Summer Surrey Knockout Cup Final – Grade B
On Sunday 18 September 2016, the Men’s 1st of Tom Dixon, Jack Freeman, Malcolm Parker and Luke Steel played Ham and Petersham at the neutral venue of St George’s College, Weybridge, Thames Ditton had a bunch of regular grass players that were on unfamiliar red clay.
The Thames Ditton team was a team through the ages with a player in each of their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s…….playing the top seeds and a team containing 3 under 20s. Thames Ditton were 2nd seeds and 2nd favourites.
The first round of matches pitted the heavyweight pair 1st pair of Luke Steel and Jack Freeman against Ham’s first pair including their star man, Thames Ditton went 3-1 down in the first set against a pair that were half their age but experience and a few well placed lobs told and they recovered to win 7 games in a row to lead 6-3 2-0. It then reached 4-4 in the 2nd set. TD then broke serve leaving Jack with his booming serve which had been rock solid all match to complete the formality of serving out the match for an unexpected win…….The pressure told and TD slipped 0-40 down, but from there Jack produced some great serving to win 5 points in a row and complete the win 6-3, 6-4 and put TD 1-0 up.
TD’s 2nd pair of youth and experience on the adjoining court of Malcolm and Tom went 4-3 down to a break of serve in the 1st set but came storming back to win 9 out of the next 10 games and take the win 7-5, 6-0 with some big serving and hitting by Tom and the usual quick hands and great volleying from Malcolm.
At 2 matches to nil and 4 sets to nil in front TD were looking good for the Cup but needed 1 more set to be champions. Malcolm and Tom were behind and struggling in the 1st set against the first pair and went down 6-4. At 4-4 Jack held served to put TD 1 game from victory, TD broke serve with Ham double faulting at set point to hand TD the Surrey Cup.
Malcolm and Tom eventually won the 2nd rubber 11-9 in a champions tie break, (we won’t mention the volley Malcolm missed at 9-8 up) and give Thames Ditton a 3-0 lead. The other match was halved leaving the result at 3.5 to 0.5 to Thames Ditton.
That leaves the team having completed the set of Grade B Surrey Knockout Cups, having won the Winter Knockout Cup in 2013 and also having been in 2 finals and gained revenge for the loss to Ham in last winters final.
A thanks to the other squad members this summer who had contributed to getting us to the final well done also to Ed Tandy, Jeremy Suckling, Will Sharp and Matt Stevenson.