Chris Saxby reports on “The Wirral Grand Slam 2025”
As you are all aware a number of teams were brave and entered the Wirral Time For Tennis tournament, I’m told it’s a potential feeder event for Wimbledon 2026. Jimmy and I were duly on time, myself being a little early and able to get a warm up session in with our resident semi-pro and last year’s Willaston Title Holder, Simon. We duly showed our prowess on court 1 as we raced around the court like a pair of gazelle’s, albeit slightly geriatric and clearly not as young as we used to be.
The organisers called all teams into the pavilion to attempt to explain the FAST4 rules, which everyone wisely nodded along with and then promptly forgot/ignored. 15 minutes play as many games as you could and record the result afterwards. I now being nearly 3pm the light was failing and it was likely to be brail tennis.
Jimmy and I got off to a quick start, winning the toss. That was about the only thing me managed to collaborate on in the first couple of games as we tried to learn each other’s playing style. Once I explained to Jimmy that I stand at the net and he covers the corners, we settled into a comfortable rhythm against two pretty handy young Heswall whipper snappers. 15 minutes was up, and it was 3-3. Age and guile had pretty much come out even against youth and speed around the court. A fair result given we’d never played before. Our eye was now in even if the light was fading. Despite the cold I decided to take my glove off for the next match to match Jimmy stripping down to this t-shirt. Well he was doing most of the running.
Into the pavilion to check the opposition out, and the footy scores. Amazingly Liverpool weren’t loosing (yet). Things were looking up. Straight out into round two after Jimmy had taken yet another item of clothing off. His track-suit bottoms this time. The opposition looked pensive hoping he wasn’t going to take anything else off. Stayed resplendent in my Spyder sponsored navy blue two piece, available from Costco in blue or black (paid commercial ends)…
15 minutes were up and after some pretty good running from Jimmy, and net-poaching from me (we all need to know our sweet spot after all) we had clinched a 6-0 victory. Sadly our previous opponents also won 6-0 so it was all nip and tuck. Honours were event at the top. Even more amazing, Liverpool had scored. Isak having netted for the first time in 200 years. Things were on the up.
Last game of the league round saw us confident, even if we could barely see the other side of the court. Luckily the flood lights came on and we could (mostly) see again! Worryingly our completion on the other court were soon shaking hands - their game was all over. We were running hither and thither, chasing down balls, smashing and lobbing, volleying and precision passing our opposition in a spirited game, but would it be enough to get into the final? Nobody was sure what was needed, but we must have been close. 15 minutes were up and we had won 5-1. Our opposition on the other court had won, but for some reason had stopped at 4-1. The final was decided, it was a rematch of the first group game between us and the Heswall ringers.
Jimmy was barely able to hide his excitement, looking to see if there was any other item of clothing he could take off; the ringers were busy eating sugar sweets / narcotics provided by the LTA, I had a sip of my G&T. We were ready, first to win a standard set would be the tournament champions.
Bish bash bop, lop, smash thwack. It was all there in the final match, would it be the Heswall youngsters who would triumph, or the steady heads of the Willaston Sunday League posse? It all started nip and tuck again, but thankfully for the old bones, we streaked into an early lead, metaphorically thankfully, not literally, as the court lights were blazing like 16 suns, but was it going to be enough, or would we fall at the last hurdle? 6-2 and it was all over, hands were being shaken at the net, photos taken, the winners taking the adoration of the crowd.
The heroes of the Wirral had done it, they were 2025 Champions, Queen’s “We are the champions” echoing in their ears, Sky Main events were taking notes on play style and best moments of the tournament.
So, it is with great pleasure, I give you the 2025 victors of Hooton Time for Tennis, the Doubles Champions, Jimmy and Chris. Till next year…