Varsity Match 2025

In the 4^th string match, Cambridge began encouragingly, Henry Buxton taking the first game from Amogh Karpe 15/8, but Oxford came back strongly to take the second game 15/3. The next two games were close and well contested but Oxford had the edge on serving and secured the first rubber 3 games to one.

In the third string match George Gardiner from Oxford was in control from the serving box throughout against Arthur King, giving the Dark Blues another victory, this time by 3 games to 0.

Chris Sneddon (Oxford) consolidated his team’s position with a 3 games to 1 win over Louis Dessalles (Cambridge), so the Cambridge first string, Isaac Wighton, needed a win against Henry Nicholls (Oxford) to prevent Oxford taking the whole contest in the morning singles matches, before the two doubles matches even took place. Isaac secured the opening two games 15/11, 15/2, but Henry fought back well to take the next game 15/3. The fourth game was close, with some good rackets played. However Cambridge eventually took it 15/11 to make the overall match score Oxford 3 rubbers, Cambridge 1 rubber; so all still to play for in the afternoon doubles matches!

Gardiner/Karpe (Oxford) were dominant in the second doubles, winning by 3 games to 0, for the loss of just 8 points. King/Buxton (Cambridge) struggled with taking the accurate serving from Oxford, so with this win Oxford secured victory in the whole contest with an unassailable 4 matches to 1 match lead.

The top doubles match produced the most entertaining rackets of the day, at least for the opening two games which Nicholls/Sneddon (Oxford) won 15/11, 15/12, with many fine rallies. Wighton/Dessalles (Cambridge) did not look a beaten pair as the third game began but Oxford were on top and never let up, taking it 15/0. This gave Oxford a commanding 5 rubbers to 1 victory, taking this 157^th Varsity Rackets Match to a historical tally of 96 contests for Oxford and only 61 to Cambridge.

After the last match, at the Reception and Prize-giving in the Museum, Laurence Bialy from the Sponsors, Champagne Pol Roger, spoke about the long association Pol Roger has had with the Varsity Rackets Match, going back over a quarter of a century. Laurence then presented consolation bottles of dry red wine from Alicante to the Cambridge team, and boxed bottles of Pol Roger to the victorious Oxford team. There were also bottles of red for the Organizer of the day, Ed Hyde, and the marker, Howard Angus. The Captains expressed their thanks to Pol Roger, to Ed and Howard, and to T&RA CEO, Chris Davies to conclude the 157th playing of one of the longest-established Events in the Rackets calendar. The two Universities are each working to try to get a regular Ladies Varsity Match to be an on-going part of this annual fixture, as it now is at Real Tennis.

In the 2^nd IV match, the format was four singles, best of 3 games, played in reverse order, 4 to 1, before lunch, then the second doubles followed by the first doubles after lunch, again best of 3 games. Due to late withdrawals, Cambridge had two players in the 2^nd team meaning each Cambridge player played two singles and two doubles matches across the course of the day.

The 3^rd and 4^th string singles matches went to Cambridge – Angus Todd (Cambridge) defeating Alex Percival (Oxford) and James Wilson beating George-Halblander-Smyth (Oxford), both 2-0. After a slow start in the second-string singles, Rob Adams (Oxford) dominated the rallies against James Wilson, whilst Hugo Knight’s (Oxford) serving ensured he took the 1^st string singles against Angus Todd.

After lunch, the results of the doubles matches followed the form book. Cambridge won the 2^nd Doubles 2-0, before Oxford won the 1^st doubles 2-0. The 1^st Doubles was the closest match of the day – both games going to sets to 5 with Oxford winning both games. The score in rubbers stood at 3-3, so a deciding doubles match followed.

Whilst there have been deciding doubles matches in the Real Tennis Varsity Match in recent years, this is the first in recent memory in a Rackets Varsity Match. The best rallies of the day happened in this final match and a larger crowd was present given that the 1^st IV match had finished on the Championship Court. The match finished 2-1 to Oxford, meaning that Oxford took the 2^nd IV Varsity Match by 4 rubbers to 3.

In addition to the four singles and two doubles matches, Oxford’s 9^th string singles player played a match against Angus Todd – Alex Clement-Davies coming out with a 2-1 victory.

This was the third time that a 2^nd IV Varsity Match had been played – here’s hoping to many more in the years to come.

Ed Hyde