SIMON Roberts won the Men's Singles title in the BSF Tennis Championships with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win over John Lister.

He thrilled the spectators with a display of controlled driving that left Lister struggling and at times frustrated.

Those local tennis enthusiasts who have followed Simon's progress over the last 10 years or so were delighted, that an unflappable and co-operative young man has reached the pinnacle of local tennis -- a just reward for the example that he sets.

John should not be disheartened. He has plenty of talent and his time will surely arrive one day.

Danielle Hock retrieved a desperate situation against Lisa Cartwright in the Ladies Singles. Lisa was leading 6-1, 4-1 but then seemed to run out of steam. She had been required to play her Mixed Doubles semi-final in the late morning as a consequence of the rain on Friday evening, and this left her lacking the necessary energy when Danielle turned on the heat.

After 10 successive titles and 15 in all, it is unlikely that Lisa will call it a day and the crowd will be looking forward to a repeat encounter next year.

Bolton born, but Florida based, Anthony Nolan looked to be finding shale courts and unusual skies something of a problem when he let the first set go to Ellesmere based Chris Nutter in the Under 17s Boys Singles. However, Anthony steadied his game and played "the rallies" to eventually take the title.

The Girls Under 17s Singles also produced a surprise when last year's winner, Nicola Ullathorne lost the first set on the tie-break to Caroline Clare. Although, she took the second set comfortably, her Hawkshaw club-mate made her fight all the way for the final set which she eventually won 6-4.

The Ladies Doubles saw Sue Lawson and Rachel Anders retain their title against Jane Kehoe and Diane O'Brien in two sets, and Jane, partnered by Phil Shacklady, then had the misfortune to go down in the Mixed Doubles final against Jonathan Davies and Lisa Cartwright. This was some consolation for Lisa as they regained a title they last won in 1998.

There were some familiar names in the Men's Doubles final with Nick Hinnigan and Dave Gartside winning in three sets against Andrew Livingstone and Martin Robinson. The latter, in spite of his age, still has the advantage of rapid reactions and the ability to produce winners from seemingly impossible positions.

There was another three-setter in the Boys' Doubles with the Tyldesley pairing of Chris Blackshaw and Andrew Beswick winning 8-6 in the final set against Hawkshaw's' Mark Evans and Stanley Waddell.

Caroline Clare gained some consolation for her singles defeat when she took the Girls' Doubles, partnered by Elizabeth Cunningham against Natalie Settle and Sarah

Shacklady, but Sarah gained revenge in the Mixed Doubles when, with Michael Pearson as her partner, she beat Elizabeth and Stan Waddell.

The handicap events called the handicapping committee into question, with easy wins for Rebecca Dennard in the Ladies, partnered by Joanne Ball and in the Mixed with the assistance of Mick Batty. Lisa Morley and Gail Blackburn won only five games, while James Lever and Wendy Birchall lost 6-1, 6- 1.

In the Handicap Men's Doubles, the father and son combination of Andrew and Ian Westmoreland were never really pressured by Peter Haslam and Bernard Millington There was further disappointment in the Walker's camp when, in the Veteran Men's Doubles when Bernard Kirkbright failed to win one of the new trophies being presented in memory of his popular brother, Tony. He was partnered by Lostock's Cliff Delvard but they went down 6-5, 6-0 to Stan Bleakley and Ken Nixon.

There were popular wins for Rosemary Howell and Pauline Teasdale, against Fran Biggins and Beryl Richards in the Ladies Veterans event and, in the Veterans Mixed, Nigel Whittle and Janet Pendlebury scraped home 6-5 in the final set.

Stuart Cartwright won the Plate against Andrew Westmoreland. This gave him some consolation for his first round defeat in the Men's Singles.

Men's Singles (Sponsor -- Caswell Engineering Services Ltd): S Roberts beat J Lister 6-1 6-2.

Ladies Singles (Sponsor -- GB Silicone Technology Ltd): D Hock beat L Cartwright 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Boy's Singles (Sponsor -- Adco Signs): A Nolan beat C Nutter 3-6, 6-3, 6-0.

Girl's Singles (Sponsor -- Recruitment Zone Ltd): N Ullathorne beat C Clare 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.

Boy's Under 13 Singles (Sponsor -- McKenzie Martin Ltd): J Shacklady beat C Gregory 6-1, 5-7, 8-6.

Girl's Under 13 Singles (Sponsor -- McKenzie Martin Ltd): 0 Brown beat H Wilson 6-0, 6-0.

Level Men's Doubles (Sponsor -- Bolton Physiotherapy Clinic): N Hinnigan & D Gartside beat M Robinson & A Livingstone 6-1, 6-7, 6-4.

Level Ladies Doubles (Sponsor -- Bolton Sports Federation): S Lawson & R Anders beat J Kehoe & D O'Brien 6-1,7-5.

Level Mixed Doubles (Sponsor -- Brabbin & Rudd Ltd): J Davies & L Cartwright beat P Shacklady & J Kehoe 6-4, 6-4.

Boys' Doubles (Sponsor -- Silk Group): C Blackshaw & A Beswick beat M Evans & S Waddell 3-6, 6-1, 8-6.

Girls' Doubles (Sponsor -- Mach-Aire Ltd): C Clare & E Cunningham beat N Settle & S Shacklady 6-4, 6-1.

Junior Mixed Doubles (Sponsor -- Lancaster -- The Estate Agents): M Pearson & S Shacklady beat S Waddell & E Cunningham 6-1, 6-2.

Handicap Men's Doubles (Sponsor -- Halifax Property Services): I Westmoreland & A Westmoreland (-15) beat P Haslam & B Millington (-15.3) 6-2, 6-3.

Handicap Ladies Doubles (Sponsor -- Just Flights Ltd): J Ball & R Dennard (-30) beat L Morley & G Blackburn (-15.3) 6-2, 6-3.

Handicap Mixed Doubles (Sponsor -- Bolton Evening News): M Batty & R Dennard (- 1 5) beat J Lever & W Birchall (-15) 6-1, 6- 1.

Veteran Men's Doubles (Sponsor -- Morris Greenhalgh Ltd): S Bleakley & K Nixon (-15) beat C Delvard & B Kirkbright (-30) 6-5, 6-0.

Veteran Ladies Doubles (Sponsor -- Bolton Sports Federation): R Howell & P Teasdale (-0.3) beat F Biggins & B Richards (-15) 6-2, 6-5.

Veteran Mixed Doubles (Sponsor -- Readey's Sports Trophies): N Whittle & J Pendlebury (-15.3) beat A & K Taylor (-0.3) 6-3, 4-6, 6-5.

Men's Plate (Sponsor -- JD Consultancy Ltd): S Cartwright beat A Westmoreland 7-5, 6-1.

Friday Evening & Saturday morning results:

Ladies Singles Semi-Final: D Hock beat R Anders 6-2, 6-1.

Men's Doubles Semi-Final: M Robinson & A Livingstone beat J Davies & A Riley 7-5, 6-3.

Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals: P Shacklady & J Kehoe beat N Hinnigan & T Walker 6-1, 6-4; J Davies & L Cartwright beat M Robinson & S Howell 6-1, 6-7, 6-2.

Girls Under 17 Singles Semi-Finals: N Ullathorne beat S Shacklady 6-2, 3-0 rtd; C Clare beat C Hartopp 6-2, 6-0.

Junior Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals: S Waddell & E. Cunngham beat C Farnworth & L Taylor 6-2, 3-6, 8-6; M Pearson & S Shacklady beat M Evens & B Lamprey 6-2, 6-0.

Handicap Men's Doubles Semi-Finals: I & A Westmoreland (-15) beat M Heaton & D Roscoe (- 15.3) 6-3, 6-4; P Haslam & B Millington (-15.3) beat C Nutter & A Nixon (-15) 5-6, 6-5, 6-2.

Handicap Ladies Doubles Semi-Final: J Ball & R Dennard (-30) beat I Kilburn & S McClelland (-15) 5-6, 6-4, 6-5.

Handicap Mixed Doubles Quarter-Finals: M Batty & R Dennard (-15) beat B Millington & S Prendergast (-30) 6-3, 6-2; S Roberts & D Sylvester (-40) beat M Finch & B Gregory (-30) 6-3, 6-3.

Semi-Finals: J Lever & W Birchall (-15) beat L Sharples & K Kay (-30) 2-6,6-2, 6-1;

M Batty & R Dennard (-15) beat S Roberts & D Sylvester (-40) 4-1 rtd.

Handicap Veterans Mixed Doubles Semi-Final: A & K Taylor (-0.3) beat G. Edgington & J Walsh (-30) 6-3, 4-6, 6-5.