Great Britain’s Charles Broom shone on Centre Court as he continued his fine grass court season at day five of the LTA’s Lexus Ilkley Trophy, writes Jacob Elomri.
Mikhail Kukushkin’s summer continued to be spoilt by the British as he suffered his third tournament exit at the hands of a Brit. This time, Hertfordshire’s Broom dealt the cruel blow after he edge the Kazakh in their first set tiebreak before motoring into the second round, 7-6(2) 6-1.
Lexus Surbiton Trophy champion Lloyd Harris bested Great Britain’s Arthur Fery in straight sets on Court One with Fery just missing out in the tiebreak, 6-4, 7-6(5).
19-year-old Ranah Stoiber returned to court against reigning Junior Australian Open champion Renata Jamrichova, but her lack of grass-court practice jolted the Brit early on.
The 16-year-old snapped up the opening set, but Stoiber remained focused and completed her comeback inside two hours and 12 minutes after converting her eight match point, 4-6 7-5 7-6(5).
The tournament’s rising star of Ella McDonald came faced with Dutch world No.158 Arianne Hartono. The Brit had beat players over 500 rankings above her through qualifying, meant intimidation wouldn’t be too intense. She had to come from behind in the first with a tie break even though she broke early on. In the second she let a break slip. Then possibly the frustration of that powered her to the final set in just over 32 minutes winning 7-6(4) 5-7 6-2.
Ella McDonald’s dismissal of the conventions of ITF rankings continued as she claimed her third-straight ranking scalp of the tournament.
Preston’s McDonald took the first set in a tightly-fought first set tiebreak before relinquishing control in the second set. McDonald’s frustration in completing the match in straight sets inspired onto a 32-minute final set which booked her place in the second round, 7-6(4) 5-7 6-2.
Someone from Britian was able to get a more straight forward win however. Amarni Banks was able to slice through Mai Hotoama in straight sets 6-1 6-2 in just under an hour. The second will hold France’s Jessika Ponchet.
Lancashire’s Armani Banks avoided the fashion of the day, completing her rout of Japan’s Mai Hontama in just under an hour, 6-1 6-2.
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