£18.00

Collapse AllRichmond Parks Singles - Round 21 | Thursday 23 August 2018 to Wednesday 17 October 2018 (Midpoint: Wednesday 19 September 2018)

The courts in Richmond were kept busy once again in this round with just under 70% of all matches played throughout the groups, so thanks for all your efforts everyone. There was lots of generous comments too; "a wonderful game on a wonderful game for tennis" demonstrates the fantastic spirit matches were played in. Hope to see you next time!

Group Summary:

Group one once again didn't disappoint with the majority of matches played and bonus points earned and strong competition for the coveted title. A photo finish was required to determine the new champ, with Nuno, Mihai and Christopher all picking up five wins to finish level on points out in front. Nuno showed all the experience of a former champ, finding his best form when he needed to to emerge with victories over both of his title rivals to cross the line in first and take his fourth straight gold. Mihai beat Christopher in "such a good match!" to sneak into second.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Nuno Ribeiro 5 5 0 2 12 WWWW
2 Mihai Nagit 7 5 2 2 12 LLWW
3 Christopher Belcourt 7 5 2 2 12 WWWW
4 Michael Archer 5 4 1 0 8 LWWW
5 Maximilian Rudolf 7 1 6 2 8 LWLL
6 James Lee 6 2 4 2 7 LLLW
7 Hammad Siddiqui 6 2 4 2 6 LWLL
8 Rob Hollinshead 7 1 6 2 4 LLLL

Match Results:

Christopher Belcourt bt Michael Archer (Oct 17) Walkover
Reveal CommentChristopher Belcourt bt Rob Hollinshead (Oct 17) 6-2, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Tight schedule to fit in the match before 2,Rob has a nice first serve nd backhand but was trying too hard to finish points. Lots of Deuce games went my way so given another day could have been a different story. Well played and unlucky Rob. Thanks so much for fitting in the match!"  -- Christopher
Reveal CommentChristopher Belcourt bt Maximilian Rudolf (Oct 17) 1-6, 6-2, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "A match of two sides, very strong start and nice hitting from Max, really had me ruffled and frustrated! Slowed down my shots at the start of set 2 to try and compose myself and unfortunately Max contorted himself winning a volley which made him struggle towards end of set 2. Easy pickings from then on bit such a shame. Well battled to the end though Max much respect!! "  -- Christopher
Michael Archer bt Maximilian Rudolf (Oct 13) Walkover
Reveal CommentMaximilian Rudolf bt James Lee (Oct 13) 6-2, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "All the best to you and your wife and good luck with your new advanture in Hong Kong. The league will miss you!"  -- Maximilian
Reveal CommentMichael Archer bt Rob Hollinshead (Oct 10) 6-1, 7-5

Player Comments:

  • "Both not on top form for this one, I got away with the second set somehow. Otherwise it probably deserved a 3rd. Not a cloud in the sky and the sun really strong down one end made serving extra tough... in October! Cheers for the game Rob."  -- Michael
Reveal CommentChristopher Belcourt bt James Lee (Oct 3) 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)

Player Comments:

  • "James is a very fit and tenacious player. Great running forehand and very consistent second serve. Very close games and a very tight second set which started with James putting in a short ball to pull me in followed by an exquisite lob to set up break point. Such a shame James is leaving in 2 weeks as he is a very exciting player to be up against. Well played mate, good luck with the remaining matches and your ventures abroad."  -- Christopher
Reveal CommentMichael Archer bt Hammad Siddiqui (Sep 30) 6-2, 7-5

Player Comments:

  • "Really enjoyable game, very competitive with not much between us. Look forward to playing again."  -- Michael
Reveal CommentMichael Archer bt Mihai Nagit (Sep 29) 6-2, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Once again against Miha, a lot of games particularly in the first set went to deuce but I was able to just edge them. But I know he wasn't playing his best today by a long way so I expect another battle the next time we play! "  -- Michael
Reveal CommentNuno Ribeiro bt Mihai Nagit (Sep 27) 6-0, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Great competitor as always and very tight games. Score not a good reflection of the match! Mihai’s serve let him down today but he made it up with some fantastic forehands. Looking forward to our next hit."  -- Nuno
Reveal CommentRob Hollinshead bt Maximilian Rudolf (Sep 22) 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 Maximilian Rudolf Retired

Player Comments:

  • "Neither of us were on top form but there were some good, battling rallies. The kids' session on the next court certainly provided a challenge to our focus at times. "  -- Rob
Reveal CommentNuno Ribeiro bt James Lee (Sep 17) 6-0, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Close games and just managed to win the important points. Great match James,! Best of luck . "  -- Nuno
Reveal CommentNuno Ribeiro bt Christopher Belcourt (Sep 16) 6-0, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Undeserved score line for Chris who’s a great player. We played a 3rd set, and whilst we were both about to pass out, it was a lot closer. Best of luck and hope to play with you again soon. "  -- Nuno
Reveal CommentMihai Nagit bt Christopher Belcourt (Sep 14) 6-4, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Such a good match!! Chris started strong leading 2-0, 4-2 with impressive top spin and consistency, however the match had a momentum change and went my way with 9 consecutive games. Chris saved a match point at 0-5 in the 2nd and then won 2 games in the row displaying stein will! Very interesting dinamyc with great rallies and good energy. We played another set after the match which ended 6-6 and stoped do to visibility conditions. Really enjoyed playing Chris, good luck with your next ones and let’s hit again!!"  -- Mihai
James Lee bt Rob Hollinshead (Sep 14) 6-1, 6-2
Reveal CommentNuno Ribeiro bt Rob Hollinshead (Sep 13) 6-0, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Great playing with you again Rob. Some hard fought points, Good luck in your next matches. "  -- Nuno
Hammad Siddiqui bt Maximilian Rudolf (Sep 10) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Match of the Group:

Reveal CommentMihai Nagit bt Maximilian Rudolf (Sep 10) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Match started with a 15 min. first set after which Mihai gave me a epic pep talk which he later regreted as this let to two more sets which took nearly 2 hrs. Managed to win the second set and was up 2:4 in the third but Mihais consistency and his strong tennis mind brought him back, taking home the match. Always great joy to play with Mihai. And thank you for the coaching :). Max"  -- Maximilian
Reveal CommentMihai Nagit bt Hammad Siddiqui (Sep 7) 6-2, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Such a good phisical match. The score is lying since we had a lot of games with 6/7 deuces and the wins were marginal. Hammad played very consistent shots and some impressive powerfull first serves. Good luck with your next battles man!"  -- Mihai
Reveal CommentMihai Nagit bt James Lee (Sep 2) 6-7 (2-7), 6-0, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "What a great match against James The Retriever!!! First set took us more than 1h with great consistent shoots from James and a clinical tie break. The second and the third were bit different with consistency swiched on my side and couple of gifts from James in the key games. Lots of running and hassling every ball from both sides on a sunny Sunday. Cheers and good luck in the next ones!! "  -- Mihai
Reveal CommentNuno Ribeiro bt Maximilian Rudolf (Sep 1) 6-1, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Max played well, and the score doesn’t reflect the quality of his game. Was just able to get the important points. Looking forward to playing again soon. Best of luck in the next matches buddy."  -- Nuno
Reveal CommentChristopher Belcourt bt Hammad Siddiqui (Aug 31) 6-3, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Great match with Chris! Chris is a great player, he literally moved me all over the court filling the court with hitting amazing winners. Good luck with the other matches! "  -- Hammad
Reveal CommentJames Lee bt Hammad Siddiqui (Aug 29) 6-4, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Hammad played really well as per usual, some great rallies and long points! Forehand was great! Good luck for rest of matches."  -- James
Reveal CommentMihai Nagit bt Rob Hollinshead (Aug 27) 6-2, 7-5

Player Comments:

  • "Very good match against Rob on a sunny Monday bank holiday morning. After a frustrating first set loosing some crucial points very marginal, Rob focused and started strong the second leading 3-0. Great battle with long games and outstanding backhands from Rob. Stay healthy and good luck with the next ones Rob!!:)"  -- Mihai
Reveal CommentHammad Siddiqui bt Rob Hollinshead (Aug 24) 7-5, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Play kicked off with a dry cloudy spell then suddenly it started pouring down, me and Rob both agreed to carry on, first set was an epic display of serving and long rallies. In the second set Rob was misfortunate to miss quite a few chances and I took the lead. Having said that, Rob was not feeling 100% as he was still recovering from a bad cold but good to see him overpowering his weakness and playing this match. Rob, I wish you good luck with your other matches. Would love to play a friendly game soon! Thanks "  -- Hammad

Group Summary:

There was nothing to separate Martin and Bruce at the top of the table with both players finishing on eleven points apiece. The match between the two was therefore a winner takes all affair and it was certainly one worthy of deciding the new champ. Bruce got off to a quick start and took the first set, however Martin then produced a terrific comeback to win the next two and clinches the prize. Hats off to Rags and Alexandru who also produced strong displays to come home only one point behind the top two.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Martin Dewberry 6 4 2 2 11 WLLW
2 Bruce Harrison 6 3 3 2 11 WLLL
3 Rags Martel 6 3 3 2 10 WWLL
4 Alexandru Tataru 6 5 1 0 10 WWWW
5 Oliver Chan 5 4 1 0 9 WLWW
6 David Saville 6 1 5 0 3 LLLL
7 Krisztian Tancsa 5 0 5 0 0 LLLL

Match Results:

Alexandru Tataru bt Krisztian Tancsa (Oct 13) 6-3, 6-3
Martin Dewberry bt David Saville (Oct 13) 6-0, 6-2
Reveal CommentOliver Chan bt Martin Dewberry (Oct 13) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A long and draining match in tricky gusty conditions that tested both of our skills and patience - we both put our guts in to the match, as the roller coaster result shows, and the score in the final set could have been a lot closer than it looks. Well played Martin, you’re a very good player, and I’m sure we’ll meet again soon!"  -- Oliver
Reveal CommentBruce Harrison bt David Saville (Oct 12) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Another tough match against Dave, very windy, occasionally pelted by acorns (!) but got it done. "  -- Bruce
Alexandru Tataru bt David Saville (Oct 8) 7-5, 6-4
Alexandru Tataru bt Martin Dewberry (Oct 7) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Reveal CommentRags Martel bt David Saville (Oct 5) 6-4, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Hard fought game. Much tougher than the score suggests. Some incredible rallies that would have looked good to watch on tv (and usually won by Dave!). Thanks for a great match. "  -- Rags
Reveal CommentOliver Chan bt Bruce Harrison (Oct 1) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "A marathon of a match (especially having played a 3-setter against Alex earlier in the day) which went to the wire. A great fight from Bruce, with both of us using our bat-senses in the failing light towards the end - the result evens the score in our personal head to head, which tells you how close it was. Look forward to playing against you again soon..."  -- Oliver

Match of the Group:

Alexandru Tataru bt Oliver Chan (Oct 1) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Reveal CommentRags Martel bt Krisztian Tancsa (Sep 30) 6-0, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Enjoyable match in the autumn sun. As always, score doesn’t reflect the closeness of all the games. Look forward to playing with Chris again soon. "  -- Rags
David Saville bt Krisztian Tancsa (Sep 28) 6-2, 6-1
Reveal CommentOliver Chan bt Rags Martel (Sep 28) 6-1, 2-6, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A bit of a topsy-turvy match, with Rags' serve coming in to form at the same time mine went walkabout, and the games were closer than the score-line suggests! Good to meet you, Rags, look forward to playing again soon"  -- Oliver
Reveal CommentOliver Chan bt David Saville (Sep 25) 7-5, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A tough match as always, David always makes you work hard for every point..."  -- Oliver
Alexandru Tataru bt Bruce Harrison (Sep 22) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Reveal CommentMartin Dewberry bt Rags Martel (Sep 15) 6-7 (3-7), 6-0, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Great match against a great guy! Very long game at 3-3 first set serving with the sun in my eyes!! Got things to together in the other sets and cut down on errors but the games were not all as easy as the score suggests. Thanks Rags - great to meet you. Martin "  -- Martin
Martin Dewberry bt Krisztian Tancsa (Sep 9) 6-1, 6-2
Reveal CommentRags Martel bt Alexandru Tataru (Sep 9) 6-4, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Great match. Strong and competitive game - with some long rallies that, in turn, had each of us applauding the other... Look forward to the next battle with Alex. Thanks! Rags"  -- Rags
Reveal CommentMartin Dewberry bt Bruce Harrison (Sep 8) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Great match again with Bruce, perfect gent throughout, pleasure to play. Thanks."  -- Martin
Reveal CommentBruce Harrison bt Krisztian Tancsa (Sep 3) 6-3, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "A good run around with Chris who is returning to the game after a break - thanks for the match!"  -- Bruce
Reveal CommentBruce Harrison bt Rags Martel (Sep 2) 6-4, 7-5

Player Comments:

  • "A very tight match with Rags on a beautiful sunny morning - a few too many errors on both sides but also some good tennis was played - a very sporting contest.."  -- Bruce

Group Summary:

"Epic points", "great games" and an "enjoyable match" were common features in the post match comments in this well contested group. There was exciting race for the number one spot too with Rod and "long term rival" Manoj both finishing on twelve points to put themselves right in the mix. The head to head between the two was typically tight and on this occasion it was Rod who used his "home advantage" to narrowly emerge with the victory. Well done to third placed Laurence too who also showed fine form to record four victories.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Rod Sumner 5 5 0 2 12 WWWW
2 Manoj Jangra 6 4 2 2 12 WLLW
3 Laurence Knight 6 4 2 2 11 WWLW
4 James Maher 5 1 4 2 6 LLWL
5 Andrew Dallamore 3 2 1 0 4 LWW
6 Adrian Ion 4 1 3 0 3 LWLL
7 Mario Baburic 5 0 5 2 2 LLLL
8 Juan Menacho 0 0 0 0 0 0

Match Results:

Match of the Group:

Reveal CommentRod Sumner bt Adrian Ion (Oct 13) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Great to get this game played despite the very windy conditions and fading light. Some great winners from Adrian in the first set before I edged my way back into it and managed to win a few crucial points at the net and just held out for the win before it was too dark. Cheers for the game Adrian and great to meet you."  -- Rod
Reveal CommentAdrian Ion bt Mario Baburic (Oct 7) 6-4, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "A wonderful game on a wonderful day for tennis. Thank you Mario"  -- Adrian
Reveal CommentLaurence Knight bt James Maher (Sep 30) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "A very enjoyable match. I won the first set comfortably, James won the second comfortably, the third set was very close. Fortunately for me, I fluked a winner on match point, which got me over the winning line."  -- Laurence
Laurence Knight bt Andrew Dallamore (Sep 30) Walkover
Reveal CommentManoj Jangra bt James Maher (Sep 25) 6-2, 4-6, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Another epic match against James, I think its a tradition for us to always play three sets! Good luck in the rest of your matches buddy! Mani "  -- Manoj
Reveal CommentRod Sumner bt Manoj Jangra (Sep 22) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Another great game with long-term rival Mani. Had a feeling it would go the distance and it did, some epic points and I think home advantage just helped me edge it this time. Cheers for another tough match and look forward to our next encounter!"  -- Rod
Reveal CommentJames Maher bt Mario Baburic (Sep 16) 6-1, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Good match played early on a cloudy but bright Sunday morning at York House Gardens. Great to meet a new opponent in Mario. Some good rallies and thanks for carrying on with a friendly extra set."  -- James
Reveal CommentAndrew Dallamore bt Manoj Jangra (Sep 13) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A great game with momentum changing all the time. Some really good rallies with most games going to deuce. Still shattered! Thanks Manoj"  -- Andrew
Andrew Dallamore bt James Maher (Sep 9) 6-4, 6-1
Reveal CommentManoj Jangra bt Adrian Ion (Sep 9) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A tough match which could of easily gone the other way, great to meet you Adrian!"  -- Manoj
Reveal CommentRod Sumner bt Laurence Knight (Sep 6) 7-5, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Epic first set that lasted and hour with most games going to deuce multiple times. Laurence chases everything down and is incredibly tough to beat - well played and all the best for the rest of your matches!"  -- Rod
Reveal CommentRod Sumner bt James Maher (Aug 31) 6-4, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Always a close and enjoyable match against James. I was lucky to catch him as he returned from holiday and hadn't been on court for a while and so just edged it this time after a very tight first set. "  -- Rod
Reveal CommentManoj Jangra bt Mario Baburic (Aug 29) 6-1, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A great game of Tennis against Mario who has a massive serve! Good luck in the rest of your matches buddy!"  -- Manoj
Reveal CommentLaurence Knight bt Mario Baburic (Aug 27) 6-2, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "It was great to meet and play Mario. His first serve is practically unreturnable, but fortunately for me only 25 per cent were in. If he can increase his first serve percentage to 50 percent or more, he would win nearly all his service games."  -- Laurence
Reveal CommentManoj Jangra bt Laurence Knight (Aug 27) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Great game and a lovely guy!"  -- Manoj
Reveal CommentLaurence Knight bt Adrian Ion (Aug 26) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5)

Player Comments:

  • "Adrian started the match playing great tennis and won the first 12 points and went 3-0 up. I started getting into the rallies in the fourth game and from then on the match was very even. Four net cords went against Adrian and only one went in his favour. If it was the other way round, the match would probably have gone to three sets. "  -- Laurence
Reveal CommentRod Sumner bt Mario Baburic (Aug 25) 6-2, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Really enjoyable match on a sunny Saturday morning at Cambridge Gardens. Great to meet you Mario and good luck for the rest of your matches. Cheers, Rod."  -- Rod

Group Summary:

Paul battled through a "never ending match","tricky opponents" and the "blinding sun" to notch up three straight victories and put himself in contention for the title. Gareth also dug deep to pick up a couple of hard fought wins and points from three setter defeats to join Paul at the top. The match between the two therefore proves decisive and it was Paul emerged from this "three hour monster" to take pole position by a whisker.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Paul Alexander 3 3 0 0 6 WWW
2 Gareth Clark 3 2 1 0 6 LWW
3 Benjamin Gravouil 3 1 2 0 5 LWL
4 Lidija Matjacic 1 1 0 0 3 W
5 Gagandeep Sekhon 2 1 1 0 3 LW
6 Aman Sood 0 0 0 0 1 0
7 Wandile Sgwane 4 0 4 0 0 LLLL
8 Richard Prescott 0 0 0 0 0 0

Match Results:

Reveal CommentPaul Alexander bt Wandile Sgwane (Oct 7) 6-4, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Excellent game against a tricky opponent, and in blinding sun. Pleasure to meet and play you Wandile. "  -- Paul
Benjamin Gravouil v Lidija Matjacic (Oct 7) 5-7, 6-4, 1-2 TBC
Reveal CommentPaul Alexander bt Benjamin Gravouil (Oct 1) 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Very nice and close game. The match definitely turned in favor of Alexander when he adjusted his lobs. He won 11 of the last 12 points. Well done !"  -- Benjamin

Match of the Group:

Reveal CommentPaul Alexander bt Gareth Clark (Oct 1) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "A seemingly neverending match. Despite taking a 3-0 lead in the first set, Paul reeled me back in like an angler winching an indignant guppy out of the Tyne. And so it continued – push and shove; to and fro. The second set went to the last knockings after I failed to serve it out at the first attempt, then bustled another chance. Then, as the sun dimmed, Paul found another gear, and at 2-2 he took the lead and never gave it back. We finished in the dark, a three-hour monster raging against the dying of the light. "  -- Gareth
Reveal CommentGareth Clark bt Wandile Sgwane (Oct 1) 6-2, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Wandile slowly found his length in the second set, just as my drop shot-whack it/chip it policy found the net irresistible. And having fought back to 4-4, it could have gone either way. But a few spicy serves and a sudden run of form twisted fate in my favour. A fun match. "  -- Gareth
Benjamin Gravouil bt Wandile Sgwane (Sep 24) 6-1, 6-1
Gareth Clark v Gagandeep Sekhon (Sep 9) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 5-5 TBC
Lidija Matjacic bt Gagandeep Sekhon (Sep 5) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
Reveal CommentGagandeep Sekhon bt Wandile Sgwane (Sep 3) 6-4, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Great game, much closer than the score suggests. Played on very nice courts. Looking forward to playing Wandile again soon."  -- Gagandeep
Reveal CommentGareth Clark bt Benjamin Gravouil (Sep 2) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A really entertaining game played in blistering heat, with the odd scorching ralley to match the relentless sunshine as Benjamin scurried and hustled and ran and ran and ran. Indefatigable and great fun. Très formidable. "  -- Gareth
Reveal CommentAman Sood v Gagandeep Sekhon (Aug 30) 6-4, 4-0 TBC

Player Comments:

  • "Unfortunately the light forced us off....TBC"  -- Aman

Group Summary:

Will lost out to Denise in his first match of the round, but he then found his feet to chalk up wins in his next three encounters and with scheduling skills part of his game too he climbs into the outright lead. Denise and Laura also finished with three wins under their belts, but with no bonus points to their names they miss out on the gold this time. Gideon tied with Denise for second, but after bonus points are removed in this situation it is Denise who just clinches the silver. Well played all.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Will Purdue 4 3 1 2 8 WWWL
2 Denise Nemtzov 4 3 1 0 7 LWWW
3 Gideon Gray 3 2 1 2 7 LWW
4 Laura Campari 4 3 1 0 6 WWW
5 Michael Ruggier 5 1 4 2 4 LLLW
6 Paul Snoddy 5 0 5 2 4 LLLL
7 Rodolfo Odoni 1 1 0 0 2 0
8 Jacqueline Jeromson 0 0 0 0 0 0

Match Results:

Reveal CommentLaura Campari bt Denise Nemtzov (Oct 7) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Crikey! Another marathon, unfinished match but hope to finish this time. Ran out of time and court! However, very enjoyable so far as it was a beautiful day. See you soon for the next instalment!"  -- Denise
Rodolfo Odoni bt Laura Campari (Oct 4) 7-6 (7-2), 2-3 Laura Campari Retired
Laura Campari bt Michael Ruggier (Oct 2) 6-4, 7-5
Reveal CommentWill Purdue bt Paul Snoddy (Sep 26) 0-6, 6-2, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "A real game of two halves! Paul absolutely battered me in the first set, and I really didn’t have chance to get going. Something started to click in the second set, and we started to exchange some really good tennis. I started hitting volleys, Paul kept sending passing shots back, and really felt like a match. Once I managed to get a lead the momentum seemed to carry me through, but really enjoyed the match. And if someone is going to beat you 6-0 in a set, then you want it to be someone as nice as Paul! Thanks again for the match."  -- Will
Laura Campari bt Paul Snoddy (Sep 24) 6-0, 6-3
Reveal CommentDenise Nemtzov bt Michael Ruggier (Sep 21) 6-2, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Firstly, the score does not reflect the very entertaining (we thought, anyway) match we played. What a hilarious morning. The wind was so strong, neither of us had a clue which way the ball was going! It was completely pot luck to be honest and definitely pot luck that we finished before the sudden monsoon which followed. Great fun meeting you Michael and have a great weekend."  -- Denise
Reveal CommentWill Purdue bt Michael Ruggier (Sep 19) 6-3, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Had a really fun game with Michael, we had a bit of an all weather game, with bright sun, then wind and rain. We had some long rallies and really happy with the tennis we played. "  -- Will
Reveal CommentDenise Nemtzov bt Paul Snoddy (Sep 18) 6-1, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "I really cannot take any credit for winning this match. Paul had a 'jippy' tummy from a dodgy burger! (I'm sure he won't mind me mentioning that, hopefully!) Plus.....he had already played a match earlier! Considering all that, it's amazing how many cracking rallies we had! Hope you feel better soon Paul and good luck with their roast dinners! Lovely to see you again. "  -- Denise
Reveal CommentMichael Ruggier bt Paul Snoddy (Sep 18) 7-6, 3-6, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Quite an epic match with lots of long rallies until Michael ran away with the final set. Great fun as ever against Michael. "  -- Paul

Match of the Group:

Reveal CommentWill Purdue bt Gideon Gray (Sep 17) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)

Player Comments:

  • "Had a great time playing Gideon, and it was such a topsy turvy match (the first set I led 5-1 to then find myself 6-5 down and then squeezed through tie break). Gideon then started the first three points of the second set with the most stunning volleys, so I knew I was in trouble in that set! It was a really close match and had a great time playing it. "  -- Will
Reveal CommentGideon Gray bt Paul Snoddy (Sep 8) 6-2, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Really enjoyed our match, thank you Paul!"  -- Gideon
Reveal CommentGideon Gray bt Michael Ruggier (Sep 8) 6-3, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Thanks Michael, for a very enjoyable game! We both hit some very good lobs and had some nice rallies. Good luck for the rest of the league!"  -- Gideon
Reveal CommentDenise Nemtzov bt Will Purdue (Sep 3) 6-1, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Once we'd got over our nerves (!) our rallies improved! Will had an incredible talent at hitting the top of the net and the balls dribbled over to my side (sadly!) The second set was very close and the match could have gone to three sets. Lovely to meet you Will and thanks for the game."  -- Denise

Group Summary:

Ian and James both finished with a superb six wins under their belts to make it a close call for the group crown. There was little to separate the two on court either with their head to head decided by only a couple of points here and there. Ian held his nerve to win a first set tiebreak and got the crucial break late in the second set to take the win 7-6 7-5 and become the new champ - well played both. A shout out to Richard, Hashem and Natalie for scheduling well to earn their bonus prize.

Final Rankings:

Pos. Name Played P Won W Lost L Bonus BNS Total PTS Form
1 Ian McKenzie 6 6 0 0 12 WWWW
2 James Meurer 7 6 1 0 12 WLWW
3 Marco Laezza 6 4 2 0 9 LWWL
4 Richard Head 6 3 3 2 9 LLWW
5 Joseph Fraser 5 3 2 0 7 WWLL
6 Hashem Mirzadeh 6 1 5 2 4 LLLW
7 Richard Fitter 6 1 5 0 2 LLLL
8 Natalie Carter 6 0 6 2 2 LLLL

Match Results:

Ian McKenzie bt Marco Laezza (Oct 14) 6-3, 6-3
Reveal CommentJoseph Fraser bt Hashem Mirzadeh (Oct 13) 6-0, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Enjoyable game played in summer heat."  -- Joseph
Reveal CommentMarco Laezza bt Richard Fitter (Oct 13) 6-0, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Nice sunny day at Twickenham. A bit windy but still very enjoyable. Nice played both sides with excellent strikes. Well done! "  -- Marco
Reveal CommentJoseph Fraser bt Richard Fitter (Oct 7) 6-1, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Enjoyable match with some good rallies. "  -- Joseph
Reveal CommentIan McKenzie bt Natalie Carter (Oct 7) 6-1, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Enjoyable match"  -- Ian
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Joseph Fraser (Oct 2) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "TBC - due to low light... "  -- James
Ian McKenzie bt Hashem Mirzadeh (Oct 1) 6-1, 6-2

Match of the Group:

Reveal CommentMarco Laezza bt Richard Head (Sep 30) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "Very intense match. Well played both sides. Unfortunately Richard got injured during the second set, but he fought until the end. Really enjoyable. "  -- Marco
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Richard Fitter (Sep 28) 6-2, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Just managed to get it finished before losing the light - despite me being late - apologies yet again Richard! Thanks for understanding. Looking forward to meeting up in the leagues again soon. "  -- James
Ian McKenzie bt James Meurer (Sep 28) 7-6 (7-2), 7-5
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Richard Head (Sep 25) 6-1, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Nice game - Richard was struggling with the light - mixing from the failing daylight into the floodlights. Not an ideal time to play, but good fun all the same! "  -- James
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Marco Laezza (Sep 24) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Really enjoyable match with Marco - great to finally get it played - we kept missing each other in earlier rounds. We started early to try and make sure we had good light, but still managed to play on until after 7... Looking forward to playing again soon. Thanks Marco! "  -- James
Reveal CommentIan McKenzie bt Joseph Fraser (Sep 24) 6-0, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Great rallies"  -- Ian
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Natalie Carter (Sep 21) 6-0, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Natalie is getting back into tennis after a break - and also today found her with one foot already out the door on holiday! Some great shots when she found them. Nice to meet you - and looking forward to meeting you in the leagues again one day soon. "  -- James
Ian McKenzie bt Richard Fitter (Sep 21) 6-1, 6-1
Reveal CommentJames Meurer bt Hashem Mirzadeh (Sep 18) 6-1, 6-3

Player Comments:

  • "I managed to get there early - so had plenty of time to warm up. Hashem struggled to get into the first set, but by the second we were having some good rallies. Hashem created some super-accurate lobs and passing shots. We managed to get finished just as the light was failing. "  -- James
Reveal CommentMarco Laezza bt Natalie Carter (Sep 17) 6-1, 6-1

Player Comments:

  • "Nice game, but unfortunately light was not perfect. We recommend not to play after 7pm anymore unless you have artificial lights. "  -- Marco
Reveal CommentHashem Mirzadeh bt Natalie Carter (Sep 16) 6-1, 6-4

Player Comments:

  • "Natalie wasn’t quite ready/warmed up on the first set, but came back fighting on the second set and I really struggled to win the set. "  -- Hashem
Reveal CommentRichard Head bt Richard Fitter (Sep 15) 6-3, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Very enjoyable match. First set very close with some great rallies."  -- Richard
Reveal CommentRichard Fitter bt Natalie Carter (Sep 14) 6-3, 7-5

Player Comments:

  • "Very close match, especially in the second where Hannah was 5-2 ahead at one point"  -- Richard
Reveal CommentRichard Head bt Hashem Mirzadeh (Sep 7) 6-4, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Really enjoyable match with Hashemite. First set very close, second set some great rallies, score doesn't really tell whole story. "  -- Richard
Reveal CommentRichard Head bt Natalie Carter (Sep 2) 6-2, 6-2

Player Comments:

  • "Good match with Some great rallies. "  -- Richard
Reveal CommentMarco Laezza bt Hashem Mirzadeh (Aug 30) 6-2, 6-0

Player Comments:

  • "Nice and friendly first game for me (Marco), with a very tight starting games of the first set. Hashem is a really nice player and very kind person. I recommend to play with him. The courts at York House are lovely. "  -- Marco
Joseph Fraser bt Richard Head (Aug 27) 6-1, 7-5