Public Schools Singles Tournaments
Dec 06, 2014 - Dec 13, 2014 Various RPA
Jim Dear Cup - T.Morales (1) ETN bt C.Braham (2) ETN 15/7,15/5
Incledon-Webber Cup - Henry Duxfield (1) WIN bt Robin White (2) HAR 11/15,15/10,17/14,15/4
Renny Cup - Ben Mcgeoch (6) CLF bt Alex Goldie (8) ETN 15/7,13/16,15/12,15/4
Foster Cup - C Stout (3) CHE bt J Giddins (1) ETN 15/11,15/16,15/13,15/4
Due to the maintenance work being carried out at Queen’s, and in particular, on the Rackets courts galleries, the early rounds of this seasons Public Schools’ Championships were played at Eton College.
After four days of continuous play on both courts, the fields were reduced to the quarter final stages of three of the tournaments. Competitors, parents and pro’s then moved on to Queen’s for the culmination of those competitions plus the whole of the Foster Cup, which were all played on the Bridgman Court.
The Final of the Jim Dear Cup was an all Eton affair. Toni Morales, seeded one, had too much power, and the advantage of an excellent lefty serve, for his doubles partner Charlie Braham, beating him by 15/5, 15/7 in a well contested final. Losing semi-finalists, Tommy Shields (Tonbridge) and Dan Escott (Winchester) had fought bravely through to meet the Etonians but could not bring about an upset, though Shields had his chances and lost in a close final game against Braham that went to the set.
The Incledon–Webber Cup was won by another first seed, Henry Duxfield (Winchester), who was tested to the limit in the final by second seed, Robbie White (Harrow).Losing semi-finalists, Luke Williams (Marlborough) and Alex Noakes (Wellington) had not been able to put pressure on the two favourites, with neither able to win a game. White had improved steadily with every round played, and his excellent form made the final one of the best contests of the week. He took the first game, but Duxfield came straight back to win the second before winning the crucial third game and finally coming through by 11/15,15/10,17/14,15/4
The Renny Cup was, as usual, a wide open tournament. Seeds came and went but the winner, cometh the Final, was a most worthy one. Ben Mcgeoch(Clifton), the sixth seed, had showed class in earlier victories, most notably in his quarter and semi-final matches where he fended off the challenges of George Moynihan (Tonbridge) and Luke Hardingham (St Paul’s).
He won the final against one of several Etonians who had chances to make it through. Eton were represented by four boys in the quarter finals , all in the top half of the draw. Goldie, Wilson, Earle and Courtney were all of a standard capable of winning a Renny Cup, and it was Alex Goldie who beat off the competition from his mates to reach the Final.. He played a good match in the final, but after winning game two, and going close in the third, he finally succumbed and Mcgeogh was the worthy winner by 15-7,13-16,15-12,15-4.
And so to the main event and the big boys! In the top half of the draw, Lalit Bose (Harrow), seeded four, reached the semi-final, having in the first round defeated last year’s Colts Champion, Alex Duncliffe-Vines (Cheltenham), in what was an epic struggle. He then faced the top seed, Jamie Giddins (Eton), but could not prevent an authoritative, and fairly comfortable, victory by Jamie. The other semi-final saw Chris Stout (Cheltenham), third seed, defeat the tenacious Will Vanston (Malvern). Vanston had been in great form, having not dropped a game in reaching the semi. Stout started confidently, taking a two game lead, before Vanston demonstrated his tenacity, by taking a close third and almost did the same in the fourth before being denied, 15/4, 15/7, 14/16, 15/13.
The Final was a tight affair, 45 points to 40 after three games, but, more importantly, two games to one lead for Stout. He had just about broken Giddins’ s spirit and took the fourth game, and with it the Championship, by 15-11,15-16,15-13,15-4.
RPA Chairman David Makey made an impromptu speech in the bar after the Final, congratulating the Stout family, Mark Briers and Cheltenham College in having had four Stout brothers in the last ten years reaching senior boys singles finals at Queen’s. He told the packed room of supporters, more remarkable than that was that Mike and Andy Stout had both won the Renny Cup, and the current World Champion, Jamie, had won the Foster Cup twice, and now with this victory, Chris had also won the Foster Cup. A quite amazing family achievement.
DJM