Over the August bank Holiday weekend Castlebar Tennis Club hosted their annual Pamex Senior Open.
Over 160 participants representing over 35 tennis clubs nationwide came to the west to play in doubles, mixed doubles and singles events. Over three days the competitors sliced, smashed and aced their way through the rounds. The weather could have put a dampener on proceedings but Castlebar Tennis Club has an air-supported dome and this allowed play to continue regardless of the rain.
This event is always very popular, not only does it give the opportunity for players to take part in a Tennis Ireland event but also allows for a great social atmosphere. Every year Castlebar Tennis Club provides not only a great venue but brilliant entertainment and food for participants. Castlebar Tennis Club was also one of the first tennis clubs in Ireland to introduce a plastic free policy and this year the Open kept to that promise by promoting players to bring their own sports bottles.
Notable wins over the weekend included Castlebar’s own Junior captain, Roisín Murphy, who won the ladies' A tournament without dropping a set. Another interesting winner in mixed doubles were Michael Hayes (currently living in Tennessee, USA ) and Ciara Hayes (living in England ) who came to visit their grandparents from Tourmakeady for one week and decided to play in the tournament. They cruised in their matches, winning the semifinal 6-0 6-0 and the final 6-0 6-1.
The Castlebar Tennis Club winners and runners up were as follows: Jay Frydrick won the men's A singles competition along with the gents' A doubles with his partner Janis Glazers from Claremorris. Roisin Murphy won the ladies' singles A competition, defeating fellow Castlebar player Emily Connolly. Sadbh Caulfield was the runner up in the ladies' singles B competition. The mixed C doubles was won by Larry Power and Margaret Glancy, defeating Patrica Armstrong and her partner Seosamh McNally from Westport. The ladies' doubles C was won by the duo of Emer Dunne and Emer O'Donnell and Donie Coleman and Paul Meldrum were the runners up in the gents' doubles C competition.
