Hainsworth’s finest hour

Wednesday 21st January 2009, 2:29PM GMT.

PAUL HAINSWORTH admits he surprised himself with his victory over Alice Loveridge in Monday night’s Jack Carrington Trophy tournament final.

A losing finalist in the 2008 event, he went one better a year on in the tournament which precludes anyone who has played in the Green Trophy team [men’s inter-insular] within the past three seasons.

Hainsworth, 20 (pictured), does not consider himself ready for the Green side yet, but is happy with his progress, which culminated in the shock win over Loveridge, top of the Division One averages and winner of the Capelles Open a fortnight earlier.

‘I’d played her three, four or five times this season and hadn’t got close,’ he said afterwards.

‘I was relaxed and quite focused.’