as Wrexham hosted an international wheelchair tennis tournament supported by the Tennis Foundation and Tennis Wales for the third successive year.
The 21-year-old British No. 5 justified top seeding in Wrexham, reaching the men’s singles final for the loss of just seven games in three matches to set up his third meeting of 2015 against second seed Paul Stewart.
After beating Stewart in the last 16 of the Sheffield ITF Futures event in April and in the final in Gloucester in May en route to his first two singles titles of the year, Bailey again proved too strong for his doubles partner and prevailed 7-6(5), 6-3 to lift his fourth singles title of the season.
“I’m delighted with my results in Wrexham. I was taken to three sets by Paul in the final in Gloucester, but was conscious of having an injury during that match and this was a completely different contest,” said Bailey, who is part of the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme.
“I was a bit tense to start with but played well at key moments. In the first set tie-break I upped my level to lead 5-1 and didn’t let him back in. Then in the second set I needed about ten match points to finally finish it off, so was really pleased to get the job done.”
Bailey and Stewart also lived up to their top billing in the men’s doubles, adding to their victory as a partnership in Gloucester.
Meanwhile, Newport’s Brazier, ensured the women’s singles title stayed in Wales as she claimed just the second international main draw singles title of her career and her first in Britain.
Brazier avenged a recent loss to fellow Brit Helen Bond in Manchester with a 7-5, 6-3 quarter-final win in Wrexham and then raced through her semi-final for the loss of just one game before beating top seed Val Fisher for the first time in three matches between the two players this season, prevailing 6-4, 6-4.
“I'm really thrilled to have won in Wrexham, especially as I live in Wales. It's always a well-run event and the staff at the centre are very welcoming and friendly. It was a close, tough final. Val is an excellent player and has had the better of me for some time, so it makes it extra special,” said Brazier, who also partnered Bond to win the women’s doubles.
