Bob in Spain wrote:

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YES. Our second winner of the day.

WELL PLAYED THAT MAN !!!

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 ... and our second player to win their first Futures singles title today!

A brilliant week from Ashley - he beat the 7th seed, the Bournemouth champ and then the top 3 seeds to win the title - there can hardly be a more impressive way to do it than that!

He should rise to around 520 on 20 May.

The trend continues. Anyone who beats Evo goes on to win the tournament.

Biq well done to Ash.

That makes 4 futures wins for GB in the last two weeks. And we may not have finished yet.

Time to switch over to the USA for Kyle.

Well Done !   

scottie1 wrote:

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just great saw Ashley in Edinburgh few years ago he looked promising then, then saw him in Glasgow last October and he was lethal on a fast court I really dont think clay would be his best surface. However everyone has been raving about Corrie and his rise in the rankings but Ashley is a far more promising player. Absolutely chuffed for him

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I agree. Ed has done very well this year but Ash has far more potential.

Well that was an interesting and quite remarkable match.

Weather had been dampish all day without any downpours so play continued through little bits of light rain.
I arrived at 1-4 in the second set, thinking OK this is going to be quick and certainly it looked that way when Michon had 15-40, but somehow Ash got it back to deuce without playing that well before a pivotal point in the match. Ash served an Ace but Michon complained to the umpire Jamie K and Jamie came out of his chair and studied the mark for a good 30 seconds, Michon complaining the whole time that he was looking at the wrong mark. Now Jamie is a top umpire so I know who was right but the Frenchman semi lost it at that stage. The momentum had now changed completely Ash really lifted his level whilst Michon rattled started to make the odd error. Ash was now in a position to serve for that set, but had a rough couple of games, before holding for the TB. The TB ebbed and flowed but at 4-2 down the writing looked on the wall, before 5 consecutive points you could only really dream about turned it around, 3 winners off the ground followed by 2 aces saw Ash home.

Overall if I'm guessing I would say that Ash probably hit twice as many winners and UEs as his opponent so the match was on his racket.

The third set was more or less straightforward, both players holding without facing break points until 4-3, when Ash suddenly raised his level to the max. but then squandered a couple of break points being too passive. Another pivotal point occurred at deuce when a DTL shot from Ash hit the line but was called out by the linesman before being overruled immediately by Jamie. Damage done as the point then had to be replayed which Ash lost. Ash regrouped though to generate another BP opportunity which this time he took. With nerves jangling courtside I assumed that Ash would probably tighten up serving for his first title, but anything but sending down at least a couple of Aces in serving it out to 15.

I said to him afterwards that I had only arrived when he was 1-4 down in the second, and he thanked me for turning up when I did. There you go a bit of a lucky charm today.

Ash never gets rattled on court, cool as a cucumber similar to Kyle in a way which is a big benefit. He has all the shots when he's on as well. Finally a few members of his family were there watching as well, so a special day for the Hewitt family.

No problem, and all done free of charge haha !