SOUTHEND tennis ace Rob Carter lost out in the final of an Essex singles tournament.

Thorpe Bay LTC memebr Carter was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Marshall Tutu in the final of the ECLTA Bryan Watts-Eddie Kirtland Singles Tournament at Redbridge.

It was a repeat for the 2012 showdown which was won by number one seed Carter.

But Tutu withstood a powerplay onslaught in the second set to win the event for the first time, following a 2014 season of fine form.

Carter got a bye in the first round and defeated Alexander Chao 6-0 6-1 in the quarter-final.

Manningtree’s Henry Patten, a newcomer to Essex Tennis, gave Carter a tough test in the semi-finals before succumbing 6-0 6-0.

Carter’s Thorpe Bay club-mate Harry Randle was defeated by Westcliff Hardcourts’ player Darien Lamb in the first match but rallied to win the playback consolation event, beating George Gray and Joe Hall in the process.

Andrew Berry, who also plays for Westcliff Hard, was also in action and lost to Tutu in the opening round.

The annual singles tournament is used by Essex County LTA as part of the selection pricess for the LTA’s Men’s Inter-County Winter Singles Championships in December.

Essex’s men will be competing in Division Two of the national competition at Redbridge Sports Centre and will be looking to repeat their group victory in the summer event this year.

The Bryan Watts-Eddie Kirtland Tournament was refereed by non-playing county men’s captain Jamie Willson and Graham Ray.

Willson said the pair were impressed by the players’ competitive attitude throughout the two-day event.

The event is a tribute to the late Bryan Watts, a great supporter of Essex Tennis and fine player over the years, and current sponsor of Essex Tennis, Eddie Kirtland.