Hayley Warrington successfully defended her ladies singles title at the Holcombe Brook Open.

The Ramsbottom ace powered her way to victory over Rachel Branagan.

Spectators who were hoping for a replay of their topsy-turvy semi-final two years ago were disppointed as Branagan was unable to muster a single game in the match.

The Hawkshaw player gained some revenge when she partnered clubmate Lisa Cartright to victory in a titanic struggle against Warrington and her mother, Sue Lawson, winning 6-4, 7-5 in the doubles.

The men’s singles final was an all-Rochdale affair as Bamford’s Mike Ingham, the number two seed, avenged last year’s semi-final defeat when he beat top seed and hot favourite, Nathan Jones from Milnrow, in straight sets.

Former Manchester City Academy junior Matthew Boyle, from Summerseat, who only took up tennis a couple of years ago, won the boys under-16 event, with Bury’s Alec Foote taking the U-18s crown.

This weekend sees a flurry of activity in the Aegon Team Championships with Warrington and Branagan on the same side of the net as Brook take on Huddersfield in a regional event.

Both national teams are away, the ladies have a must win mach at Newhaven, Edinburgh, while the men take on unbeaten Homfirth side Thongsbridge.

Elsewhere, Hawkshaw A got their defence of the Cecil Cup under way with a comfortable 72-55.5 victory over David Lloyd (Bolton) C.

The pairings of Victoria Coxen and Natalie Freeguard, and Paul Evans and Edward Brown, were impressive as neither conceded a game in their respective four sets.

Last year’s beaten finalists Walmer A (Division Two) are also through to the next round with an impressive 72 to 53.5 win over Hawkshaw C (Division Three).

The Bury team’s ladies pairings of Pamela Leach and Diane Hardman, and Liz Morley and Gail Blackburn, were particularly strong with a total of only four games being dropped.

Elsewhere, Division Two side David Lloyd (Chorley) easily overturned Division One’s Hawkshaw B.

The closest match of the round was the game between Hawkshaw D and Lostock E.

The home side had a 16.5 handicap start over Lostock but, with the light fading and the scores even, it went down to the last game and the last point, with the Lostock side coming out on top 62-61.5.