Tournament organiser Keith Lesser reports:
Redbridge Open 2025 – Clash of the Racketlon Gladiators
Under the lights of Redbridge Arena – once a world championship battleground, now once more echoing with the sounds of soaring smashes, devastating drop shots and the roars of modern-day racketlon gladiators – the Redbridge Open delivered one of its most fiercely fought editions in memory.
From rising juniors to grizzled veterans, from elite world champions to fresh-faced first-timers, the arena welcomed warriors of all kinds – and only the toughest emerged with glory.
Men’s A Elite Singles – Griffiths Reigns Supreme
In the hall of champions, one warrior still wears the crown. Leon Griffiths, World Number One, stood tall at the end of an epic draw, vanquishing all challengers. Only once was he truly threatened – in the final – when second seed Nico Lenggenhager pushed him all the way to tennis. Lenggenhager had carved a bloody path through the draw, toppling Ritter, Gupta, and Basti Böhm in three brutal rounds.
But Redbridge also forged new legends.
James Hempstead rose like a phoenix. He stunned James Simpson in table tennis, battled through a dramatic duel with Henry Jones, then delivered the upset of the tournament – defeating Basti Böhm, the Junior World Number One. GB selectors were watching… and they’ll be talking.
Quarterfinals brought heartbreak for Anant Gupta and Ross Wilson, both cut down by top-tier opposition. Ritter, too, will be cursing the draw after running into Lenggenhager early.
Jon Spinks had a strong showing, collecting two wins on the day – proof that the depth in this category runs deep
Women’s A Elite Singles – Parslow’s Comeback of Champions
In a four-player round robin as tense as any Roman senate vote, Matilda Parslow emerged victorious – but only after a miraculous comeback. Trailing by 29 points after the first two sports against TT maestro Mollie Patterson, Parslow summoned her inner gladiatrix, stormed back in squash and tennis to claim the match, and ultimately the title.
Kirsten Atkinson sealed third place, with squash playing the decisive role in some nail-biting encounters!
Men’s B Singles – Taylor’s Redemption
This year’s British Champs B runner-up, Jack Taylor, came to Redbridge with unfinished business. He delivered in style, slicing through the draw and outlasting Alistair Prades in the final. Prades – more comfortable with a table tennis bat than a badminton racket on the day – was frustrated to lose to a “badminton specialist”, but both players showcased serious all-round game.
In the bronze match, Ishan Bairoliya edged Jordan Marcus in a close contest, using precision table tennis and clutch badminton to seal the deal.
Women’s B Singles – Alice’s Arsenal Too Much to Handle
Alice Flatman showed her technical TT and clean tennis strokes to win the women’s B title, outplaying squash specialist Ellie Thomas in the final after a quality win over the spirited and consistent Sarah Ball in the semis. Sarah rallied to secure third place over newcome and friend Candice Geake, who showed lethal squash skills and lots of promise.
Men’s C Singles – Tse Takes Charge
With sharp squash and commanding tennis, Kelvin Tse toppled Chris Cockburn in a compelling final. The C category was packed with tight matches, but Tse’s dominance on the back end of the court gave him the edge. Jeremy Lo impressed to take 3rd with some serious badminton.
Men’s D Singles – Firth the Force
Cameron Firth tore through the D draw like a lion among gazelles. His semi-final against James Patterson was a nail-biter, but once through that, Firth unleashed full fury in the final against Jordan Whitmore, claiming the crown in emphatic style. Tom Bool won a great match for 3rd.
Juniors – Flatman the Future
No one could touch Henry Flatman, who blazed a trail through the junior field, showing ruthless efficiency.
Tylor Li was a brilliant runner-up – full of potential – and Joseph Fitches rounded out the podium with some exciting all-round play. The future of British racketlon looks bright.
Seniors – Glory in the Gladiator Pit
In the Over 40s, Keith Lesser, already five matches deep after stepping in to play the A grade for a late withdrawal, and fuelled by sheer grit, faced the undefeated titan Mark Steeden, a man who’s barely lost a domestic match in a decade. After an excellent start for Steeden, Lesser ground it out, charging into tennis like a man possessed, blasting to an 8-0 lead and finishing with a 21-11 win – stealing the Over 40s crown from the jaws of defeat. 3rd place went to racketlon warrior Izzy Bramhall, with a tightly contested defeat over Ollie Close.
Doubles – Titans Team Up
The doubles saw epic pairings and high drama.
Men’s Elite Doubles: Leon Griffiths/Bastian Böhm – Elite execution.
Women’s Elite Doubles: Matilda Parslow/Satarra Thaker – Tactical brilliance.
MIxed Elite Doubles: Mollie Patterson/Ross Wilson – Ice-cold finishing.
Men’s B Doubles: Alistair Prades/Rohan Shergill – Unbreakable under pressure.
Men’s C Doubles: Chris Cockburn/James Patterson – Grit and grind.
Photo credit: Racketlon UK
View all the results on Tournament Software
