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The match report, and a selection of the photographs kindly taken by Freddy Adam, may be found on the LRTA's http://www.lrta.org.uk/pdd/10_pdd.php webpage
Report published in The Witham and Braintree Times
DOUBLES JOY FOR PRESTED PAIR
On their first outing as a doubles pair, Prested Hall Real Tennis Club’s Felicity Simpson and Annabel Wyatt found their attacking styles of play well-suited, winning the Ladies Real Tennis Association’s “highest with lowest” handicap doubles tournament, held at the Club to celebrate its 10th anniversary, without dropping a set. Carrie Hart (Oratory) and Audrey Yeung (Queen’s) were worthy runners-up.
Promising 15-year-old Jess Garside (Seacourt) received the Woman of the Match prize. Jacqueline McCormick (Prested) was given a special award for services to the sport.
Against advice, Claire Vigrass (Prested) braved a foot injury sustained in the Herbert Invitational, to partner up-and-coming British Ladies Open Doubles finalist, Aldona Greenwood (Manchester), in the exhibition match against US No.1 Frederika Adam (Oxford University) and Penny Lumley (Holyport). Despite Greenwood’s valiant efforts to cover the back of the court, Adam and Lumley, who amassed 13 world titles at the height of her playing career, triumphed 6-2, 6-3.
Presenting the prizes, Mike Carter, Prested’s proprietor, thanked the LRTA’s Gill Goddard (Hatfield) and Prested’s Alix Barfett for organising the event. He also congratulated Vigrass on her ladies’ open doubles Grand Slam and other achievements this season, the latest being her selection as the first woman ever to represent Great Britain in the Van Alen Cup, a series of matches held every 2 years between amateur players aged under 26 from GB and the US. Vigrass joins GB’s team of Jamie Douglas (Cambridge University, captain), Will Fortune (Oxford University), and Conor Medlow (Seacourt), as no. 4.
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: National League 2010 - Division 4 Winners
Report published in The Witham and Braintree Times
PRESTED 1 CLAIM NATIONAL TITLE
Five of Prested Hall Real Tennis Club's National League teams reached their Divisions’ preliminary finals. Prested 1 (head pro Matt Potter, Mark Nicholls and his son, Will Nicholls) went on to beat Cambridge University 3, by 2 matches to 1, to take the Division 4 title, and Prested 5 (Jon Conway, Mike Norgrove and Chris Vigrass) won Division 9 by defeating Middlesex University 4, also 2-1.
Prested 1, playing away, were the underdogs, having lost 3-0 to Cambridge 3 earlier in the season. From being 4-1 down in the first set, Will Nicholls raced to a 6-4, 3-1 lead, only to be pegged back by Edward Pearson, who took the second set 6-3 and edged him out 6-4 in the third. Mark Nicholls outclassed Clive Bowsher 6-0, 6-2 to level. An unusually nervous Potter faltered at the start of the decider against James Watson, but recovered to win 5-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In the Division 9 final, lasting almost 5 hours, Conway, unfamiliar with Middlesex’s court, lost the first set to James Barlow 6-2, but pulled back to win the next two 6-3, 6-3. Norgrove took a 6-4 lead against James La Terriere, only to lose the second set by the same margin, and had to go all out at 2-all in the third to win 6-2. With the title in the bag, Vigrass failed to find his form and was beaten 6-3 6-3 by Mark Heffernan.
PRESTED 1 CLAIM NATIONAL TITLE
Five of Prested Hall Real Tennis Club's National League teams reached their Divisions’ preliminary finals. Prested 1 (head pro Matt Potter, Mark Nicholls and his son, Will Nicholls) went on to beat Cambridge University 3, by 2 matches to 1, to take the Division 4 title, and Prested 5 (Jon Conway, Mike Norgrove and Chris Vigrass) won Division 9 by defeating Middlesex University 4, also 2-1.
Prested 1, playing away, were the underdogs, having lost 3-0 to Cambridge 3 earlier in the season. From being 4-1 down in the first set, Will Nicholls raced to a 6-4, 3-1 lead, only to be pegged back by Edward Pearson, who took the second set 6-3 and edged him out 6-4 in the third. Mark Nicholls outclassed Clive Bowsher 6-0, 6-2 to level. An unusually nervous Potter faltered at the start of the decider against James Watson, but recovered to win 5-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In the Division 9 final, lasting almost 5 hours, Conway, unfamiliar with Middlesex’s court, lost the first set to James Barlow 6-2, but pulled back to win the next two 6-3, 6-3. Norgrove took a 6-4 lead against James La Terriere, only to lose the second set by the same margin, and had to go all out at 2-all in the third to win 6-2. With the title in the bag, Vigrass failed to find his form and was beaten 6-3 6-3 by Mark Heffernan.
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: National League 2010 - Division 9 Winners
National League Division 9 finalists Prested 5 (from left to right) Chris Vigrass, Mike Norgrove and Jon Conway 
MURTC’s Head Pro Ged Eden presents Prested 5 with their winners trophiesReport published in The Tribune
PRESTED ENJOYS MIXED FORTUNES
World champion holds court at Prested
Prested Hall members and guests turned out in force to support the third in the series of Real Ten tournaments hosted by Rob Fahey, the sport’s foremost exponent, who recently won his 10th Men's World Championship. The event was also followed online.
Fahey describes the series as “a modern take on an ancient sport”, designed to appeal to newcomers as well as existing players. 5 professionals play “punchy” single set matches off handicap in round robin format, “battling it out” to win cash and prizes for themselves, and the sweepstake prize for their backers, thereby “returning the sport to its gambling origins”.
By special invitation, Prested’s Claire Vigrass, aged 18 and an amateur, contested the event against the Club’s present and former Head Pros, Matt Potter and Matty Ronaldson, Prested’s part-time Pro Ricardo Smith, and Smith’s doubles partner and world-ranked men's No. 5 Bryn Sayers. Smith, who trained at Prested, employed his home-court knowledge to good effect, and ran out the eventual winner.
Great Britain call for Vigrass
Claire’s latest achievement is to have been selected to represent Great Britain in the Van Alen Cup, a series of matches held every 2 years between amateur players aged under 26 from GB and the US. Claire, the first woman ever to compete in the Cup, joins GB’s team of Jamie Douglas (Cambridge University, captain), Will Fortune (Oxford University), and Conor Medlow (Seacourt), as no. 4.
With the US hosting this year’s Cup, the GB team start their tour in Washington on 2nd July, followed by matches, each comprising 2 doubles and 4 singles, at the Philadelphia, Lakewood, and New York clubs, and finish at Tuxedo Park from 9th to 11th July.
National League winners
In the Division 9 final, which lasted just under 5 hours, Prested 5 overcame Middlesex University (“MURTC”) 4’s home court advantage to take the title by 2 matches to 1. Jon Conway got off to a slow start against MURTC’s James Barlow, losing the first set 6-2, and, as Conway himself admits, “giving the net a lot of stick”, but then pulled back to win the next 2 sets 6-3 6-3. Mike Norgrove similarly went 4-2 down to MURTC’s James La Terriere, but came back to win the first set 6-4. Norgrove lost the second 4-6, but then romped home from 2-all in the third to win 6-2. Club Committee Chairman Chris Vigrass failed to find his usual form, however, and was beaten 6-3 6-3 by Mark Heffernan. Prested 5’s victory went some way to compensate for Prested 2, 3 and 4’s losing their respective Division 5, 7 and 8 preliminary finals away to Oratory 2, Oxford 5 and Canford 4.
Doubles Day
This season’s final social fixture on Saturday, 26th June, sees Ladies Real Tennis Association members join Prested Ladies in an “Highest with Lowest” Handicap Doubles tournament. Claire will then pair up with this year’s British Ladies Open Doubles finalist Aldona Greenwood, to take on Penny Lumley and Claire’s usual doubles partner, US no.1 Frederika Adam. Claire is now ranked women’s World No. 3, with a lowest-ever recorded women’s handicap of 7.9; Lumley has held 6 Ladies World Singles, and 7 Ladies World Doubles, titles; a clash of the titanesses is therefore eagerly anticipated!
Local schools’ and colleges’ sports teachers and representatives have been invited to come and watch this doubles match, whilst enjoying afternoon tea. Those interested should please contact Matt on 01376 570220 or prestedproshop@aol.com for details.
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: Finals Day - 2010
Following the Club's AGM, Chris Vigrass (left) presents Will Stephens (right) with the Wilkinson (Handicap Singles) trophy
AGM attendees Club Committee Members Chris Vigrass (Chairman), Bryan Eaton (Vice-Chairman), Will Stephens (Honorary Treasurer), and Chris Wilkinson (Fixtures Secretary) were re-elected unopposed; Annabel Wyatt (Honorary Secretary) and Jon Conway were elected to the Committee unanimously, and Alix Barfett (sportessex), David Beales (Club Welfare Officer/Young Persons Liaison Officer), Felicity Simpson (Social Events Secretary), Jo Bartholomew (LRTA Representative), and Claire Vigrass (Young Persons Representative) were appointed Advisory Members of the Committee
Ladies Handicap Tournament winner, Annabel Wyatt (right), looks on as Claire Vigrass (left) presents losing finalist Jo Bartholomew with her runner-up prize
Mark Nicholls, losing Level Singles Championship finalist, receives his runner-up prize from Mike Carter 
Mike presenting the Level Singles Championship trophy, and "the obligatory bottle of champagne", to ClaireReport published in The Tribune
PRESTED ENDING SEASON ON A HIGH
Under-20s Tournaments
Youngsters from clubs across the country converged on Prested Hall to take part in the new Amateur Under-20s Singles tournaments. In the preliminary Handicap event, sponsored by the Tennis & Rackets Association, Honywood pupil Lewis Williams, 15, from Kelvedon, found his handicap, lowered after Williams’ recent French Under-16 championship win, outweighed his home court advantage, losing 10-7 to Petworth’s Charlie Braham in the final.
7 Handicap qualifiers, and Claire Vigrass, who was seeded through, then competed for the Under-20s Championship, sponsored by Prested’s proprietor, Mike Carter. 18-year-old Claire beat fellow Prested player Toby Bawden 6-1, 6-0, and Middlesex University’s René Schemschat 6-3, 6-1, to reach the final against Seacourt’s Louis Gordon, 17, who had struggled earlier to save the match point Williams held against him. Gordon raised his game, punishing a slow-starting Claire’s second serves with blistering backhand and forehand floor shots, but Claire regained her composure, hitting outright winners into the dedans and grille, to take the title 6-4, 6-4.
It was left to Chris Vigrass, the Prested club’s Committee chairman, to present his daughter Claire with the Mike Carter Trophy and other prizes, including coaching and court-time, since, unfortunately, Mike Carter himself was abroad because of disruptions to international travel.
Club Finals
In the finals of the club’s competitions, a notably improved Bryan Eaton lost the Wilkinson Trophy Handicap Singles to Will Stephens, despite Eaton’s courageous and determined fight back in the second set, 6-5 1-6 6-2. Stephens’ superior stamina, honed by training for the Guinness World Record marathon which has raised over £3,000 for Sport Aid, told in the end, securing Stephens a place in the T&RA’s Chetwood Trophy tournament for clubs’ handicap singles winners at the Royal Tennis Club in September.
The handicap discrepancy between Chris Wilkinson, donor of the eponymous Trophy, and his Wilkinson Plate adversary Simon Harris, resulted in Wilkinson’s treating spectators to a master class in serving, since, for Wilkinson, to lose a point was virtually to lose the game. Chris Ronaldson, one of the sport’s foremost exponents, maintains that serving at real tennis is a great art, and advocates perfecting a variety of deliveries to unsettle opponents. Wilkinson’s stylish display of serves ranging through boomerang, chandelle, demi-piqué, giraffe, sidewall, underarm and railroad, combined with his classical elegance of shot, enabled him to take the second set 6-3, having lost the first 4-6, and the third to 5-all, before being overcome by the near-impossible odds, and losing the next game, and the match, to Harris.
The Ivan Ronaldson Level Doubles Trophy was won by the equally experienced and established partnership of Mike Carter and Mark Nicholls, who defeated Dan Mead and David Hunter 6-2 6-2. Mead, not yet returned to full fitness, substituted for Peter Holmes, who won this competition last season partnered by Claire but had been forced to withdraw due to injury.
In the final of the Ladies Handicap, a new tournament instituted by Head Pro Matt Potter, serve was again a deciding factor, with Annabel Wyatt’s topspin underarm serves proving too challenging for Jo Bartholomew’s normally reliable returns to the sidewalls falling short of the back wall. Having lost the first set to love, Bartholomew staged a late rally, but Wyatt’s strategy of directing shots towards the grille and tambour when playing from the service end, led to Wyatt’s winning the second 6-4 and claiming the Ladies Handicap Cup.
All the promise of the Level Singles final, between Nicholls, 54, who has reigned supreme as champion for 6 years, and Claire, who lost to Nicholls in last season’s 3-set final, to be a superlative match, was fulfilled. Claire’s precisely judged returns of Nicholls’ serves to the “nicks” (corners) at the dedans penthouse end, helped establish her 6-4, 5-3 lead, which many spectators believed to be unassailable. An outwardly cool, calm and collected Nicholls, however, held his nerve, and drawing on his years of experience gained in rackets and other sports, retaliated by deploying a spellbinding array of tactics. Nicholls forced balls rolling off the grille penthouse, boasted forces for the dedans off the main wall, and fired “thunderbolts” into the dedans to gain dominance of the service end, and in the process, deprive Claire of the second set 5-6 and go 3-1 up in the third. Feelings were running high on court, with Claire apparently fighting her twin inner demons - crossing the psychological barrier of never having beaten Nicholls previously, and recovering from having dropped a set for the first time this year – and moreover a revitalised Nicholls, whose reserves of strength and guile were both seemingly limitless; off-court, the tension amongst spectators was becoming unbearable.
Claire resorted to attacking play, upping the pace to undermine successfully Nicholls’ control of length and line, and moving up the court to chase down shots cannoning off the dedans wall, whilst concentrating on serving tightly and defensively, to narrow Nicholls’ cut stroke options. This turned out to be a winning formula; Claire out-manoeuvred Nicholls to take the next 5 games and the deciding set 6-3. On presenting Claire and Nicholls with their trophies, Mike Carter congratulated both on an outstanding match, expertly played with grace and humour, and which was unanimously acclaimed the most exciting Level Singles final spectators have ever been privileged to watch – until next year’s!
Potter awarded the Most Improved Player (Junior & Senior) trophies to Williams, for the second season running, and Tom Shrager, who pipped last season’s winner Jon Conway to the post.
National League
Prested Hall 1 (Claire, Nicholls, his son Will Nicholls, and Potter) meet Cambridge University 3 in the Division 4 final (away), on the same day that Prested 5 (Jon Conway, Mike Norgrove, Bill Rudman and Chris Vigrass) are away to Middlesex University 4 in the Division 9 final. Prested 2, 3 and 4 lost their respective Division 5, 7 and 8 preliminary finals away to Oratory 2, Oxford 5 and Canford 4.
Real Ten
At the time of going to press, Prested Hall members and guests look forward to enjoying a veritable feast of first-class real tennis on 26th May, when Rob Fahey, who this month won his 10th World Championship, hosts the third Real Ten tournament.
Fahey describes this series as “a modern take on an ancient sport”, designed to appeal to newcomers as well as existing players. 5 professionals play “punchy” single set matches off handicap in round robin format, “battling it out” to win cash and prizes for themselves, and the sweepstake prize for their supporters, thereby “returning the sport to its gambling origins”.
By special invitation, Claire will be contesting this event against a former Prested Head Pro Matty Ronaldson, Potter, the club’s part-time Pro Ricardo Smith, and Smith’s doubles partner and world-ranked men's no. 5 Bryn Sayers. It is confidently expected to provide a fitting climax to a well-played season at Prested.
Under-20s Tournaments
Youngsters from clubs across the country converged on Prested Hall to take part in the new Amateur Under-20s Singles tournaments. In the preliminary Handicap event, sponsored by the Tennis & Rackets Association, Honywood pupil Lewis Williams, 15, from Kelvedon, found his handicap, lowered after Williams’ recent French Under-16 championship win, outweighed his home court advantage, losing 10-7 to Petworth’s Charlie Braham in the final.
7 Handicap qualifiers, and Claire Vigrass, who was seeded through, then competed for the Under-20s Championship, sponsored by Prested’s proprietor, Mike Carter. 18-year-old Claire beat fellow Prested player Toby Bawden 6-1, 6-0, and Middlesex University’s René Schemschat 6-3, 6-1, to reach the final against Seacourt’s Louis Gordon, 17, who had struggled earlier to save the match point Williams held against him. Gordon raised his game, punishing a slow-starting Claire’s second serves with blistering backhand and forehand floor shots, but Claire regained her composure, hitting outright winners into the dedans and grille, to take the title 6-4, 6-4.
It was left to Chris Vigrass, the Prested club’s Committee chairman, to present his daughter Claire with the Mike Carter Trophy and other prizes, including coaching and court-time, since, unfortunately, Mike Carter himself was abroad because of disruptions to international travel.
Club Finals
In the finals of the club’s competitions, a notably improved Bryan Eaton lost the Wilkinson Trophy Handicap Singles to Will Stephens, despite Eaton’s courageous and determined fight back in the second set, 6-5 1-6 6-2. Stephens’ superior stamina, honed by training for the Guinness World Record marathon which has raised over £3,000 for Sport Aid, told in the end, securing Stephens a place in the T&RA’s Chetwood Trophy tournament for clubs’ handicap singles winners at the Royal Tennis Club in September.
The handicap discrepancy between Chris Wilkinson, donor of the eponymous Trophy, and his Wilkinson Plate adversary Simon Harris, resulted in Wilkinson’s treating spectators to a master class in serving, since, for Wilkinson, to lose a point was virtually to lose the game. Chris Ronaldson, one of the sport’s foremost exponents, maintains that serving at real tennis is a great art, and advocates perfecting a variety of deliveries to unsettle opponents. Wilkinson’s stylish display of serves ranging through boomerang, chandelle, demi-piqué, giraffe, sidewall, underarm and railroad, combined with his classical elegance of shot, enabled him to take the second set 6-3, having lost the first 4-6, and the third to 5-all, before being overcome by the near-impossible odds, and losing the next game, and the match, to Harris.
The Ivan Ronaldson Level Doubles Trophy was won by the equally experienced and established partnership of Mike Carter and Mark Nicholls, who defeated Dan Mead and David Hunter 6-2 6-2. Mead, not yet returned to full fitness, substituted for Peter Holmes, who won this competition last season partnered by Claire but had been forced to withdraw due to injury.
In the final of the Ladies Handicap, a new tournament instituted by Head Pro Matt Potter, serve was again a deciding factor, with Annabel Wyatt’s topspin underarm serves proving too challenging for Jo Bartholomew’s normally reliable returns to the sidewalls falling short of the back wall. Having lost the first set to love, Bartholomew staged a late rally, but Wyatt’s strategy of directing shots towards the grille and tambour when playing from the service end, led to Wyatt’s winning the second 6-4 and claiming the Ladies Handicap Cup.
All the promise of the Level Singles final, between Nicholls, 54, who has reigned supreme as champion for 6 years, and Claire, who lost to Nicholls in last season’s 3-set final, to be a superlative match, was fulfilled. Claire’s precisely judged returns of Nicholls’ serves to the “nicks” (corners) at the dedans penthouse end, helped establish her 6-4, 5-3 lead, which many spectators believed to be unassailable. An outwardly cool, calm and collected Nicholls, however, held his nerve, and drawing on his years of experience gained in rackets and other sports, retaliated by deploying a spellbinding array of tactics. Nicholls forced balls rolling off the grille penthouse, boasted forces for the dedans off the main wall, and fired “thunderbolts” into the dedans to gain dominance of the service end, and in the process, deprive Claire of the second set 5-6 and go 3-1 up in the third. Feelings were running high on court, with Claire apparently fighting her twin inner demons - crossing the psychological barrier of never having beaten Nicholls previously, and recovering from having dropped a set for the first time this year – and moreover a revitalised Nicholls, whose reserves of strength and guile were both seemingly limitless; off-court, the tension amongst spectators was becoming unbearable.
Claire resorted to attacking play, upping the pace to undermine successfully Nicholls’ control of length and line, and moving up the court to chase down shots cannoning off the dedans wall, whilst concentrating on serving tightly and defensively, to narrow Nicholls’ cut stroke options. This turned out to be a winning formula; Claire out-manoeuvred Nicholls to take the next 5 games and the deciding set 6-3. On presenting Claire and Nicholls with their trophies, Mike Carter congratulated both on an outstanding match, expertly played with grace and humour, and which was unanimously acclaimed the most exciting Level Singles final spectators have ever been privileged to watch – until next year’s!
Potter awarded the Most Improved Player (Junior & Senior) trophies to Williams, for the second season running, and Tom Shrager, who pipped last season’s winner Jon Conway to the post.
National League
Prested Hall 1 (Claire, Nicholls, his son Will Nicholls, and Potter) meet Cambridge University 3 in the Division 4 final (away), on the same day that Prested 5 (Jon Conway, Mike Norgrove, Bill Rudman and Chris Vigrass) are away to Middlesex University 4 in the Division 9 final. Prested 2, 3 and 4 lost their respective Division 5, 7 and 8 preliminary finals away to Oratory 2, Oxford 5 and Canford 4.
Real Ten
At the time of going to press, Prested Hall members and guests look forward to enjoying a veritable feast of first-class real tennis on 26th May, when Rob Fahey, who this month won his 10th World Championship, hosts the third Real Ten tournament.
Fahey describes this series as “a modern take on an ancient sport”, designed to appeal to newcomers as well as existing players. 5 professionals play “punchy” single set matches off handicap in round robin format, “battling it out” to win cash and prizes for themselves, and the sweepstake prize for their supporters, thereby “returning the sport to its gambling origins”.
By special invitation, Claire will be contesting this event against a former Prested Head Pro Matty Ronaldson, Potter, the club’s part-time Pro Ricardo Smith, and Smith’s doubles partner and world-ranked men's no. 5 Bryn Sayers. It is confidently expected to provide a fitting climax to a well-played season at Prested.
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: Amateur Under-20s Championships 2010
Handicap Tournament finalists Charlie Braham (left) and Lewis Williams (right), with Ricardo Smith
Ricardo Smith presenting Lewis Williams with his Handicap Tournament runner-up prize
Chris Vigrass presenting his daughter Claire with the Mike Carter Trophy for winning the Championship
Claire and Louis with their Level Tournament trophiesReport by Head Professional Matt Potter
Over the first May Bank Holiday of 2010, Prested Hall welcomed 16 players from 5 different Clubs to take part in these inaugural Amateur Under-20s Handicap and Level competitions. With handicaps ranging from 18 – 70 there were going to be some tough handicaps played, and everyone was looking forward to some really good tennis.
The Handicap competition, kindly sponsored by the T&RA, comprised 3 Groups for the 14 players who were taking part. All Group matches would take place over the best of one, 6-game set. The winner of each Group, and the best runner-up overall, would make the semi-finals. The Groups could not have been closer, with Jessica Garside from Seacourt scraping through as the winner of her Group, thanks to games’ difference. The best runner-up, Hugh Vermont (Prested Hall), also scraped through, thanks to average games’ difference – it was a matter of 0.5, the event was so tightly contested. Sunday came, and we were at the semi–final stages. Lewis Williams of Prested took on Jessica Garside of Seacourt, with an handicap of owe 15 one serve ban tambour – receive 30. Lewis raced into a 7-1 lead, and everyone thought it was over. Jessica calmly clawed her way back into the match, and at 7-6 down had the chance to make it 7-all, but she missed out, and Lewis finished a relieved 10-7 winner, and the first player into the final. The second semi-final saw Hugh Vermont take on Charlie Braham of Petworth in a level match. This time Charlie raced into an early lead, and despite a late rally from the home player, came out a 10-7 winner. The final pitted the fast improving and home court player Lewis Williams against the smaller, younger Charlie Braham; the handicap again was large - owe ½ 30 1 serve ban tambour - receive 30. The match was a tight battle of fantastic retrieving from Charlie, and mental strength from Lewis. The match ebbed and flowed, but Charlie came out the victor and the first-ever winner of the Handicap competition 10-7.
Straight afterwards, the top 8 handicapped players started the Level competition. John Lumley began proceedings, with a comfortable 6-0 6-0 win over Lewis Davies. Ben Wall then took on Rene Schemschat, losing 6-3 6-3. Then the outstanding match of the first round took place - Lewis Williams, some 10 points behind Louis Gordon in handicap, looked to be on the verge of causing an huge upset - Lewis, trying to make up for the disappointment of losing the Handicap final earlier, raced into a 6-1 and a first-set lead, mixing-up his serve, and controlling the awesome firepower of his older opponent. Louis then seemed to come to terms with the court, and find his accuracy with his thunderbolt forcing, to take the next set 6-3. Into a deciding set, and what a set it was! Lewis had everyone on the edge of their seats – especially his home-crowd supporters – when he went 5-4 up 40-30 up and receiving a hazard chase. What has to be the best rally of the day took place next, with some amazing retrieving. Lewis forced the return; Louis blocked it back; the rally went on; Louis hit the tambour; Lewis returned; it was forced back into the tambour; Lewis somehow got his racket on the ball, which was heading back, but not high enough; it went into the net cord, and his match point had gone. Louis - a relieved man! - then sneaked through 1-6 6-3 6-5. Claire Vigrass was next on arriving on court, straight from Holyport where she had just beaten Karen Hird 6-3 6-1, to win the LRTA Ladies International Invitational. Using her knowledge of her home court and her superior skills, Claire soon wrapped-up her match against Toby Bawden 6-1 6-0.
Monday, and Finals Day was upon us. First on court was John Lumley, taking on Louis Gordon - a tough match on paper. The match saw the awesome firepower of Louis vs the speed and reactions of John. The match ebbed and flowed, with neither player ever really getting ahead nor comfortable. Louis came out the victor 6-4 6-5. The next semi saw Claire comfortably dispatch Rene Schemschat 6-3 6-1. The final, on handicap, should not have been close with Claire at a best-ever women’s 7.9, and Louis an 18, but real tennis is a funny game; although Claire emerged the champion 6-4 6-4, Louis had her worried, playing equally powerfully off his backhand and forehand, and hitting outright winners into the dedans and grille.
Unfortunately, due to the disruption to international travel caused by the fallout from the Icelandic volcano, Mike Carter was abroad throughout the Tournaments. This was a particular disappointment because Mike donated the prizes, which included the Championship trophy, a Gray’s racket, weekends’ accommodation with court-time and coaching at Prested Hall, and sponsored the Championship. In Mike’s absence, I presented the prizes for the Handicap event, and Chris Vigrass, in his capacity as Chairman of our Club’s Committee, had the pleasure of presenting his daughter, Claire, with The Mike Carter Trophy and other prizes.
I look forward to hosting these Tournaments again next season on Prested’s behalf, when, hopefully, Mike will be here in person to witness the great tennis played by our sport’s talented youngsters.
Over the first May Bank Holiday of 2010, Prested Hall welcomed 16 players from 5 different Clubs to take part in these inaugural Amateur Under-20s Handicap and Level competitions. With handicaps ranging from 18 – 70 there were going to be some tough handicaps played, and everyone was looking forward to some really good tennis.
The Handicap competition, kindly sponsored by the T&RA, comprised 3 Groups for the 14 players who were taking part. All Group matches would take place over the best of one, 6-game set. The winner of each Group, and the best runner-up overall, would make the semi-finals. The Groups could not have been closer, with Jessica Garside from Seacourt scraping through as the winner of her Group, thanks to games’ difference. The best runner-up, Hugh Vermont (Prested Hall), also scraped through, thanks to average games’ difference – it was a matter of 0.5, the event was so tightly contested. Sunday came, and we were at the semi–final stages. Lewis Williams of Prested took on Jessica Garside of Seacourt, with an handicap of owe 15 one serve ban tambour – receive 30. Lewis raced into a 7-1 lead, and everyone thought it was over. Jessica calmly clawed her way back into the match, and at 7-6 down had the chance to make it 7-all, but she missed out, and Lewis finished a relieved 10-7 winner, and the first player into the final. The second semi-final saw Hugh Vermont take on Charlie Braham of Petworth in a level match. This time Charlie raced into an early lead, and despite a late rally from the home player, came out a 10-7 winner. The final pitted the fast improving and home court player Lewis Williams against the smaller, younger Charlie Braham; the handicap again was large - owe ½ 30 1 serve ban tambour - receive 30. The match was a tight battle of fantastic retrieving from Charlie, and mental strength from Lewis. The match ebbed and flowed, but Charlie came out the victor and the first-ever winner of the Handicap competition 10-7.
Straight afterwards, the top 8 handicapped players started the Level competition. John Lumley began proceedings, with a comfortable 6-0 6-0 win over Lewis Davies. Ben Wall then took on Rene Schemschat, losing 6-3 6-3. Then the outstanding match of the first round took place - Lewis Williams, some 10 points behind Louis Gordon in handicap, looked to be on the verge of causing an huge upset - Lewis, trying to make up for the disappointment of losing the Handicap final earlier, raced into a 6-1 and a first-set lead, mixing-up his serve, and controlling the awesome firepower of his older opponent. Louis then seemed to come to terms with the court, and find his accuracy with his thunderbolt forcing, to take the next set 6-3. Into a deciding set, and what a set it was! Lewis had everyone on the edge of their seats – especially his home-crowd supporters – when he went 5-4 up 40-30 up and receiving a hazard chase. What has to be the best rally of the day took place next, with some amazing retrieving. Lewis forced the return; Louis blocked it back; the rally went on; Louis hit the tambour; Lewis returned; it was forced back into the tambour; Lewis somehow got his racket on the ball, which was heading back, but not high enough; it went into the net cord, and his match point had gone. Louis - a relieved man! - then sneaked through 1-6 6-3 6-5. Claire Vigrass was next on arriving on court, straight from Holyport where she had just beaten Karen Hird 6-3 6-1, to win the LRTA Ladies International Invitational. Using her knowledge of her home court and her superior skills, Claire soon wrapped-up her match against Toby Bawden 6-1 6-0.
Monday, and Finals Day was upon us. First on court was John Lumley, taking on Louis Gordon - a tough match on paper. The match saw the awesome firepower of Louis vs the speed and reactions of John. The match ebbed and flowed, with neither player ever really getting ahead nor comfortable. Louis came out the victor 6-4 6-5. The next semi saw Claire comfortably dispatch Rene Schemschat 6-3 6-1. The final, on handicap, should not have been close with Claire at a best-ever women’s 7.9, and Louis an 18, but real tennis is a funny game; although Claire emerged the champion 6-4 6-4, Louis had her worried, playing equally powerfully off his backhand and forehand, and hitting outright winners into the dedans and grille.
Unfortunately, due to the disruption to international travel caused by the fallout from the Icelandic volcano, Mike Carter was abroad throughout the Tournaments. This was a particular disappointment because Mike donated the prizes, which included the Championship trophy, a Gray’s racket, weekends’ accommodation with court-time and coaching at Prested Hall, and sponsored the Championship. In Mike’s absence, I presented the prizes for the Handicap event, and Chris Vigrass, in his capacity as Chairman of our Club’s Committee, had the pleasure of presenting his daughter, Claire, with The Mike Carter Trophy and other prizes.
I look forward to hosting these Tournaments again next season on Prested’s behalf, when, hopefully, Mike will be here in person to witness the great tennis played by our sport’s talented youngsters.
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: Ladies Open Singles and Doubles Championships 2010 - CONGRATULATIONS TO...
Claire (right) and Freddy with their trophies...CLAIRE VIGRASS on beating Karen Hird 6/3, 6/2 to win the Singles Championship, and to Claire and Freddy Adam on winning the Doubles Championship by defeating Alex Garside and Aldona Greenwood 6/1, 6/2
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: Trophée Edouard Kressman 2010 - CONGRATULATIONS TO...
Photographed are (back row, from left to right) Chris Vigrass, Simon Harris, Chris Wilkinson and Bryan Eaton, and (foreground) Mike Norgrove...SIMON HARRIS on winning both the Singles and the Doubles titles
Simon beat Sara Reston 8/3 in the Singles final, and partnered Paul Mirat to an 8/6 victory over Henri Blanchot and Derrick Wells in the final of the Doubles
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: British Open Under-21 Championships 2010 - CONGRATULATIONS TO...
Josh Farrall (right) presenting Claire with her Championship trophy
...CLAIRE VIGRASS on winning the British Open Singles Under-21 Championship, and on being the first woman player to do so
Claire beat Mark Mathias 6/1, 6/3 in the final. Freddy Adam has kindly posted a recording of the match "warm-up" to ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6272886
Prested Hall Real Tennis Club: Social Fixture with Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club - 13th & 14th March 2010
Report by Fixtures Secretary Chris Wilkinson
CONGRATULATIONS to the Prested Hall team, who won by 5 matches to 3.
The team from Prested included John Clarke, Chris Vigrass, Tony Blake and Wilko.
Prested got off to a slow start; playing on an alien court always takes time to get used to; John and Tony trailed for most of their opening match and went down 10/5. Vigrass and Wilkinson fared little better, but managed to claw back to 6/6 before falling back losing 10/6. A rearguard action by Prested would be required, and some exciting tennis was to follow.
John and Chris played well together even if at times leaving the ball for the other to play; but at 9/9 at match point 40-30 down, receiving serve and playing a “better than 3 yard chase”, things were not looking good. But John played a master stroke; glancing off the rim of the second gallery to land on 2 yards; Prested at 40-all won the final point to tumultuous applause. Inspired by this Blake and Wilkinson won their match to make the overnight score tied at 2-all.
Prested retired to watch the 6 nations rugby and after several pints of Guinness and the odd “rusty nail", the Prested Team were rather bleary-eyed when reappearing on Sunday morning.
Vigrass was up against the competitive and busy Simon Johnston; at 9/8 and in the lead Chris had match point, was serving having laid a “better than 4 chase” – the gritty Johnston played a fine shot to the backhand side - Chris unsure whether it was a winning shot left the ball – it fell better than 4 “chase off”. Simon would win the game – now 9-all. Chris got to match point again - he had laid another “better than 4 chase” - serving, it felt like déjà vu. Chris decided to leave the ball - again it fell better than 4 - another "chase off"; sadly Chris could not quite close off the match and suffered another 10/9 defeat. It had been a terrific match. 3-2 to Jesmond.
Wilko was to play Tony Harrison – whom he had plied with buckets of Fosters the afternoon before - with his “Barnes Wallis” serve. Wilko was to receive 2 bisques in the match; another slow start led the Prested supporters to remind Wilko of his bisque; at 40-all, on 2 occasions Wilko played his bisque to good effect - and after an exhausting match came through 10-7, very red-faced.
Next on court was the senior figure of Blake who had trained hard the night before - his opponent was the graceful Julia Cooke who had been at Cambridge University with Sarah Vigrass. 40-all was reached in 10 games out of the 18 played so lots of chases which Tony enjoyed walking to! But the old boy came good to win 10/8 despite looking shattered at the end of proceedings. Prested 1 up with one to play.
The dependable Clarke (the hero of the previous day) looking more like someone doing a “Bush tucker trail” was all grit and determination; he played some magnificent rests and came through 10/8. Prested had won 5-3.
We had had a great weekend despite England’s performance at Murrayfield; Jesmond is a delightful club – their members and Paul Hetherington and Simon Harris in particular could not have been more hospitable. Joss Wilkinson, our chef d’ equipe, led the supporters with enthusiasm.
A weekend to remember and a club all should visit.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Prested Hall team, who won by 5 matches to 3.
The team from Prested included John Clarke, Chris Vigrass, Tony Blake and Wilko.
Prested got off to a slow start; playing on an alien court always takes time to get used to; John and Tony trailed for most of their opening match and went down 10/5. Vigrass and Wilkinson fared little better, but managed to claw back to 6/6 before falling back losing 10/6. A rearguard action by Prested would be required, and some exciting tennis was to follow.
John and Chris played well together even if at times leaving the ball for the other to play; but at 9/9 at match point 40-30 down, receiving serve and playing a “better than 3 yard chase”, things were not looking good. But John played a master stroke; glancing off the rim of the second gallery to land on 2 yards; Prested at 40-all won the final point to tumultuous applause. Inspired by this Blake and Wilkinson won their match to make the overnight score tied at 2-all.
Prested retired to watch the 6 nations rugby and after several pints of Guinness and the odd “rusty nail", the Prested Team were rather bleary-eyed when reappearing on Sunday morning.
Vigrass was up against the competitive and busy Simon Johnston; at 9/8 and in the lead Chris had match point, was serving having laid a “better than 4 chase” – the gritty Johnston played a fine shot to the backhand side - Chris unsure whether it was a winning shot left the ball – it fell better than 4 “chase off”. Simon would win the game – now 9-all. Chris got to match point again - he had laid another “better than 4 chase” - serving, it felt like déjà vu. Chris decided to leave the ball - again it fell better than 4 - another "chase off"; sadly Chris could not quite close off the match and suffered another 10/9 defeat. It had been a terrific match. 3-2 to Jesmond.
Wilko was to play Tony Harrison – whom he had plied with buckets of Fosters the afternoon before - with his “Barnes Wallis” serve. Wilko was to receive 2 bisques in the match; another slow start led the Prested supporters to remind Wilko of his bisque; at 40-all, on 2 occasions Wilko played his bisque to good effect - and after an exhausting match came through 10-7, very red-faced.
Next on court was the senior figure of Blake who had trained hard the night before - his opponent was the graceful Julia Cooke who had been at Cambridge University with Sarah Vigrass. 40-all was reached in 10 games out of the 18 played so lots of chases which Tony enjoyed walking to! But the old boy came good to win 10/8 despite looking shattered at the end of proceedings. Prested 1 up with one to play.
The dependable Clarke (the hero of the previous day) looking more like someone doing a “Bush tucker trail” was all grit and determination; he played some magnificent rests and came through 10/8. Prested had won 5-3.
We had had a great weekend despite England’s performance at Murrayfield; Jesmond is a delightful club – their members and Paul Hetherington and Simon Harris in particular could not have been more hospitable. Joss Wilkinson, our chef d’ equipe, led the supporters with enthusiasm.
A weekend to remember and a club all should visit.
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