Highlights include:

• Chris Chapman’s British Open final run, and Ed Kay’s progress
• Another Brodie Cup win
• David Watson extends his Harris Watson Trophy finals run
• Melvyn Pignon and others remembered
• Prizegiving photos

Barker Adds Bite

For the second year running, the RTC Brodie Cup team made their way to Hatfield House for their opening fixture, and, also for the second year running, came away with a 3/2 victory.

This year they had the added fun of the Christmas Frost Fair. That’s fun as in “massive traffic jam”. There was also the new complication of all of the matches being played with the home side giving a handicap of owe 1/2 15, independent of handicaps, in an attempt to reduce the lopsided home versus away win statistics.

The 45+ doubles started the day, with the unfamiliar pairing of Doug Sheperdigian and John Mather, playing the unfamiliar game of doubles, on an unfamiliar court. Despite all of that unfamiliarity, Sheperdigian’s consistency and Mather’s handy knack of repeatedly finding the grille kept the match tight. The first set went to the wire, with Hatfield’s Chris Handley and Jim Foxall just edging it 6/5. The second set was competitive, but not quite as close, with Handley’s all-round excellence, and Foxhall’s rackets-bred volleying coming to the fore, and Hatfield took it 6/4.

On paper, and in Peter Mather’s head, the 30+ singles against Stephen Brewerton looked like the home player was the favourite. Mather cried foul, claiming that his handicap would be worse if he hadn’t won some higher handicap weighting National League matches recently. [Not 100% sure about the logic there, Peter, Ed.] As it turned out, Brewerton, despite playing relatively well, never stood a chance. Mather repeatedly tracked down his best shots, and regularly punished everything else, always finding a balance between length, power and precision for a comfortable 6/2 6/3 victory.

Next up, in the 40+ singles was Martin Daly, whose loss in last year’s Brodie Cup Final was the only blemish on the otherwise perfect singles record of RTC. His opponent, Tim Harper represented Daly’s kyrptonite: a previously low (21) handicapper now cruising in the less glamorous part of the handicap range. As with the 45+ doubles, the first set was close, with Daly nicking it 6/5. Harper faded somewhat in the second set, and Daly took it relatively comfortably, 6/2, to edge RTC in front 2/1.

Brodie Cup debutant Ivan Barker (son of you-know-who) completed the singles matches against Nick Pickard (who expressed his extreme relief not to be playing Doug Sheperdigian, after his 2/6 1/6 defeat/massacre the previous year). Again the first set was tight, but Pickard, with his wrists-of-steel, don’t-try-this-at-home-kids, backhand volley in front of his face style, found his form at the crucial moment to prevail 6/5. Barker, to his credit, did not let his head drop, and instead raised his game, played several shots of which dad would be proud – we know this for a fact because dad was in the dedans, beaming from ear to ear – and took the next two sets 6/4 6/2 to seal the win for RTC. That’s two RTC members that Pickard will be hoping to avoid next time around…

As luck would have it, the 35+ doubles rubber was dead, because Paul Wright (a late-ish replacement) had mistakenly selected Clown Mode™ in the morning, and wasn’t able to help a bemused George Sleightholme defeat Louise Mercier and Andy Goldsmith, the Hatfield pair winning 6/5 4/6 6/4. Still, at least Wright was able to get a scented candle or two at the Christmas Frost Fair; so not a completely wasted trip.

In any normal week, Peter Mather’s performance would have sealed the Man of the Match award before 1pm, however Ivan Barker’s tender age, but mature head, mean that Peter will have to wait for his (inevitable) prize*.

RTC’s next match is at home, and therefore against the owe 1/2 15 handicap, against Holyport, on Sunday 11th December. Having won their two home matches 5/0 and 4/1 last year, it will be, ahem, interesting to see if that has any bearing.

 
*There is no prize

Highlights include:

• Buy Annual Dinner tickets now!
• Paul Wright emphatically wins his second Lathom Browne Cup
• De Laszlo Bowl participants get their money’s worth with 8-7 finishes galore
• Focus on the new Wellington court
• National League preview
• The return of the (Stef) King

The video is © EPSN.

Highlights include:

• Ed Kay wins two titles in one day
• Katy Doy retains the King’s Goblet
• How Camden Riviere dethroned Rob Fahey
• Members raise cash for a Uruguayan nursery
• National League news
• Martina Navratilova falls over

Rozier-Pamplin Stays In First Gear But RTC Bandwagon Rolls On

RTC’s Brodie Cup team swept past Prested Hall to reach the final for the first time in living memory. Given a favourable home draw against a Prested side renowned for being much weaker away from home, RTC prevailed 4/1.

Non-playing captain Dick Cowling marshalled the team superbly, fielding an unchanged side except for the return of Alex Rozier-Pamplin at the expense of Paul Wright. The captain’s signature lunch – ‘dick curry’ – was splendid.

Performance of the day came from the returning Alex Rozier-Pamplin in the 30+ singles. Awesome against Hatfield in Round 1, but unavailable for selection against Hardwick in the quarter-final, Alex showed us again what a phenomenal talent he is. He never really had to get out of first gear, comfortably winning 6/2 6/4. Watching Alex felt like watching a vintage V8 Bentley Continental just coasting round the Kingston one-way system in first gear, occasionally dabbing the accelerator to remind the Nissan Cherry in front what lurks underneath his bonnet. Fortuitously, Alex remains eligible for the final, so we’ll have an opportunity to take the Bentley for a spin and see what it really can do.

The team had been led off by Isabel Candy and Paul Newton in the 45+ doubles. Candy, hot from a long run at Melbourne’s Boomerang Cup, continued her good progress, underlined by rock solid volleying and sound tactical decision making. The team were paired against the quadruple-barrelled Richard Lidstone-Scott and James Lloyd-Roberts. The Prested pair, bearing more than a passing resemblance to TV chefs The Hairy Bikers, got better as the game progressed, with Lloyd-Roberts’ left-handed railroad and power-volleying especially effective. Candy and Newton went ahead but often gave away the service end too easily and then fed Lloyd-Roberts’ too often, letting slip a 3/0 lead in the final set to go down 6/5 4/6 3/6.

Comeback of the day was indisputably from Martin Daly in the 40+ singles. Up against the rapidly improving good Will Hunter, Martin was crushed 0/6 in the opening set, apparently believing that the knock-up was still in progress. After being informed that the match had started, he then found himself at 5/5 and 15/30, having to attack chases better than 4 and better than 3 to save the match. Finding inspiration, Daly forced errors to win both chases at the key moment, then galvanised himself by shouting a few of his trademark barbaric yawps. Spectators were confused by Daly’s tactic of playing an entirely new game of pit-pat tennis, as if the ball was a grenade that would go off if he ever hit it hard. Daly also seemed intent on picking out the spectacularly coiffured Hunter’s backhand, despite this being a clear strength. Daly went on to win the decider 6/4. A clearly disappointed Hunter was lost for words afterwards.

Doug “The Butcher” Sheperdigian continued his phenomenal season, chopping up Vince Lucey 6/1 6/0. Off the back of similar results earlier in the competition (6/1 6/0 -vs- Hardwick and 6/2 6/1 -vs- Hatfield), Doug has now ruled himself out of selection for 50+ singles in the final, as his handicap is too low. The frontrunner for being the player of the tournament, The Butcher has laid waste to his dispirited opponents, and is now being hunted by the police in Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Essex for the violence and injury done to their citizens.

Owen Saunders and Elvira Campione paired up once again for the 35+ doubles, safe in the knowledge that RTC had already won. Up against Clive Turner and “the other” C Vigrass (dad Chris), the match should have been a formality with the Prested pair giving up 10 handicap points to Saunders and Campione. The RTC pair controlled the first set, making very few mistakes en route to a 6/1 win. Vigrass and Turner fought back in the second set, playing with less caution, and got to 4/2 before going down 5/6. Saunders and Campione are getting better as the tournament goes on, showing a good understanding of eachother’s play, a necessity given a) Campione’s proficiency at playing ‘crazy tennis’ shots from mid-court at first gallery and b) Saunders’ proficiency at hitting the ball into different areas to those he intended.

Many questions remain unanswered as the team continue their hunt for glory and sporting immortality: will skipper Dick Cowling select himself ahead of Alex in the 30+ singles rubber for the final? How will the team cope with the loss of The Butcher in the 50+ singles grade? Will Candy shine in the final, and make it easier for the newsletter editor to conjure up an amusing, pun-laden headline? These questions, and many more, will be answered at Hyde Bridport on March 13^th.

Highlights include:

• RTC progress in the Pol Roger Trophy and Brodie Cup
• Doug Sherperdigian’s carefully planned Lathom Browne Cup win
• Chappers becoming an Open doubles champion (twice)
• David Vaughan remembered

Manchester lost to RTC, 0/5:

Despite the weather getting steadily worse north of Watford, the RTC team all made it up to Manchester for the first round of the defence of “our” Pol Roger Trophy (including the Sohlman who’d fitted winter tyres to his ridiculous car especially for the trip). After a practice the evening before and for an hour before the match itself we were confident that the Manchester court would provide many funny bounces, particularly from directly in front of the tambour and that layers were going to be necessary (many, many layers and possibly hats).

First up were Phil Dunn and James Sohl in the second-string doubles against Guy Maxwell and Mark Seymour Mead. After a few shared games in the first set the RTC pairing steadied the ship and came away with a 6/3, 6/1 victory.

First string singles pitted RTC’s Peter Wright (was his bandana against the cold?) against Robert Shenkman who’d been honing his tennis at Queen’s over the summer. Despite some outrageous retrieving from the tambour, speed of movement and generally high level of tennis Robert went down 6/3, 6/4. 2/0 RTC with three to play.

Nick Hatchett at second string singles was up against Robert’s father, and Manchester captain, Simon Shenkman. A solid first set from the RTC man and it was quickly 6/1. Simon used his home court advantage and rackets background to put more pressure on Nick in the second, helped by Nick forcing consistently into the middle of the net but nevertheless the set went away from Simon towards the end and was finished by Nick’s first force on target – a 6/1, 6/4 victory putting RTC over the winning line 3/0.

Tom Freeman had the unenviable task of playing while the majority of his team mates were enjoying lunch. His opponent was rackets youngster Alex Duncliffe-Vines who played predominantly right-handed but with a few left-handed forehands thrown in. Both players were using and defending pace with aplomb but Tom was too consistent during the important points (did I just mention Tom and “consistent” in the same sentence…) and wrapped up a 6/4, 6/3 victory.

Last up were the first string doubles pairings of David and James Watson (RTC) against Mark Openshaw Blower and Adam Holloway (Manchester). The latter pairing were certainly doubles specialists with Adam being fearless at the front of the court (including standing at Hazard the door in front of the tambour on occasion…) while Mark was finding good angles from the back. However the Watsons are also no strangers to doubles and had too much firepower giving RTC a 6/2, 6/4 victory in a high quality match and 5/0 RTC on the day.

Next up are the winners of the Queen’s vs Moreton tie.

1st Round : Hatfield lost to RTC, 2/3:

This match is sub judice and legal issues prevent us from discussing the results, or discussing just how awesome Alex Rozier-Pamplin was.

Quarter-final : RTC beat Hardwick, 5/0:

“Yes I Can(dy)!” : Youth and Experience Blend To Produce Vintage Performance

RTC’s Brodie Cup team made a late bid for inclusion in the weekend’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award, brushing aside Hardwick in imperious style.

On the first outing for the club’s new limited edition Team Player shirts, the team followed up their 3/2 win over Hatfield with a crushing 5/0 victory, conceding only 20 games in the process.

First up was RTC’s overseas player, Sherpa Digian. Sherpa Digian’s superhuman strength comes from a childhood spent in the rarefied low oxygen atmosphere of Nepal’s eastern mountainous region. Sherpa Digian was up against the exquisitely named Fiona Fountain (maybe related to the Diana Fountain that can be seen in Bushy Park?), but this was more like a stroll over The Downs rather than climbing Mount Everest, as Sherpa Digian made a mockery of his 48 handicap to win 6/1 6/0. There were few weaknesses in his game as he monopolised the service end, hit the tambour and grille relentlessly and found a nice length. Fountain didn’t play badly, Digian simply played flawlessly. He will be very difficult to beat in the 50+ singles category, as long as he remains eligible for selection.

Great comedy partnerships need a contrasting pair, a straight man and a comic: think of Morecambe and Wise, Cannon and Ball, Little and Large… RTC’s very own version, Campione and Saunders, were next up. Owen Saunders: wistful, chatting to the dedans, making mistakes, forgetting the game plan. Elvolley Campione: determined, focused, putting away all her chances ruthlessly, like a T-800 Terminator sent to assassinate the target without judgement or remorse. The pair played well, always keeping the weaker handicapped opponents – regular sparring foes Colin Butler and Peter Mawson – at bay, and came home comfortably 6/2 6/1.

Next up, and with the chance to secure victory for RTC, was the 45+ doubles pairing of Izzy Candy and Paul Newton. Candy deserves automatic selection into any RTC team, purely on the grounds that her surname makes writing headlines for articles, and including puns, so much easier. Eye Candy, Candy Girl, Yes I Can(dy), etc etc. Newton offers disappointingly few options, unless I can crowbar in the phrases “how do you like them apples” or something about “the gravity of the situation”. Anyway, back to the match report… The guile and canny experience of Newton were an excellent foil for the youthful exuberance of Candy. Candy leapt around like a salmon and snapped up any volleys that came here way, and is improving steadily on her back wall shots. Newton, with the speed and agility of a cuddly Koala bear, marshalled proceedings majestically, rarely putting a foot wrong. They dispatched Tim Tomalin and David Weston 6/1 6/0, to wrap up the match 3/0 for the loss of only 5 games.

The 40+ singles match saw Martin Daly playing in his first ever Brodie Cup dead rubber. Daly saves his best for the Brodie Cup, and once again the Shouty Scot® played a beautiful game against Richard Oldham. Hitting to a good width and length, mixed in with some judicious forcing, Daly wore his opponent down. Although Daly won 6/3 6/5, he considers the match to be a failure due to not serving his famous drag serve into the winning gallery, the sole criterion on which he judges success or failure in a match. Impressively, at 3/5 down in the 2nd set, Daly reeled off 12 out of the next 13 points to win the set and the match.

The final rubber saw Paul Wright take on Simon Constantine in what promised to be a high class 30+ singles rubber. The pair didn’t disappoint, serving up a tasty match full of proper shots that the rest of us can only dream of. Wright made things tough for himself by persisting with his railroad, which the T&RA have officially verified as having the least amount of spin of any railroad in the world, and then serving “one bounce on the penthouse straight onto the back roof”, a serve that is so bad it doesn’t even have a name. Despite this, he maintained composure, dug in and played some exquisite tennis to win 6/3 6/4.

So RTC progress to the semi-finals for the first time in living memory. Some tough decisions for the skipper Dick Cowling – can he drop Wright for Rozier–Pamplin after such a good performance, will Sherpa Digian still be eligible, can Saunders get some lessons in before the next round? – but overall RTC can be very happy with their day’s work. The smart new shirts did the trick.

Highlights include:

• Nick Hatchett becoming our fifth different club champion in six years
• Former chairman Ronald Swash remembered
• Chris Chapman’s bid for world domination
• RTC’s new list of strategic objectives
• A successful Junior Open Day