Finals Night - Match Report

Club Tournament Finals - Match Report

It was Finals Night on Friday. At the end of a scorching summer's day the courts resembled a sauna (at children’s temperature, if you ask a Finn) as WAGS and various club members were enjoying snacks and drinks laid on by Club while the players were preparing to endure endless rallies of hot balls refusing to die.

On Court 1 the Racketball Final between Keith Bonsels and Jim Coventry kicked off the proceedings. The first rally lasted for around 12 minutes, which was long enough for Tom Goode, on the adjacent court, to get into a 2-0 lead in the Men’s Singles Plate competition against Peter Griffiths. Tom had stepped in to replace the actual finalist Simon Haworth who, having beaten Tom in the semis, was off sick. Wishing him a speedy recovery (and thanking his lucky stars) Tom went on to earn a hard fought 3-0 win, with Peter unable to find a response to Tom’s good length.

It was hand out in the racketball final at this stage. The second rally was, if possible, even more brutal than the first.

The Ladies Singles Final had been played at an earlier date. By all accounts it was won by Tae Catford whose cleverly disguised shots ensured that Phillippa Knights came in a close second. The Over 60s Final between Keith Bonsels and an injured Sean Woodford is yet to be played.

The Over 45s Final was a corker. Bruce Mackintosh and Abhishek Jaywant proved with incredible movement and unbelievable gets that 45 is the new 25. Abhi took an early lead with Bruce coming back strongly in the third, prompting a cheeky conduct warning from the marker to Abhi for foul language. Later audio analysis revealed that the word used was actually “cluck”. An unnecessary conduct warning notwithstanding, Abhi cruised to victory in the fourth.

In the racketball final, Keith and Jim resembled withered vines in pools of sweat as they entered yet another tiebreak while all attempts to keep score or maintain hope were abandoned.

If the Men’s Singles Final between club number one Jonathan Taubert and number two Simon Ruff was, on paper, a foregone conclusion, Simon certainly had other thoughts. Jon, on the other hand, didn’t. Dominating play, he survived a strong challenge from Simon in the second game tiebreak, to seal a 3-0 win and another club championship.

The racketball final was hacking its way to game… whatever…

The Doubles Final proved to be an entertaining finish to an evening of good squash. Jim Coventry and Ville Leppanen partnered up against Alex Booth and Abhishek Jaywant in a battle of experience and guile vs youth and energy. It was nip and tuck from beginning to end with an array of exquisite shots played with nerves of steel, finding purpose and focus in a sea of chaos and confusion. Well, the onlookers might find different language to describe the senseless clobber they witnessed, but fun was had and, in the end, Alex and Abhi lifted their rackets in triumph.

The motley crew that remained retired to the Pavilion Bar to enjoy the last few drinks of the night in balmy and beautiful SE3, where not even the last dying whimpers from the racketball final were able to disturb the peace.

What a night!

V.

Ps. Oh, and Jim beat Keith.