This year, we were pleased to field a competitive girls’ team, with all players actively competing at their respective levels. This experience allowed us to be more competitive in our matches, even against strong opposition like Avon. While the final scores may not fully reflect it, there was a noticeable improvement compared to previous years.

We lost to Avon 6-0 and to Devon 5-1, but there were some outstanding individual performances. Our No.1 player, Ioana Andronache, put up a great fight against Avon’s top player, narrowly losing 10-8 in a tie-break. She also secured our only win against Devon, with a solid 4-2 victory. Having a strong No.1 player made a real difference, and the team’s hard work paid off with a dominant 6-0 win against Cornwall. The girls showed great team spirit and a competitive attitude throughout the event.

In the boys’ competition, we also benefited from a strong No.1, Finn Saunders, who won all of his singles matches. His performance against Avon was particularly impressive, securing a 4-1 victory. Finn had competed well last year as a year-young player, and it was great to see his continued development.

Despite Finn’s strong results, we struggled in other contests, losing 5-1 to both Avon and Devon. Henry Deem played in all of the matches and demonstrated great consistency throughout the event. He and Tommy Harrigin were the only other players to secure singles wins, both against Cornwall, where we also picked up a doubles victory to win the match 4-2.

Looking ahead, Henry Deem and Charlie Takle will still be eligible to compete next year, giving us a solid foundation to build on.

Overall, both teams showed great commitment, sportsmanship, and improvement, and we look forward seeing their continued progress.

Finally, I extend my thanks to Kerry Quirke for her support and advice throughout the day.

Julie Sinkins
U9 Lead Somerset Coach