PSOBLTA v Fitzwilliam LTC – Lost 6-3
PSOBLTA team: Jono Gomez, Chris Jenkins, Davor Pavlovic, Rory Pullinger, Ben Rogers and Ben Zuckerman
Fitzwilliam LTC team: Michael Clarkson, Brendan Dempsey, Ben Dillon, Patrick Doran, Martin Hughes and Oisin McCormack
PSOBLTA first pair: Jono Gomez and Ben Rogers:
- lost to Michael Clarkson and Brendan Dempsey w/o due to injury
- beat Ben Dillon and Martin Hughes 6-3, 6-2
- beat Patrick Doran and Oisin McCormack 6-3, 6-3
PSOBLTA second pair: Rory Pullinger and Ben Zuckerman:
- lost to Michael Clarkson and Brendan Dempsey 5-7, 2-6
- lost to Ben Dillon and Martin Hughes 7-5, 1-6, 8-10
- beat Patrick Doran and Oisin McCormack 6-4, 6-3
PSOBLTA third pair: Chris Jenkins and Davor Pavlovic:
- lost to Michael Clarkson and Brendan Dempsey 2-6, 4-6
- lost to Ben Dillon and Martin Hughes 4-6, 3-6
- lost to Patrick Doran and Oisin McCormack 4-6, 3-6
As you might recall, 2021 was covid-impacted and resulted in us challenging the Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin to a very enjoyable Zoom quiz rather than a tennis match; but 2022 heralded a welcome return to the courts and a tennis match against the Fitzwilliam Club and playing for the Courtney Salver. The match always coincides with the England/Ireland six nations rugby match and is always a particular highlight of the year for both teams – where strong friendships are made over the tennis and the plentiful supply of drinks over the course of the weekend!
This year the match took place at the indoor courts at Reed’s School. After two rounds the match was finely poised at 3-3, but the Fitz team came out strong when the opposite pairs round was played and they managed to secure all of the last three rubbers to win 6-3. After the tennis, some welcome and deserved drinks in a local pub in Oxshott.
On the Saturday morning, we hosted some of the slightly hungover Fitz team for some friendly tennis at AELTC followed by lunch. Later that day, the teams reconvened at Queen’s Club for an afternoon of watching the rugby – and given there was the Irish double, in winning the tennis and also rugby, the Fitz team celebrated with more Guinness whilst the Pubs team commiserating into their wine!
The evening ended with a very enjoyable celebratory dinner at Queen’s with the squash teams of the Jesters and Vets of GB, before the players decamped to a local nightclub. Once again it was a great weekend of tennis and building friendships and we are already looking forward to the 2023 fixture in Dublin…given we have lost the last two fixtures (excluding the quiz!), we are keen to bring the Courtney Salver back home in 2023!
Jonathan Cooper – PSOBLTA Match Manager