Searle could end GB's 61-year wait for boys' champion

2 years ago 87
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Venue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 July
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Henry Searle will try to end a 61-year wait for a British boys' singles winner at Wimbledon after reaching the final.

The 17-year-old from Wolverhampton beat American Cooper Williams 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the last four and will play Russian fifth seed Yaroslav Demin on Sunday.

The last British boys' champion here was Stanley Matthews - son and namesake of the former Blackpool and England footballer - in 1962.

Unseeded Searle has not dropped a set and has knocked out three seeds.

He began his campaign by beating top seed Juan Carlos Prado Angelo of Bolivia then Brazilian eighth seed Joao Fonseca and fourth seed Williams.

Most recently, Britons Jack Draper (2018) and Liam Broady (2011) have featured in the boys' final but both missed out on the trophy.

Crowds packed around court four on Saturday morning to watch one of Britain's future prospects in action and the teenager started well, holding his nerve to keep the match on serve before some big serving and smart net play sealed the opener after a tie-break.

One break of serve was enough for Searle to clinch the second set and victory with his third match point and he celebrated with family and friends from his tennis club, who have created a raucous atmosphere at all of his matches.

A jubilant Searle, who often trains with senior British players like Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans, hugged and high-fived with his friends as children asked him for photographs and signed tennis balls.

Also in semi-final action on Saturday are British girls' doubles duo Hannah Klugman and Isabelle Lacy against American pair Tatum Evans and Alanis Hamilton.

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