It is difficult to know where to start and where to finish with such a splendid day on Bank Holiday Monday 7th May. A total of 17 boys entered, one reported sick, one arrived late and another didn’t turn up so it was a 16 player compass draw. Eight girls also entered so we had a magnificent contest in prospect there as well that was truly international with Indian, Hong Kong, British, Nigeria Greece and Ghana represented. Estella Hurlock, Tom Flynn and Leon Chatterton assisted as court supervisors and David Thomas came along to present the trophies and other prizes. Photo: Finalists of Road to Wimbledon 2018.

The power of Nakshatra Sridhar, Jocelyn Kwan and Erin Perry was the challenge for Erin Famuwiya, Ioanna & Georgia Skiada and Sianne & Leihanna Amonoo-Kuofi. At the end of the first round Nakshatra, Jocelyn, Erin P and Erin F survived to play in the semi-finals while the others contested the consolation semi-final. Nakshatra and Jocelyn ended up playing a really exciting final that Nakshatra won despite a wobble in the second set. Georgia and Leihanna won their semi-finals of the consolation and Georgia went on to win. Erin P beat Erin F in the third/fourth final in a match that was far from straightforward, and Ioanna won the other playoff to complete the girls draw.

The boys to beat were Sam Ardley, Freddie Swain, Ben Hatfield and Ashton Kerslake. That was the challenge for Nicolaas Van Zyl Smit, James Hurlock, Luke Tuddenham, Mustafa Shakil, Sam Goodridge, Jas Baczinski, Harry Robinson, Matt Simpson, Jacob Allderidge, Kevin Winter and Sam Adey. Needless to say the four “hot” boys made it to the semi-finals but not without a few scares along the way and a thorough griddling by the sun that chose to attack from above and below. The consolation was won by Jacob Allderidge from Mustafa Shakil and Nicolaas beat Matt Simpson in a really close 4-1, 2-4 7-5 encounter. Sam Ardley beat Freddie who then went to three sets to beat Ashton, the final being hard fought but Sam came out on top with a 4-3 (5-1), 4-1 and Freddie beat James Hurlock: by that time all the players were feeling absolutely exhausted.

The quarterfinal losers play off winners was Harry Robinson, runner-up Sam Goodridge, with Kevin Winter winning the losers play-off - but to be honest all the boys deserved a medal for playing in the searing heat.

David Thomas reminded us that the first person to win the pre-runner of Road to Wimbledon at the club was one Paul Scullard and he presented the awards to the finalists with the assistance of Estella Hurlock – who reminded me that she made the Wimbledon Finals of Road to Wimbledon twice who handed out certificates of participation and gifts to all players.

Thanks to Sharon Ardley, Tor Swain and Liz Hatfield for the refreshments and to Leon, Tom and Estella for the work they put in – but most of all to the parents and friends who supported the competition from beginning to end.

Title: ELO: 1977