Heaton tennis professional Gary Henderson hasn't been deterred in his bid to extend his own record number of Yorkshire men's singles titles.

The 32-year-old was beaten 6-3, 7-5 in the final at Chapel Allerton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in Leeds by Andrew Banks - 14 years his junior.

"I will be back next year because you just don't know what is going to happen," admitted the former British No 5. "There's no reason for me not to play the 'Yorkshires' again unless I retire completely.

"I can be happy playing a good match and losing, like I did to Dave Sherwood last year in the semi-finals."

The record nine-times champion added: "I am just doing it for the enjoyment of the competition, and it might take me four, five or six years to take the title again.

"Simon Ickringill won his eighth title in 1989 when I was playing professionally, but it is going to be very hard for anyone to win nine with all the youngsters coming through and knocking each other off."

Former Wimbledon boys' doubles finalist Banks was leading 6-3, 3-3 on a grass court made soft by heavy overnight rain when rain and hail forced the match indoors.

Henderson said: "If I had played well I think I would have won, and if he had played well he would have stuffed me.

"I was pleased to get to the final, but I then had a chance to win it as I had a set point at 5-4 in the second set." He added: "It was a bit like Wimbledon to be honest with people falling out of the tournament. Jonathan Marray wasn't playing, Jason Torpey wasn't playing singles, Dave Sherwood wasn't playing, and the draw was opening up for me.

"In my half all I had to beat was Riby, but I didn't really think the final was a good match for the spectators.

"But that is more down to the conditions we were playing in and, as the more experienced player, I would have liked to have thought I would have come through that.

"However, I just didn't keep my footing and didn't 'stay' on the ball for long enough. I hit a lot of shots off the frame, and you cannot afford to do that early on in the match.

"I felt like I was all over the place at the back of the court. I actually hit one serve which went out and I fell over trying to turn back to hit my second serve."

The former world No 238 added: "I didn't have a break point in the first set and only one in the second, and I rely so heavily on my returns.

"I just wasn't performing. I thought I served very average, my backhand was shocking, and a sloppy service game cost me the second set."

He also revealed: "A smash I hit cost me some service power, but what do you do? Do you quit, or do you stay out there and try and win?"

Former Rawdon player Sarah Gregg won the women's singles title 6-4, 6-2 against Arthington's Claire Sewell in a tough 1hr 50min match that was played entirely indoors.

The 20-year-old, who also took the title when she was 15, said: "I knew there would be a lot of decent rallies because sometimes I grab Claire to practice with."