Sarah Cousins clinched two titles at the recent County Derry Tennis Championships, defending the singles title she won last year before then teaming up with coach Matthew McGann to lift the mixed doubles crown.

The championships, held at Limavady Tennis Club, enjoyed one of the largest entries in recent years. Competitors travelled from all over the province to compete.

Last year’s singles champions, Sarah Cousins and Matthew McGann of Enniskillen Tennis Club were back this year to defend their titles. Sarah, just 15 years of age, has had some success this summer playing in the very competitive Dublin junior tournament circuit. She had recently made the final of the Leopardstown junior open and she was hoping to build on the form she displayed there. Sarah’s semi-final was against Lauren Stead who plays for Queens University. Sarah won the match 6-2 6-3 and this set up a final against Eva Lennox from ATT in Ballymena. Right from the start Sarah showed that she was in great form. She hit countless forehand winners and serves that Eva struggled to return. Sarah raced away to a 4-2 lead but Eva showed great resolve and fought back by breaking Sarah’s serve in the next game. This did not phase Sarah though and she went on to win the set 6-4. In the second set it seemed then that Sarah moved into another gear and she played an almost flawless second set. Despite Eva’s best efforts Sarah remained in complete control. The spectators were in awe of the power that Sarah was able to hit her forehand with. It seemed as though Eva was under attack and with countless winners Sarah won the second set 6-0 and with it the ladies singles title.

In the mixed doubles Sarah partnered her coach Matthew and the pair faced Eva Lennox and her partner Peter Fryer in the final. The Enniskillen pair got off to a great start by breaking the big serving Peter. Sarah comfortably won her serve and the scene was set for another dynamic performance by Sarah. Matthew, her coach stated that he was “amazed at how hard and accurately she was hitting the ball and just so glad she was on the same side of the court as me”. At one stage in the first set opponent Peter just laughed and said there was nothing he could do against the power of Sarah’s strokes. Sarah and Matthew went on to win in straight sets 6-2 6-4. Two years ago, Sarah made history by being the youngest player to ever win the senior trophy at this event. She is now delighted to both complete a treble of County Derry singles titles wins and to have added the mixed doubles title trophy to her collection.