TENNIS GIRLS

1st Vi Squad

Captain: A. Yardimci (A)

J. Dyson (G), C. Griffiths (F), H. Kok (M), L. Ottewell (M), R. Ram (A), F. Wedgwood (A)

The season began with the National Premier League winter competition, which produced some fantastic results. Victories in six of the seven matches gave them a place in the national play-offs, though ultimately, this was a bridge too far with a narrow loss against Widnes Academy.

The school season got underway in impressive style, with back-to-back fixtures against Rugby resulting in two wins. In the opening match the result was 8-1, but the girls went one better later in the week, dispatching the same team 9-0. This was a sign of things to come as the girls showed absolute class against Uppingham, Oakham and Shrewsbury, winning 26 of the 27 matches played. The only negative was a season-ending injury to a key player, Chantal G, as she twisted awkwardly against Oakham resulting in a broken foot.

Overall, it was a busy and exciting season with a fantastic amount of learning and success thrown in throughout. With just one Upper Sixth leaver in the team, we look forward to next season to see where this team can go.

I would like to personally thank our captain, Harry, for his excellent contribution on the court and for also supporting the team so well.

The Semi-Final of the National Qualifier was next on the girls' radar and brought a local tie against Trent. A tough match awaited the girls as Trent were, on paper, the stronger team. But the girls didn’t let this faze them and played some outstanding tennis throughout the afternoon in a fixture lasting more than 5 hours! Overall the girls came out 8-4 in an enthralling match. The highlight match was Raga R, who, playing at number one, came up against a world-ranked junior GB player.

The final qualifying round saw the girls host Bromsgrove on the hallowed Repton courts. The girls battled hard against an impressive side with both teams knowing anything but a win would end their National Qualifying season. Unfortunately for us, it would be Bromsgrove who would book their place at the National Finals in July with a final score of 4-8. Chantal’s injury earlier in the season proved costly, as, no doubt, with her in the team, the result could have swung our way.

The girls didn’t let this deter them and they bounced back well in the annual trip to Eton for the Independent Schools Championships at the end of term. Over the course of the three days, the girls defeated Bradfield, Colston’s, and Bradford to make their way to the Final. A brilliant level of tennis was on show in the final, but it was Epsom College who came out on top in a final set decider and leave the girls heartbroken. But to get this close to a national title was a great achievement, and hopefully the girls can go one better next year.

I would like to thank Ayse Naz Y for her second year of captaincy, as she has led the team excellently during her tenure.

2nd Vi

Squad

Captain: O. Singer (G)

G. Barlow (G), M. Brown (G), I. Canenti (M), I. Hobson (F), P. Ross (A)

3rd Vi

Squad

The girls’ 3rd team had a fine season with a number of excellent block fixtures. There was much rotation in the squad due to the pressures of public examinations, but this did not prevent the core of the team enjoying some superb match play. The highlight of the season was a narrow win away at Rugby, where some competitive determination allowed the team to secure a close 5-4 win.

The girls’ 2nd team had a tough season, with narrow defeats against Rugby and Uppingham. They had all the strokes in their arsenal and often appeared to be the more proficient players; however, the pressure occasionally got to them, and a few too many unforced errors crept into their play. Nevertheless, if their performance against Oakham was anything to go by, these players have bags of potential! This fixture was a real highlight, for the girls showed what they are truly capable of. Their serves combined power and accuracy; their ground strokes demonstrated depth and consistency; and they employed both strategy and skill at the net to outplay their opponents. As these players grow in confidence and experience, I’m sure that we will see more consistently effective match play that will enable them to translate their abundant talent into success.

Looking beyond the results, I would like to commend the girls for their superb attitude and effort throughout the season. They were a pleasure to coach, and I am already looking forward to next year! KVG

SQUAD

G. Atherley (G), I. Chihota (G), A. Corner (M), M. Deaton (F), R. English (F), P. Gocke (A), I. Turton (A)