Isle of Man Veteran’s Closed Tennis Championships provided a packed week of action at Castletown LTC in a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers.

Two events were held as round-robins with the remaining 12 as knockouts. 

Rob Comber made it four wins in succession in the 35 and over men’s singles, beating Nerijus Gricivicius 6-1 6-2.

Comber added to his singles titles with a 6-1 6-4 success in the 45 and over contest against Craig Blackwell.

Peter Dunworth, 63, took the 55 and over with a fairly comfortable win against Peter De Carte, 6-0 6-1.

The men’s 65 and over singles saw Graham Mcfarlane compete in the first of his two finals, but Alastair Montgomerie proved to be too strong with a 6-0 6-0 victory. 

Graham’s other final was a repeat of last year’s 75 and over singles, where Roy McLean took the title 6/1 7/6. 

The only women’s singles contest this year was the 35 and over where, in a repeat of the 2020 final, Kirree Ronan defeated Michaela Duchonova 7-6 2-6 10-7 in a match that lasted more than two hours. 

All the men’s and women’s doubles were contested this year. The men’s 35 and over saw Rob Mason and Neil Ronan retrieve the title they lost last year when beating Comber and Steve Falconer 6-4 6-1.

A very competitive 45 and over final resulted in a win for Dunworth and Craig Blackwell 6-4 7-5 over Comber and Montgomerie. Unfortunately, the 55 and over was cut short because of a retirement, Montgomerie/Dunworth taking the title against Andy Murray and Falconer. 

In the women’s 35 and over, Kirree Ronan took her second title when partnering Nicola Skillicorn to beat Cathy Tsitsos and Michaela Duchonova 4-6 6-2 10-3 in a very competitive final.

The 45 and over saw the new pairing of Susan Boot and Kathy Yamasaki beat Tania Thomas and Seraphina Batty 6-0 7-5. The 55 and over was won for the second year running by Tsitsos, this year with Michelle Simpson, when they beat Barbie Carter and Jenny Foy 6-1 6-0. 

Always one of the best entries is the 35 and over mixed doubles. Kirree Ronan teamed up with her brother Neil to take her third title for the second year running with a 4-6 6-3 10-7 win over Duchonova and Nerijus Gricivicius.

The mixed 55 and over was won by Caroline Davies and Simon Jones who beat Carter and Blackwell 3-6 6-3 10-6 in an extremely close final.

IoM Veteran Tennis Championships: Men’s Singles - 35 and over: Nerijus Gricivicius beat Will Watterson 6-3 6-1; Rob Comber bt Jabrane Moutiq 6-3 6-1; Nerijus Gricivicius bt Jos Woolford 4-6 6-1 10-1. Final - Comber bt Gricivicius 6-1 6-2. Men’s 45 and over: Chris Butler bt Peter Skelton 6-4 6-4; Chris Holland bt Will Watterson 6-1 6-4; Craig Blackwell bt Chris Holland 6-1 6-1; Rob Comber bt Chris Butler 6-1 6-0. Final - Comber bt Blackwell 6-1 6-4. Men’s 55 and Over: Dunworth bt De Carte 6-0 6-1. Men’s 65 and over: Alastair Montgomerie bt Graham McFarlane 6-0 6-0. Men’s 75 and over: Roy McLean beat Graham McFarlane 6-1 7-6.  

Women’s Singles - 35 and over: Michaela Duchonova bt Nicola Skillicorn 6-3 6-1; Kirree Ronan bt Nicola Skillicorn 6-2 6-3. Final - Ronan bt Duchonova 7-6 2-6 10-7. 

Men’s doubles - 35 and over: Neil Ronan & Rob Mason bt Andy Murray & Jabrane Moutiq 6-2 6-2; Rob Comber & Steve Falconer bt Nerijus Gricevicius & Rob Colquitt 6-4 6-4. Final - Ronan/Mason bt Comber/Falconer 6-4 6-1. Men’s 45 and over: Craig Blackwell & Peter Dunworth bt Peter Skelton & Peter De Carte 6-1 6-1; Rob Comber & Alastair Montgomerie bt Chris Butler & Simon Jones 6-0 6-0. Final - Blackwell/Dunworth bt Comber/Montgomerie 6-4 7-5. Men’s 55 and over: Montgomerie/Dunworth bt Andy Murray/Falconer 3-2 (retired). 

Women’s doubles - 35 and over: Kirree Ronan & Nicola Skillicorn bt Cathy Tsitsos & Michaela Duchonova 4-6 6-2 10-3. Women’s 45 and over: Tania Thomas & Seraphina Batty bt Jenny Foy & Amanda Munro 6-1 6-0; Susan Boot & Kathy Yamasaki bt Jenny Foy and Amanda Munro 6-1 6-0. Final - Boot/Yamasaki bt Thomas and Batty 6-0 7-5. Women’s 55 and over: Cathy Tsitsos and Michelle Simpson bt Barbie Carter and Jenny Foy 6-1 6-0. 

Mixed doubles - 35 and over: Tania Thomas

& Jabrane Moutiq bt Susan Boot & Colin

Beaven (w/o); Kathy Yamasaki & Steve Falconer

bt Jenny Foy & Peter Skelton 6-0 6-0; Michaela

Duchonova & Nerijus Gricivicius bt Nicola Skillicorn & Will Watterson 6-0 6-2; Kirree Ronan

& Neil Ronan bt Tania Thomas & Jabrane Moutiq 6-2 6-2; Michaela Duchonova & Nerijus Gricivicius

 bt Kathy Yamasaki & Steve Falconer 6-0 4-6 10-7.

Final - Ronan/Ronan bt Duchonova/Gricivicius 4-6 6-3 10-7. Mixed doubles 55 and over: Caroline Davies & Simon Jones bt Cathy Tsitsos & Kevin Drewry 6-4 0-6 13-11; Barbie Carter & Craig Blackwell bt Susan Boot & Colin Beaven 6-4 6-3. Final - Davies/Jones bt Carter/Blackwell 3-6 6-3 10-6.