Brown Advisory Ladies British Open Singles Championships 2025

Cesca served first, and steadily built up an early advantage, 4-1 and then 6-3, winning a magnificent point to reclaim the serve. But then the match became tight, with both players struggling to capitalise on their serve. Cesca just kept up a slightly better momentum, moving ahead 8-4, but then Claire rallied back to trail 6-9. However, Cesca found her serve and three points on her next hand gave her a 12-6 lead. Claire struck back to narrow the gap, 8-12, but Cesca then played another superb point to reclaim the serve and then served out the first game to 15/8, and the vital first game.

The second game again started tightly, 1-all after both ladies had served two hands. Cesca again couldn’t make any progress, but Claire then stepped up and won five points to lead 6-1. Cesca took the service back and now hit her own purple patch, including yet another superb point in a spell-binding nine-point run, to lead 10-6. Claire fought back but points were difficult, finally pulling back to 8-11 before Cesca played out a three-point hand to game point at 14-8. Claire didn’t surrender, gaining the serve and a further point, but Cesca took the game at the second time of asking, 15/9, and now led two games to love.

The third game saw both ladies completely in their rhythm and well matched, 1-all, then 3-all, before Claire nudged ahead to lead 6-4 and then 8-4. But Cesca was never far behind and slowly but surely narrowed the gap to 6-9, and then leveled at 9-all. Cesca’s serve then continued to be a huge weapon with five points in the next hand to 14-9 and Championship Point. Claire won the point with a brilliant winner but it was merely a delay as Cesca recovered the serve and served out the match on the second time of asking, 15/9, to become 2025 Open Champion.

Overall, a top-class match between two great players. Cesca’s serve was a dominating factor, winning twice as many points as unreturnable serves as Claire, with both players excelling in open play.

T&RA Chairman, Richard Compton-Burnett presented the prizes with Judy Angus, a long-time supporter of the Ladies’ game. Huge thanks to tournament organiser, Eve Shenkman and, of course, Brown Advisory, now in their tenth year as T&RA Rackets sponsors. Howard Angus was the ever-present marker throughout the tournament and assisted by last year’s champion, Georgie Willis, as referee.