The 2010 European Outdoor Championships for Seniors and Super Seniors took place in mid-June and once again saw some record-breaking performances from the stars of the ITF Senior Circuit.
Players in the Over 40s to Over 55s age groups returned to the Rot-Weiss Club in the German town of Baden-Baden, which staged the Championships for a 53rd time.
Top seed and world #3 Michael Kocher scored a home win in the Men's 40 event. Having survived a nail biting semi final against the defending champion, Chile's Christian Arraya in which he saved five match points, the German breezed past 5th seeded compatriot Mario Penirschke 6-4 6-4 in the final.
There was another German winner in the Men's 45s, with Stefan Burchard in dominant form, losing just fourteen games in six matches on his way to reclaiming the title he first won two ears ago. His run included a 6-0 6-2 win over defending champion and world #3 Girts Dzelde in the final.
Glenn Busby showed why he is ranked as world #1, putting in a fighting display to defend his Men's 50s title. After easing into the competition with two double-bagel wins, the Australian World Champion cruised through to the final where he was given a marathon test from Germany's Norbert Henn, before eventually coming through the longest match of the tournament 6-7 7-5 7-5.
With Alfred Böckl moving into a new age category, a new winner was sure to be crowned in the Men's 55s event. Another Australian world #1, Andrew Rae, swept to the title for the loss of just fourteen games, including a commanding 60 61 win over seventh seed Alfred Klammer of Austria in the final.
In the doubles events, Russian pair Nikolay Chernov and Igor Tsirkun swept to the 40/45 title, while Pierre Godfroid (BEL) and Maris Rozentals (LAT) won the 50/55 championship.
The ladies events saw some familiar names returning to the winner's circle. Lucie Schwab-Zelinka of Austria successfully defended her Ladies' 40s title with a 6-4 7-5 win over Gabi Kirchner (GER). She also completed the rare feat of winning both the indoor and outdoor European Championships titles in the same year. There was a surprise win for Klaartje van Baarle in the 45s. The unseeded Belgian lost just four games in four matches as she blitzed her way to the title, beating Lisa Prechtl (NED) in the final match. Van Baarle then teamed up with Karina Heck-Elias of Germany to win the doubles title.
Last year's 45s champion and Player of the Year Barbara Koutna was successful at winning the 50s event in her first year in the age category. The Czech #1 seed beat Annelies Simons (NED) in the final to wrap up her title-winning run without the loss of a set.
Germany's Heide Eisterlehner won the 55s title for an incredible sixth consecutive year, extending her total number of European Championship titles to 19. Seeded eighth this year, Eisterlehner upset three top ten opponents on her way to the title, including Carolina Glaszman (FRA), Dagmar Sperneder (AUT) and compatriot Susanne Schweda in the final. Eisterlehner later added the doubles title with Katalin Böröcz of Hungary.
The Super Seniors once again travelled to Pörtschach in Austria for their events. Spanish #2 seed Jorge Camina Borda defended his Mens 60s title with a 6-3 6-3 win over last year's 55s champion, Alfred Böckl. The win marks Camina Borda's fifth European Outdoor seniors title in total, and he has now won the event three years in succession.
The Over 65s tournament was won by American James Parker, who benefitted from three retirements on his way to the title, and posted a dominant 6-0 6-4 win over Ed Sasker (NED) in the final. Sasker had earlier shocked the top seed and defending champion Peter Adrigan in the fourth round.
Peter Pokorny of Austria further enhanced his record-breaking string of titles, storming to the Over 70s title for the loss of just seven games in six matches. The title represents an incredible 31st European Championship for Pokorny, who won his first title back in 1987 and he joins Schwab-Zelinka and Eisterlehner as the only players to have won both indoor and outdoor European Championship titles this season.
The most senior categories were won by players from far afield. Top seed Kingdon Van Nostrand wrapped up another US-win in the Over 75s event, as German opponent Gerd Coldewey was forced to retire trailing 4-6 2-4.
Canada's Lorne Main upset defending champion Clement Hopp to take the Over 80s title, while the Over 85s crown went to Australia's Neville Haligan, who survived a champion's tiebreak to end the reign of 2009 champion Laszlo Lenart of Hungary 6-7 2-6 10-7.
Sylvia Bauwens of Germany came from the brink of defeat to defend her Womens 60s title. Having reached the final for a third consecutive year, Bauwens dropped the first set 2-6 before edging a tie break in the second and running off the third 6-3 to clinch the title over compatriot Gundula Eisemann.
The Over 65s event saw two giant killers advance to the final. Inge Kubina of Germany took the title, following up a win over second seed Michele Bichon (FRA) to beat Sylvie Galfard Kirsten (FRA) in straight sets. Galfard Kirsten had earlier accounted for top seed and 28-time European Champion Heide Orth in the quarterfinals, and finished as runner-up for a second consecutive year.
On the 70s event, third seed Renate Castellucci of Germany fought back to beat top seeded compatriot and 2009 European Player of the Year Nanda Fischer 4-6 7-6 6-1 to take her first European title. In the 75s event, Germany's Ilse Michael suffered the heartbreaking misfortune of having to retire half way through the final for a second consecutive year. Brigitte Jung was the beneficiary this time, having established a 7-6 2-0 lead before her compatriot was forced to throw in the towel.
Last year's runner up Betty Howard of Great Britain claimed the 85s title in style, cruising to a 60 61 win over Ingeborg Haas for a second European Championships title, which came five years after claiming the 75s event.