The Final -
[Nat Pacitto and Dermot Regan] def. [Charlie Harrison & Joseph Cuddy]
Wow, what a final! It had everything you want to see when a trophy is on the line. Big serves, clutch passing shots, great touch at the net, controlled lobs… and the odd net cord (often in favour of our Chairman, it has to be said) to add some spice to the game at key moments. In the end, Nat and Dermot clinching the first set on a tiebreak (again!) was key to their success. Charlie and Jo pushed them all the way and somehow our winners survived being a break down in the second and turned it around to take it 7-5 when all of us thought it had ‘Championship breaker’ written all over it.
With that: Nat defends his title, our charman (the last entry in the draw) proves that you have to be in it to win it and I’m sure both Jo and Charlie will be looking forward to having another go next year.
Congrats to our winners!
Semi-Finals
*Semi-Final 1 = [Charlie Harrison & Joseph Cuddy] def. [Olivier Chateauneuf & Richard Ratcliff]
A very entertaining match saw Charlie and Joseph make it through 7-6; 6-4. They survived a really tight first set where Olivier and Richard had all the chances, applied all the pressure, but simply could not make it count. That lack of killer touch cost them in the breaker too and Charlie and Jo were too happy to take advantage. The second set was more even and once again Charlie and Joseph were more clinical and closed it to book their spot in the final.
*Semi-Final 2 = [Nat Pacitto & Dermot Regan] def. [Patrice Chateauneuf & Ivan Mazepa].
Dermot and Nat secured their place in the final with a 7-6; 6-3 win over Ivan and Patrice. They were too solid on serve and took their chances in the first set tiebreaker to go ahead and from there it was uphill for Ivan and I. We battled but could not reverse it in the second. With that, Nat has a chance to go back to back after winning the trophy last year…
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Quarter-Finals
*Quarter-Final 1 = [Charlie Harrison & Joseph Cuddy] def. [Seb Mckinstry & Derick Barrett].
Charlie and Joseph went through 6-4; 6-2. No report to work from on that one, but it looks like they gelled well as a team and will be a challenge for any pairs in that one…
*Quarter-Final 2 = [Olivier Chateauneuf & Richard Ratcliff] def. [Kevin Bhunjun & Paul Duggan]
Olivier and Richard made it through 6-4; 3-6; 10-6 in a very entertaining match. Big serves, sharp volleys, measured lobs… It had everything.
*Quarter-Final 3 = [Patrice Chateauneuf & Ivan Mazepa] vs. [Manoj Kumar & Malcolm Stubbs]
Ivan & I managed to go through Manoj and Malcolm (6-2; 7-6). A loss of focus and intensity nearly costed us after a relatively comfortable first set. But some incredible retrieving from Ivan allowed us to crawl our way back from 3-0 down in the second to force a tiebreak (after a marathon service game at 3-3 where Ivan managed to hold after a billion deuces!). Even the tiebreak was tight; we had to save a couple of set points from 6-4 down to win it 8-6 in the end. Phew…
*Quarter-Final 4 = [Nat Pacitto & Dermot Regan] def. [Jason Cuddy & James Palmer]
Nat, defending his title, teamed up with Dermot to beat Jason and James 7-6; 6-3. Dermot summarised it for us: “in a very tight first set with Nat and I going behind and managing to get back to tie break and then an early break in the second set helped us to keep the pressure on. James and I even managed to get to the D team beer and curry night in decent time!”.
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Round 1 Matches
*Round 1/Match A = [Seb Mckinstry & Derick Barrett] def. [David Lindsay & Paul Fellows]
Seb and Derek beat Paul and David 6-3; 6-7 (7-9); 10-6. This was described as a “Bit of a battle by all accounts” and it seems the “weather didn’t help much”. Well done guys for battling the elements and deliver a competitive match!
*Round 1/Match B = [Jason Cuddy & James Palmer] def. [Mark Shepard & Jerzy Basiurski]
Although I don’t have the full score for that one, it looks like it was a nerve-racking affaire as it finished 12-10 in the Championship Tie breaker! Well done Jason & James for battling through and Mark & Jerzy for pushing them all the way.