Goodall closing in on Ilkley tennis hat-trick (From Ilkley Gazette)

Josh Goodall closing in on Ilkley tennis hat-trick

9:03pm Friday 13th July 2012 in Sport By Bill Marshall, T&A Sports Reporter

Josh Goodall is aiming for a third successive JM Glendinning Group International title at Ilkley.

The 26-year-old faces fellow British player Ed Corrie in tomorrow afternoon’s final.

Eighth seed Corrie sprang a surprise by defeating second seed Albano Olivetti in a thriller today.

The 24-year-old from Hertfordshire won 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 against the Frenchman, who won in Manchester last week, while Davis Cup player Goodall saw off unseeded Australian Andrew Whittington 6-2, 6-2.

Goodall’s favourite surface is grass but the weather this week has meant that he has been unable to tread the turf, play being confined to the club’s four indoor courts.

The Basingstoke man has already won thee titles this season in Europe – in Germany, Switzerland and Greece – but all five of his tournament triumphs last season came in Great Britain.

This is Corrie’s best tournament of the year but he has already been a semi-finalist in Antalya-Kaya Belek in Turkey and a quarter-finalist in Palm Coast, Oklahoma City and Vero Beach in the United States, as well as last week in Manchester.

Tomorrow’s men’s doubles final also features Corrie. He partners Ed Burton, with the top seeds facing unseeded Australian duo Whittington and Andrew Harris.