Field Trophy Final 2014
Sunday 16 March 2014 at Moreton Morrell
Sponsored by POL ROGER
On a beautiful sunlit spring morning, the tone for the day was set by the second doubles pairings of Holyport’s Robert Peel and Penny Lumley and Manchester’s Jamie Bebb and Mark Seymour Mead in an interesting and close match. The first set was nip and tuck with scorelines of 2/2, 4/4 and 5/5 but Penny Lumley’s match temperament proved crucial as Holyport took the final game of the set. They coasted to go 5/1 up in the second set. Bebb and Seymour Mead hauled themselves back to 4/5 but were unable to maintain their momentum.
In the first singles tie, Horatio Carey and Simon Shenkman displayed skill and determination but Carey was able to up the tempo at crucial times to win in two sets. The second singles was a high octane affair with two young players showing their huge talent. The world’s number six Rackets player, Richard Owen, who has only just taken up the game was too strong for Charlie Braham in the first set cruising to 6/1; his forcing and volleying were particularly eye-catching. Braham found his feet in the second set and with greater consistency and rhythm pressurised Owen but at 4/4 the Manchester student went up a gear to take the match in relative comfort.
So cometh the hour… 17 year old Robert Shenkman can rarely have faced such pressure with the outcome of the match riding on his young shoulders. Holyport’s Tom Freeman was in total command of the first set which he took 6/2. Manchester’s hopes were in the balance but Robert played confident mature and nerveless tennis to win the next two sets 6/3, 6/2 to set up a grand finale.
So often the Field Trophy finals have been wrapped up before the first doubles have had a chance to make a worthwhile contribution. The match was marked by some fine rests and extraordinary trading of volleys by Ed Popplewell and Adam Holloway at the net. Mark Openshaw-Blower’s many years of experience came to the fore in his battle from the back of the court with Holyport captain John Evans. Manchester rarely looked in trouble winning 6/4, 6/3 to take the tie for Manchester, their first major win in a national trophy.
It was a great day of tennis and bonhomie and a fine advert for the 2nd Division competition. Both clubs should manage to hold their places in the higher tier.
Tom Granville was thanked for his marking throughout the day and the provision of an excellent set of tennis balls. Mercifully he survived a nasty blow from a ball that ricocheted off a gallery post, emphasising the inherent dangers of marking at the net.
- 2D - Robert Peel & Penny Lumley bt Jamie Bebb & Mark Seymour Mead 6/5 6/4
- 1S - Horatio Cary bt Simon Shenkman 6/5 6/4
- 2S - Richard Owen bt Charlie Braham 6/1 6/4
- 3S - Robert Shenkman bt Tom Freeman 2/6 6/3 6/2
- 1D - Mark Openshaw-Blower & Adam Holloway bt Ed Popplewell & John Evans 6/4 6/3
Manchester bold