BADMINTON enthusiasts will be able to see some of the top local players in action tonight when Northgate Sports Centre hosts the finals of the 44th Ipswich and District Badminton League Championships.

BADMINTON enthusiasts will be able to see some of the top local players in action tonight when Northgate Sports Centre hosts the finals of the 44th Ipswich and District Badminton League Championships.

The singles events will see two young players making finals night debuts. Freya Webb (YMCA), the current under-15 and under-18 IDBL girls singles champion will be striving to make it a hat-trick by winning the senior title, when she takes on Alys Kindred (Framlingham), winner of the ladies singles for the last two years. Also making his first appearance will be Matthew Cavalcanti (YMCA) whose men's singles opponent is still unknown, with the second semi-final between Jonathan Isaacson (Abbeygate), winner for the last three years, and Gary Sheppard (Meridians) still to be played.

The YMCA pairing of Sarah Gooding and Sue Poole have won the ladies doubles on four previous occasions and play last year's winners, Lindsee Bullett (Abbeygate) and Amanda Newcombe (Stowmarket), in a repeat of the 2006 final.

David Block (Meridians) and Richard Savory (Abbeygate) were beaten men' doubles finalists last year and will be looking to go one better on this occasion. This will be a tough challenge, as they take on the Abbeygate pairing of Jonathan Issacson, winner for the last two years, and Alan Jones, one of the county's most successful and experienced doubles players.

Regular spectators at this event will re-call previous epic matches between mixed doubles finalists, Sue Poole and Miguel Soler, looking to take the title for the sixth time, in an all YMCA final against Sarah Gooding and Paul Adderson, who won the event in 2002.

Play commences at 6.45pm and admission is free. The finals of the veterans' tournaments will also take place during the evening, alongside the main event.