The first Pubs match of 2016 took place on the last weekend of February and what a weekend it was. This year the Courtney Salver match took place on the Friday afternoon at the excellent indoor courts at Stoke Park.
After the prior three years being rather one-sided affairs (2015: 8-1 to Fitz; 2014: 9-0 to Pubs, 2013: 8-1 to Fitz), there was much anticipation as to the standard of each team being pitched at the right level…it did not disappoint.
PSOBLTA team
Fitzwilliam LTC
The respective teams were:
PSOBLTA:
Pair 1: Johnny Barr and Rob Blythe
Pair 2: Chris Clark and Chris Jenkins
Pair 3: Rory Pullinger and Jonathan Cooper
Fitzwilliam LTC:
Pair 1: James Cluskey and Morgan Dunne
Pair 2: Cal Craven and Fergus O’Connell
Pair 3: Brendan Dempsey and Sean Coughlan
The Pubs team was concerned that the Fitz had brought one player (James Cluskey) fresh from the Tour having retired from professional tennis and the Davis Cup team in December 2015…
The first round started competitively with the PSOBLTA taking a 2-1 lead (one going to a Champions Tie-break in favour of the Pubs) but parity was restored at 3-3 after round two. Leaving the match finely poised with all to play for in the last round, where opposite pairings would play each other.
In the final round, the second pair match completed with a tight match but going the way of the Fitz team, match score now 4-3 Fitz. Next to finish was the third pair with a nail-biting win to the Pubs 10-6 in the CTB, match score now 4-4. Leaving a Hollywood style end to the whole match resting on the first pair play-off. With all players watching on, the match was tighter than a zoomed-in Hawk-eye challenge and was going the distance…the Pubs got the first set 7-6 but had lost the second set 6-2. All to play for. Great serves and returns were being traded but the Pubs got a late mini-break and managed to secure the CTB 10-8 with a crunching volley, 5-4 to the Pubs! One of the closest matches recorded in the history books of the Association.
PSOBLTA and Fitzwilliam teams
The full scorecard can be obtained by clicking here.
A couple of much needed drinks over some fine dining at Stoke Park (whilst watching the less tense Wales, France match) and onto the main event on the Saturday, the rugby.
This is where both teams brought their A-game and a superb afternoon (and come to think of it, evening and early morning) of socialising with our friends at the Fitzwilliam over the rugby and a few cold beverages. Overall, the weekend led to the elusive double being secured for England, with a tennis and rugby win on the same weekend.
Saturday evening
Saturday evening
Roll on 2017, by then we should have fully recovered from one of the best weekends of the year!
Jonathan Cooper – PSOBLTA player