T&RA Newsletter 2017 E

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Chief Executive Update

Inter-Universities Tournament

So much has happened since Christmas. In Rackets, Tom Billings beat a resurgent Nick Hopcroft to win the Brown Advisory British Open in January; before Jamie Stout brought New Yorker, Peter Cipriano, to Queen’s to capture the Open Doubles title. In between, the established pair of Tom Billings and Richard Owen retained their Amateur Doubles title, Lea Van Der Zwalmen swept all aside in the Ladies Open, and the National Schools produced excellent Rackets, with Eton, Tonbridge and Wellington taking the honours, with the standard of Girls Singles continuing to improve; congratulations to Rose Jones and Lauren Gooding.

After a brief absence from the Rackets calendar, the Inter University tournament returned to Manchester in February. The draw comprised 18 students, of which 13 had made the journey from various corners of the UK. The singles tournament began on the Friday evening with Manchester players Henry Stevinson and Alex Hume looking impressive in winning through to the knockout stage. They were to be joined by Rory Hanna (Newcastle) and Birmingham University’s Lewis Symonds and Jamie Jordache.

The Bathurst Team of Captain Peter Wright, Ed Kay and Jamie Douglas went close against a strong Australian team in the final in Paris. Ed had earlier reached the final of the Amateur Singles but lost a close five-set thriller to Matthieu Sarlangue. Peter and Jamie won the Doubles to retain their title. The Over 50s also retained the Cockram Trophy in Melbourne, along with broad success for our senior players internationally; the event sadly tempered by David Bryant’s final appearance. Cambridge also won the Pol Roger Trophy which is now secured housed in the Fens.

The doubles tournament ran concurrently with the singles event. The Old Carthusian pair of Hector Don and Oli Taylor (Durham) narrowly finished runners up in their group to Chris Cooper and Ned Robertson (Manchester), before defeating their Durham team mates Guy Maxwell and George Skinner to claim some personal satisfaction.

In other news, David Sloan has continued his role to deliver the new professional training programme (TRACS), which aims to future proof the game – and terrific to see the development of a gold-standard. Finally Jesmond Dene have edged ever closer to securing their own longer term viability as the local council concludes the sale of the surrounding nurseries.

In the knockout stage, Adrian Montagu (Bath) had one of the matches of the tournament against Lewis Symonds, with the Birmingham player losing the first game 15-0 only to claim the second and squander 3 match points in the decider before finally being defeated. On the other hand, the doubles semi-finals were more routine affairs with Duncliffe-Vines and Loup (Manchester) winning through to meet Shenkman and Hande (Manchester & Birmingham).

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The all-Manchester semi-final between Henry Stevinson and George Loup was surprisingly close in the first game before Loup ran out a 1

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

National Fathers and Sons

comfortable winner in the second. In the other semi-final, Shenkman defeated Jordache in anall Birmingham affair.

George Loup made a characteristically explosive start in the final, claiming the tightest of first games 15/14. However, Shenkman came fighting back in the second to win 15/8 and then overcame a fatigued Loup 15/5 in the third to win the singles championship.

Manchester then got revenge in the doubles final, somewhat assisted by the presence of Duncliffe-Vines, to win in straight games and ensure that Manchester won the overall team trophy.

We had the biggest draw for many years with many new pairings playing this year which was fantasti. The Tennis in the group stages was very competitve with two particular stand outs in the pairings of Simon & Max Wetton (dropping only 2 games in 4 matches) and Chris and Rhys Harland (dropping only 6).

In the first semi-final Bob & Ben Compton took on the Seacout pair of Simon & William Flynn.

The Comptons made a strong start but the Flynns made a comeback and secured their victory 6/3. In the second semi the two "tournaments bandits" met each other with the Wettons playing the Harlands. This was another very close match with the Wettons digging deep to stay in the game. However they were always playing catch up and were unable to get ahead of the Harlands who won 6/4.

The Simon & William Flynn and Chris & Rhys Harland match was a fantastic finale to a brilliant tournament. The Flynns stayed very calm saving a total of 8 match points to level the match 5-5 40 all and eventually 6/5 win.

Rhodri Hande, Rob Shenkman, Alex DuncliffeVines and George Loup

The end of the Rackets was immediately followed by the tournament dinner (generously provided by the Shenkman family) with an impromptu speech by former MTRC president Brendan Hegarty being a particular highlight! Thanks must be given to Dave Stevinson for his assistance in finding sponsorship for the event and also to James Lindrup and George Loup for ensuring that the tournament ran smoothly.

National Fathers & Sons Tournament Winners

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Under 21 & Under 24 Championships at MURTC

Under 21 British Open Singles Championship

Under 24 British Open Singles Championship (Eric Angus Cup)

Charlie Braham, David Sloan and Henry Batstone

Chetwood Trophy

Zak Eadle with David Sloan Under 24 British Open Doubles Championship (Stephens Tayleur Trophy)

The 2017 Chetwood Trophy was a true representation of club Tennis in the UK with handicaps ranging from 15 to 70, and participants hailing from as far away as Manchester, Newcastle, and Newmarket to congregate in the South West. Ben Turner set a high standard on Friday evening winning with a clean sweep. Michael Pescod representing MCC also put in a solid performance to go through as the top runner-up of the weekend.

Saturday Morning saw the closest group of the weekend. Paul Wright of RTC was beaten by Alan Moug of Moreton Morrell in the only level game of the tournament. Hampton Court and Moreton Morrell showed strength in depth in the second group of the day with Giles Doy (RTC) winning the group comprehensively and Mark Savage (MM) clinching the final runnersup place.

Neil McKenzie and Aaron Flippence

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 Saturday evening saw the lowest handicaps of the tournament with Phil Dunn playing off 15 having to play one serve and banned tambour against the reigning champion Huw Thomas. Huw, the youngest player in the tournament, took full advantage, winning all three of his group matches. In the final and smallest group of the weekend Bruce Morrison from Oxford put in a solid performance to win both of his 8 game sets and seal his place in the quarter-finals.

Special mention to James Lindrup and Henry Stevinson who drove down from Manchester and Tony Harrison and Mark Dickinson who made the epic Journey from Jesmond Dene.

Brown Advisory British Open Singles Championship

In the quarter-finals a special mention should be made for Mark Savage who took all of his opponents to 5 games, but was narrowly pipped by Bruce Morrison. The semi-finals saw Ben Turner have an epic battle against Huw Thomas of Seacourt, but Huw just missed out on the opportunity to re-claim his title in an 87 nail-biter. Bruce Morrison had a tough time against Giles Doy who fought for every point, but Bruce held his nerve to see himself into the Final.

Tom Billings avenged his defeat to Nick Hopcroft in the 2007 Jim Dear Final, winning in straight games. This adds the Open Singles Championship to the Manchester Gold Racquet, the Invitation Singles and Amateur Championship.

Both players started well, although it was Billings who inched ahead to 4-0, then 6-1.

Hopcroft pulled back to trail 5-7. Although Hopcroft came back to 11-13, Billings served through to 15-11. Billings steadied in the second game, once again returning virtually everything Hopcroft threw at him. He opened a 6-0 lead and then winning the serve at 14-4, it was once again Billings who served through to take the second game 15/4, and a two-game lead.

After a long weekend of Tennis, we had whittled through some of the toughest competitors in club Tennis and were left with Ben Turner and Bruce Morrison. Ben fought valiantly but Bruce saved his finest form for the final and thoroughly deserved his victory.

Hopcroft was fighting hard but had no answer for Billings in the third game. Billings opened a 9-0 lead in the first two hands, and then progressed to 12-2. It was once again Billings who scored three further points to win the game 15/2 .The momentum was mainly with Billings and an eight point run largely sealed the fourth, vital game. Billings closed out the game, and match, in the next hand, winning 15/4.

The T&RA President, David Norman, summarised the match in front of a packed gallery before handing over to Brown Advisory's Peter Mallinson to present the Sheppard Cup. The T&RA are extremely grateful to sponsor's Brown Advisory for the vital support to the game. In this competition

Ben Turner (L) (Newmarket) Bruce Morrison (R) (Oxford)

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 there were encouraging performances from many younger players and those returning to Rackets from overseas.

Four exciting players reached the semi-finals to set up an outstanding Friday evening at Queen's. The first match matched two returning stars against one another. Nick Hopcroft took the first game in style but was matched in the second by Mike Bailey's shot making - one game-all. Hopcroft then quickly took the third to re-establish his lead. The critical game was the fourth, but it was Hopcroft who was able to win through a tight game, winning 15/12, and establishing a strong three-one lead. Bailey continued to battle in the fifth but it was a long way back and it was Hopcroft who won through to the final.

Toni Morales had played well throughout the tournament to reach the semi-final. Billings had other ideas and played his usual brilliant Rackets to win the first game at a canter. He continued in this vain for the next three games to win 4-0.

Winner, Tom Billings

As the seeds fell, it meant the quarter-finals were an all-amateur affair. Toni Morales powered past Al Gourlay. The match of the round was ever improving Jamie Giddins against the returning Mike Bailey. Despite Giddins taking the first game, it was Bailey who took a 2-1 lead and eventually claimed a 3-2 victory. Another terrific match followed, with Nick Hopcroft beating Will Morse in four games. The final quarter final demonstrated Tom Billings at his absolute best. Nick Hutton fought hard and managed to wrest the service from the number one seed but then was unable to capitalise. A great tournament for Hutton but it was Billings' night.

National Schools Doubles Championships Senior A Grade (Queens Club) Radley 1 (Ollie Martyn-Hemphill & Freddie White) bt Radley 2 (Benedict Yorston & Ned Gordon) 6/2 6/1

In the earlier rounds, Will Morse fought back from a game down to beat Tom Bomford in four, with Bomford fighting all the way in the final game. But Toni Morales proved too strong for Tom's brother Ben Bomford and the game was over in three games. Similarly, Alastair Gourlay lost the first game to Alaister Orchard, but played superb Rackets to win the next three games to reach the quarter-finals.

Finalists for both U18 competitions

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 Despite a limited number of low handicap pairs this year, there was some fiercely contested Tennis. Radley 2 gave Radley 1 an early shock in the round-robin, leading 4-2 before just fading. Radley 1 then avoided scares with wins over both Wellington and Tonbridge.

Radley 2 then beat Wellington 6/3 after a few nerves from 5-0 up, but solid floor play from Yorston and excellent retrieving in the rallies from Gordon proved decisive. Wellington, though beat Tonbridge in a good contest by 63. Tonbridge then upset the applecart by beating Radley 6-4, who just managed to score enough games to gain 2nd place, and the final.

In the 3rd place play-off, Wellington (Vleck and Corbett) reasserted themselves over Tonbridge (Elmitt and Atherton) in a robust contest 8/5, while in the main final, Radley 1 had begun to find their form, with MartynHemphill covering the back-court like an octopus and White firing bullets from the galleries. They won comfortably 6/2 6/1.

Radley carried this form into the final, an equally watchable contest by beating Eton 6/3.

Colts (U16) at Radley Radley 1 (Ed Crowston & Max Wetton) bt Wellington 1 (Freddie Bristowe and Rags Kanwar) 6/5 With entries from Radley, Wellington, Canford, Portsmouth GS and Eton, this event was as closely contested as any this year, with some outstanding players, notably Freddie Bristowe of Wellington besides Ed Crowston of Radley and Huw Thomas of Portsmouth.

Indeed, Bristowe and Rags Kanwar sailed through their group with few problems though dropping 2/3 games to both Radley 3 and Radley 1 (who did claim second spot).Portsmouth GS had to work rather harder in the other group with narrow wins 6/5 over both Radley 2 and Canford 1. Canford 1 just then pipped Radley 2 6/4 for the vital 2nd spot and the semi-final.

Senior B Grade (Queens Club) Radley 3 (George Eaton & Seb Hill) bt Eton (Cosmo Taylor & Louis Manson) 6/3 Ten teams (Radley, Wellington, Eton, Clifton, Seaford, Bradfield, Oratory, Westminster) contested this event, operating at handicaps of > 55.

Westminster, Bradfield and Seaford were the minnows here, though picked up plenty of games and a few sets. Bradfield beat Seaford 2, while Seaford 1 (with a little more experience) managed three, and nearly four as a comeback from 0-5 down to Eton was stifled at the death to lose 5/6. They did finish second in their group, as Eton won their others with some ease. Oratory battled hard, with one win and nearly two as they just lost 4/6 to Wellington2.

Radley 2 and Clifton dominated the other group, with Radley just pipping Clifton for the winner’s spot as they recovered from 3-5 down to win 6/5. Clifton, slightly surprisingly I feel, failed to reproduce this form and lost heavily to Eton (1/6) in the semi-final, while Radley 3 beat Seaford in a very watchable contest, 6/3.

Wellington 1 repeated their dominant form in beating a fine Canford pair in the semi-final 6/2 while Radley 1 pulled out a surprise in hauling back a 2/5 deficit to beat Portsmouth. The final, however, produced an even bigger surprise as Radley (from 2-4 and 4-5 down) managed a 6/5 win at the death.

Knowledgeable spectators assure me that Ed Crowston had a spell of play that to dream about as Radley found ways to negate Bristowe’s attack and to target other areas. As a competition overall, however, it can hardly have been more exciting.

U14 at Wellington Radley 1 (Max Jardine-Brown & Archie O’Donnell) bt Canford 1 8/7 Tightly contested round-robin groups in which only Canford 1 emerged with a 100% record characterised this event. Radley 1, Canford 2 and Eton all sustained a loss, while Radley 3 were a little unlucky to lose all three, taking Eton to 6/5.

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

World Masters Amateur Championships 2017

Mayville, from Hayling, gained second spot behind Canford 1 in the other group, but lost a tight game to Radley 1 in the semi-final.

Canford 1 just saw off their second pair in the other semi.

Canford 1, clearly a promising pair, looked set for victory at 6-1 up in an 8-game set in the final before Radley appeared to add some extra pace into their game and, despite falling 6/7 behind came home 8/7.

U13 at Oratory Perrott Hill bt Westbourne 1 6/5

The 2017 World Masters Amateur Championships were held in Australia in January 2017. This highly successful event attracted a record entry, up by 15% on the previous championships held in the UK in 2015, and included full US Over 50s and Over 70s US teams, a French Over 50s team and a World Over 60s team organised by the US Court Tennis Association comprising US, British and Australian players.

Nine pairs represented Moulsford, Westbourne, Perrott Hill, The Oratory School (St Phillips House) and The Oratory Prep. We had three round robin boxes, each with three teams. The first was won by Westbourne 1 followed closely by Oratory Prep and the Oratory (SPH) two teams. The second group was also won by Westbourne 2 closely followed by the Oratory 1 (SPH) and Moulsford 2. The third group was taken by Perrott Hill who won the tournament beating Westbourne 3 and Moulsford 1.

The Great Britain Over 50s team captained by Mark Openshaw-Blower, with new caps James Male, Penny Lumley, Peter Holmes and Richard MacAlister joining experienced campaigners David Watson, John Prenn, Simon Barker and Nick Jones, beat Australia 4-1 and the USA and France by 5-0 in Melbourne to retain the Cockram Trophy which has been held by Great Britain since 2008. In the win over Australia James Male produced an outstanding performance to beat Mike Happell 1/6 6/4 6/5.

The teams were then put into another set of round robin matches depending on their positions from the previous rounds. The Final was between Westbourne 1 and Perrott Hill.

This went to 6/5 in favour of Perrott Hill. This result was not a forgone conclusion as Westbourne were leading but Perrott Hill managed to cling to a victory.

Meanwhile in Ballarat, Australia Over 60s beat Great Britain 3-2 and the World Team 5-0 to reclaim the Bostwick Cup. The Great Britain team was made up exclusively of experienced performers who had previously played in the Cockram Trophy and the Bostwick Cup, but lost all three doubles rubbers to the World Team to finish in third place. This included a remarkable performance by the US pair of Steve Hufford and Peter Vogt who played in the Cockram in Melbourne in the morning and then took the train to Ballarat to win the first string doubles for the World Team in the Bostwick in the afternoon!

Congratulations to all the players for entering and for giving us a glorious day of Tennis.

Thank you to the Oratory School for hosting this fabulous event, the spectators for giving up their whole day to watch and not forgetting Mick Dean for the tournament coordination.

Last but not least, The T&RA for supporting the next generation of players and Neptune Investment for their sponsorship of the game of Real Tennis.

In Hobart, Australia Over 70s beat both Great Britain and the USA by 2 rubbers to 1 to reclaim the Danby Trophy and Great Britain beat the USA, also by, the margin of 2-1 to finish in second place. British players performed 7

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 strongly in the individual singles and doubles events, winning 20 of the 36 available medals as follows:

T&RA website). 17 pairs vied for a spot in the knockouts, and there were some incredibly close matches – several going to a deciding point.

Congratulations go to all the British medal winners, with special mentions for James Male who was unbeaten in 2017 Masters team and individual events, John Prenn who won 7 of the 8 singles and doubles events he entered in 2015 and 2017, and David Watson, Paul Weaver, Philip Shaw-Hamilton, Robin Barlow and Paul Danby who all added to their long records of success in Masters events.

The finalists, Taunton and Rugby, joined Worth as pairs to win all their group matches. In the first QF, Worth (Paul Cattermull & Tom Carew Hunt) raced to a 6-2 lead against Harrow (Anthony Wilson & Robert Kilgour) only to collapse to defeat, 6/7. Ouch.

‘New boys’ The Perse (Ed Pearson & Rory Davidson), at the more able end of the handicap range, impressed to reach the knockouts, but were downed by Haileybury (Izzy Hunt & Simon Robert-Tissot), 7/1.

Haileybury lost their SF to Taunton. The second Harrow pair (Ed Turner & Ben Turner) also made the QF stage, but also lost the vital game, going out to eventual finalists Taunton.

Marlborough (Steven & Ollie Bishop) lost to Rugby in their QF; Rugby subsequently beat Harrow in the SF, to decide the final pairs.

Thanks are due to tournament organiser Henry Turnbull and to all our hosts in Melbourne, Ballarat and Hobart – as usual the Australian tennis community provided a magnificent welcome to their British, US and French visitors.

Cattermull Cup The 2017 Cattermull Cup was won by Rugby (Oliver Buckley & Richard Bray), who triumphed 8-5 against Taunton (Robert Dickinson & Mark Dickinson).

Thank you to Will Burns, Head Pro at the Middlesex University Real Tennis Club, who again hosted an excellent weekend of social, competitive Tennis. 2018 promises to be another excellent year for this growing competition. Please contact your School Representative (listed in the T&RA Annual Report) if you wish to represent your alma mater; if there is no Rep listed, and you are without knowledge of a qualifying partner, please contact the tournament organiser directly for help starting a team.

Rugby has a successful history in the Schools Alumni Tennis competitions. In the Henry Leaf Cup (Open Championship), the forerunner to this Handicap competition, Rugby has had considerable success (albeit not so much since the 1950s), and Buckley & Bray’s win should go down particularly well in the Midlands. This is the third victory by Rugby since this handicap competition started in 2009, notably by a different pair in each of those years.

Amateur Singles and Doubles Championships

The Dickinson brothers previously reached the Ffinal in 2015 (losing to Harrow on that occasion) and many were sorry to see them suffer defeat in a similarly close final. It was, however, an excellent finale again proving the integrity of the Handicap system, and the quality of competition was a delight to behold.

This season’s entry was strong with players not making the cut. The First Round was straightforward for the four of the six seeds.

However, Luke Danby lost a tight match against Jamie Giddins and James Male seemed to be sailing towards the quarter-finals against Roman Krznaric, before the latter turned the

This year we retained the familiar format of group stages, guaranteeing at least three matches for each pair, before commencing the knockouts with Quarter Finals on the Sunday afternoon (you can see the full results on the 8

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 tables, with Male eventually retiring in the fifth. Giddins and Krznaric then met in the quarter-finals, which saw the younger player winning through after Krznaric retired in the second set. Top seed Matthieu Sarlangue had a tough workout against Robert Shenkman, who battled hard against the top French amateur and was never far away. Ed Kay swept aside Phil Dunn's opposition and, after two matches, had lost just seven games overall.

The tightest quarter-final saw doubles and Bathurst Cup partners Jamie Douglas and Peter Wright in action. At one-set all, the match was in the balance, but it was Douglas who took the two deciding sets, both 6/5.

started the quicker, racing into a four game lead. Sarlangue started to find his touch, saved a game, but the momentum was with Kay, taking the first set 6/1. A very tight start to the second set saw the Frenchman nudge ahead and retain the advantage throughout the set, taking the second 6/3 to level the match. The third and fourth sets were equally as tight as both players struggled for supremacy. Kay repeatedly returned the most difficult of shots, while Sarlangue’s shot production was sublime. Third set to Sarlangue, with Kay levelling – 6/4 4/6 – it couldn’t be closer and the final set beckoned. Neither player was able to break away, although it was Kay who reached a pivotal 5-4 lead. Sarlangue inevitably levelled to take the deciding set into a vital eleventh game. Sarlangue just stayed ahead and Kay survived two championship points before Sarlangue took the silverware at the third attempt.

T&RA Chief Executive, Chris Davies, presented the Amateur Bowl to a worthy winner and paid tribute to Neptune’s eight-year sponsorship of Real Tennis and highlighted many of the improvements made possible by Robin Geffen’s generosity.

A good line-up for the Amateur Doubles was master-minded by organiser, Luke Danby, for whom many thanks. With James Male’s withdrawal, Danby found a willing partner in Jamie Giddins and they proved too strong for the RTC pair, David Watson & Phil Dunn, although 6/5 in the third set showed the challenge was real enough. Matthieu Sarlangue & doubles specialist, Alistair Lumsden, saw off the robust challenge of James Coyne & Tom Bomford. The match of the round was the five-setter between established pair, Adam Dolman & James Acheson-Gray and John Prenn & Robert Shenkman. The advantage swung both ways before an inevitable fifth set was reached. But then the Dolman & A-Gray partnership prevailed. After their supreme efforts, they were no match for defending champions, Peter Wright and Jamie Douglas, in the semi-final – although a great match between two well established pairs. The second semi-final was incredibly close, with Danby & Giddins winning

Amateur Singles Champion Matthieu Sarlangue and Chris Davies

After the drama of the quarter-finals, both semi-finals proved to be more straightforward.

After a superb run, Giddins finally met his Waterloo, with Sarlangue proving too strong.

Kay’s form continued against Douglas, as the two Bathurst Cup teammates battled it out for a place in the final. The three sets were tight, but it was always Kay posing the greater threat.

Two great amateurs met on the Saturday morning, neither having lost a set en route. Kay 9

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 two tight sets to lead 2-0 and then establish the early running in the third set. Sarlangue’s role was pivotal as the second seeds slowly worked their way back into contention, narrowly taking the third 6/5, and then the next two sets 6/4 6/4.

sponsor, Neptune Investment Management, not just for this season but in culmination of everything they have done for the game.

Neptune Ladies British Open Singles

Amateur Doubles Champions L-R Jamie Douglas, Peter Wright and Chris Davies

Sunday morning’s final saw the top seeds play a marvellous finale. The power and boasting of Douglas was complimented by the volleying and acrobatics of Wright as they took the early advantage to lead 6/3. However, Sarlangue always remained calm under pressure and once again dominated the lengthy exchanges, superbly supported by Lumsden’s volleys; they levelled the match 6/3 and then took the lead by securing the third set 6/4. The fourth set seemed to be heading away from the defending champions as Sarlangue & Lumsden led 4-2, with points for 5-2. But they weren’t converted and the Wright & Douglas pair won four games without loss, taking the fourth 6/4 to level the match. The final set was as tense as those which preceded, with never more than a game between the opponents. But now Douglas was playing with ever great confidence and managed to take the fifth 6/4, retaining their grip on the Championship.

Lea Van der Zwalmen

Lea Van der Zwalmen, retained her British Open title with a 3 games to 0 win in the final over Georgie Willis. These two had won their respective Groups with something to spare, having in the semi-finals, against the second players from the opposite Group, both found their strong serves were able to dominate. Lea beat Martha Elliott 15/0 15/3, and Georgie beat Izzy Duncan 15/2 15/2.

The final began with a one-sided run to 14-0 by Lea, and she ended up winning the game 15-0.

The start of the second game produced by far the best Rackets of the whole day and after seven hands apiece, including some wellcontested rallies, Lea was only 5-2 in the lead.

But with a long run to 15/2, Lea lead 2 games

Chris Davies presented the Bailey Cup. The gallery warmly applauded tournament 10

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 to 0. In the third, Georgie saved one match point, got a couple more points herself, but then Lea got back in hand and won the point needed to seal her third consecutive British Ladies Open.

Rackets Pro Singles at Wellington A great win for James Rock, recently returned from Montreal and now the Rackets professional at Radley College.

Ed Hyde and Alex Rozier-Pamplin, winners of The Sandhurst Cup

Billy Ross Skinner Hatfield House Tennis Club hosted the Billy Ross-Skinner British Mixed Doubles tournament, sponsored by Neptune Investment Management, over the weekend of the 10th/11th/12th of February.The event is an invitational event for the best 16 ladies available, paired up with 16 men of a suitable standard to give each pair an even chance of winning the title.

James Rock winner of the Scott Chad Trophy

Sandhurst Cup

Things hadn’t started well when on the Thursday when two of the top ranking ladies had to pull out due to illness and injury, The early front runners were Helen-Frances Pilkington and Anthony Jenks who won through their group. And Sara Metherell and George Foxall who won a fantastic match against another strong pair of Izzy Hunt and Ed Popplewell 6/5 6/5 to take their place in the Quarter-Final. Thanks to the format Hunt and Popplewell had another chance to get through and they certainly took it, storming through that match and then on to the semi-final.

The Sandhurst Cup was held for the first time in three years. Many thanks to Ollie Snell for organising and to Charles Fraser for ensuring that the tournament ran smoothly on the day.

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 In the first semi-final Hunt & Popplewell took on the all-Hatfield pair of Alex Brodie & David Barnes in what turned out to be a topsy-turvy match. The first set flew by in a flash with Hunt & Popplewell cruising it 6/0 but the Hatfield players had other ideas and narrowly took the second set 6/5. With the final set starting 3/3 it was nip and tuck all the way with both men beginning to look visibly tired but eventually Hunt & Popplewell prevailed taking the deciding set 6/4 to take their spot in the final.

took care of the catering and the Hatfield Pros for all their efforts with the marking.

National Schools Doubles and Girls Singles Championship

The second semi-final was an equally seesawing affair as Pilkington & Jenks took on Katie Leppard and Geoffrey Russell. Pilkington & Jenks took the first set 6/1 only for Leppard & Russell to take the second set by the same score and so another deciding set was required. This was really tight all the way with Pilkington & Jenks finally seeing it out 6/5 to set up a much anticipated final with Hunt & Popplewell.

The final was another hard fought battle with all players playing some excellent Tennis.

There was never more than two games between the pairs in the first set with Hunt & Popplewell eventually claiming it 6/5 and this was to prove crucial as this time they got up in the second set too and never looked back, finally securing it 6/3 to win the tournament at the first attempt for either player.

Eton First Pair

Winners Ed Popplewell (Steve Brewerton Centre) and Izzy Hunt

Eton Second Pair

Huge thanks as always to Viv Dawes for her excellent organisation and pairing up of the teams. Thanks also to Hatfield for hosting the event, Liz Fisher and her excellent team who 12

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

David Makey and David Kay-Shuttleworth present the Eric Angus Cup to Tonbridge

Howard Angus presents the Peter Gray Cup to Wellington

Brodie Cup Oxford v Radley

There was no sign of any rivalry between these two teams despite it being a local derby of some distinction.

Harry Lawes & Oscar Marshall v Lorrayne Gracie & Ed Crowston. This was a great match to start. Both teams were playing well and set a high benchmark for the others to follow. From the quality of the rallies it was obvious that these pairings were very evenly matched even though the score may not have reflected how close the match was. 6/4 6/2.

Cheltenham girls with Judy Angus win the Judy Angus Cup

Mark Fischel v Paul Kettle. Mark and Paul had the closest match of the day. Both players were playing with a lot of intensity; Paul’s technique was matched by Mark’s energy. But in the end Paul’s experience pulled through winning the eleventh game of the third set in a nail-biting deciding point. 5/6 6/3 5/6.

Chris Lintott v Ned Batstone. In a match that appeared to be one-sided both players played very well. But it became apparent early on that Ned was playing to a level much lower than his handicap suggests. Chris made a match of it, but was the first to admit that he had been beaten by a better player. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if Ned was playing in the first string of this competition next year. 2/6 2/6.

Natalie Barber v Giles Fitzpatrick. Giles got off to a great start putting Natalie under pressure with his backhand drag serve. Natalie staged a first set comeback but it was too late – Giles

Paul Danby presenting the Beryl Danby Trophy to Wellington

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 won 6/3. But try as hard as she could, Natalie couldn’t find a chink in Giles’ armour and an almost flawless performance saw him take the second set 6/2. 3/6 2/6.

Shenkman. He contributed to some fine rests but ultimately the gulf was cavernous and he succumbed 1/6, 1/6. Former Ladies World Champion Penny Lumley was as tenacious as ever; after losing the first set 1/6, she fought back to take the second 6/4, but youth was on Guy Maxwell’s side whose speed and consistency contributed towards a third set 6/1 win.

The pressure was now on Ed Popplewell to keep Holyport in the tie beyond lunch. At 3/6 and 0/3 down, hopes were on hanging on a thread but he dug in and wore down Jimmy Campbell to take the second set 6/4 and the third set by the same score line.

Brodie Cup players at Oxford Jean De Pourtales & Doug Holden v Hugo AxelBerg & Adam Jeffrey. With the competition already decided, Jean and Doug were playing for pride. Hugo and Adam having already won as a team were perhaps a little too relaxed. Had this been a must win match, it could well have been a much closer rubber, but on the day Jean and Doug played flawlessly and with a little extra impetus behind them went on to win with relative ease. 6/1 6/1.

The second doubles was another tense three set affair. Manchester’s 17 old Henry Stevinson and Mark Seymour Mead took the first set 6/2 with confident and decisive tennis but the experienced and wily Simon Talbot-Williams and Simon Webster improved as the match wore on and squeezed through to a third set 6/4 win.

Many thanks to Pol Roger for sponsoring the Brodie Cup. Also thanks to the T&RA for all their support. And finally thanks to both teams - between Pol Roger, Oxford and Radley, the final was a very enjoyable occasion.

Pol Roger Trophy Manchester, with Robert Shenkman collecting the Field Trophy

So unusually for a Field Final the match stood at 2/2. Talented Rackets player Alex DuncliffeVines was in irrepressible and at times outrageous form and in partnership with sound volleyer Adam Holloway proved too strong for Robert Peel and Nick Jones, triumphing 6/1 6/2 to deservedly clinch the Field Trophy for the young and exciting Manchester outfit that should prosper next season in the Pol Roger top division. Tom Granville and Moreton Morrell were thanked for their hosting of an excellent day of tennis and camaraderie and players and visitors were

Cambridge Pol Roger Winning Team with James Simpson (centre)

Field Trophy In the first singles Holyport’s Nick Baker was 15 points adrift of the rapidly improving Robert 14

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 most grateful to Pol Roger for their most generous sponsorship of an important day in the Real Tennis calendar.

Freshman Toni Morales stepped in as Seed 2 to play against Oxford’s George Peel. Fresh from his Gap Year where he went through a period of self-reflectance on the sport, Morales showed his power and experience to beat his opponent 15/7 15/4 15/7. With Cambridge 3/0 up, superstar player, Hawks president and general legend Jamie Giddins took on Oxford’s captain Dan Escott. Escott played some great Rackets, but couldn’t get past ice man Giddins who took the match 15/1 15/6 15/3.

Combined Services

In the doubles Kay and Shaw teamed up to defeat Baker & Fischel 15/0 15/3 15/3, while Giddins and Morales secured Cambridge’s 6/0 win by winning the first pair’s match 15/6 15/6 15/5. This means that the current team is the first Cambridge side to win 4 varsity matches in a row since 1914. Oxford will return stronger next year in what should be a great fixture.

Finalists of the Rackets Past and Present Open Doubles 2017 From L to R: Lt. Olly Snell, Chris Atkins, Hugo Ackerman and Charles Fraser

Varsity Rackets Match Toni Morales; Ed Kay; James Simpson; Jamie Giddins: Matt Shaw

The Varsity Rackets match was held at the Queens club on 1st February.

2017 was also host to the first Ladies Rackets varsity match. Oxford brought a very strong team with Georgie Willis and Eve Shenkman defeating Cambridge’s Georgia Billings and Katherine Phillips 15/0 15/4 15/5. Cambridge’s team are already in training to reverse this score next year and we hope this match will be the first of many.

In the first match, Cambridge captain Ed Kay used all his experience to take the first match 15/4 15/4 15/2 against varsity debutant James Baker. Baker’s black eye meant visibility was below par and so he struggled to pick out the half-track pies that Ed was throwing up on the Backhand serve.

Next up was Matt Shaw having been knocked down a position to seed 3 he took down Mark Fischel (‘Le poisson’) in 3 sets (15/7 15/2 15/5).

The former Queen’s Club assistant showed his knowledge of his home court to outmanoeuvre the Fish and take Cambridge to a 2/0 lead.

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Thomas Trophy Nick Pickard & James Barlow beat Norman Hyde & Ian Steele 6/2 Another keenly contested over 60s handicap doubles competition with 12 pairs participating in three round robin groups, played first to 5 game sets.

The redoubtable Norman Hyde and Ian Steele, previous winners of this event, were keen to repair their reputation after Norman had to withdraw from last year’s quarter-final through injury. They duly did so by beating two other familiar and formidable pairs in the quarter and semi-finals, Jamie Bebb/Mark Stefanowicz followed by Simon Johnston/Alan Douglas.

Eve Shenkman: James Simpson; Georgie Willis

Kershaw Cup The Kershaw had an entry limited by holidays, conflicting competitions and injury. However, there was enough quality to satisfy the most rigorous of observers. John Prenn comfortably overcame John Ward in the first semi-final. A topsy-turvy second semi saw Richard Moore take the first set against Ronald Paterson 6/2.

Ronald then took complete command and won the second set 6/1 only for Richard to reassert himself from 3-all in the third set to win 6/3.

It was a pleasure to welcome a new pair from Hatfield, Nick Pickard and James Barlow. After playing their three group matches, Nick had returned to his hotel to pack his bags for an early departure on Sunday morning believing there was no chance of getting through to the knock-out stage. On returning for the evening dinner, Nick and James were surprised to learn they had sneaked through by one game. Their confidence was further boosted on beating James’ brother and Andrew Mountain. Their semi-final opponents, John Prenn and Richard Moore had valiantly won their quarter final against the new local pair John Mortimer and Martin Farnworth, 5/4 under a colossal handicap. It was too much to maintain this high level of concentration against Nick and James who won 5/3.

In the final, John Prenn cruised to a 6/0 first set lead. However, Richard, never giving up at any stage, fought to 3-all in the second set, before John finished the match in some style. The trophy was presented by Richard Kershaw to a worthy, elegant and accomplished winner.

In the Final, Nick and James played error-free tennis to win 6/2 against Norman and Ian. As always, it was a pleasure to welcome Carole Sweeting to the Club to present the prizes and the Mike Thomas trophy. Remarkably, the two tournaments ran to time on the Sunday and helped to ensure everyone enjoyed a most hospitable weekend.

John Prenn (L) with Richard Kershaw

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 tournament newcomers Altrincham Grammar and a new pair from Westminster, joining the old stalwarts of St Edmunds, Charterhouse, Lancing, Harrow and Eton.

Nick Pickard, Carole Sweeting & James Barlow

Milne Hue Williams U24 Doubles Adam Dolman & James Acheson-Gray The tournament is a best-of-3-set knock out.

Andrew Page and Angus Williams of Lancing beat Nick Warner and Joe Bone of Harrow to set up a semi-final against fellow Petworth members James Acheson-Gray and Adam Dolman of Charterhouse. It promised to be an enticing affair given the close handicaps but Charterhouse rather ran away with it after a closely fought opening. The other semi-final saw the superbly talented young paring of Robert Shenkman and Guy Maxwell of Altrincham Grammar (who had overcome Simon Talbot-Williams & Charlie Harris of Teddy’s) take on the extremely experienced Harry Eddis and Horatio Cary of Eton (who in turn had defeated Edwin Richards & Matthew Webb of Westminster) in what turned out to be the match of the tournament.

Ed Hyde (L) and Tommy Shields (R) The Tonbridge pair of Tommy Shields and Ed Hyde defeated George and Tom Buckley of Radley in the final 3-2. It is the first time Tonbridge have won the title since 1989.

Henry Leaf Cup

There really was some wonderful Tennis played and after two very closely contested sets, Altrincham came away victorious 6-4, 6-5, to set up a final against the defending champions Charterhouse. Sadly Altrincham seemed to have exhausted themselves in the semi against Eton and ran out of puff in the final, as the Old Carthusians managed to successfully defend their crown with a 6/1 6/1 win.

The 2017 Henry Leaf Old Boys Tournament was held at the Queen’s Club on March 18th & 19th. Whilst there were no entries this year from Radley, Canford, The Oratory or Wellington, it was great to welcome to the

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Category D Singles

Chris had produced a dominant serving display to get to the final and struggled to get the same reward from his excellent railroad in the final as Andy was able to counter it and offer a better variety of serves and shots to take the first set 6/3. Much like the first final the second set was nip and tuck all the way as there was never more than one game in it but again like the first final it was all over as Andy clinched it 6/5 to take the title back to Norwich. Both finals, like all the matches, were played in a great spirit throughout!

Hatfield hosted the Category D Singles event for players between 30-39 handicap and as in previous years the event was split into 2 divisions 30-34 and 35-39.

In the 35-39 section the final ended up being an all Hatfield affair as Chris Handley took on David Hudson. Both players had done very well to get to the final as neither had been seeded for the event and they managed to beat the No.1 and No.2 seeds respectively in the semifinals. Chris had a distinct advantage going into the final of being almost half David’s age and this seemed to tell early on as David was a little slow out the blocks, possibly being a little stiff after a tight semi-final earlier in the day. Chris powered his way to the first set by keeping the ball tight and making David work for every point eventually taking it 6/2. The second set was a much closer affair as Chris got a little tight and David started to move better and at 5/5 both players had set points to close it out but it was eventually Chris who won the set and the match.

6/5.

In the 30-34 section Hatfield didn’t put up such a good show as all 3 Hatfield players went out in the first round. The final was between Andy Keeley of Holyport and Chris Kroeger of Leamington and proved to be a very close match and with a similar score line to the first final.

Winner Andy Keeley(L) with Chris Kroeger (R)

Chris had produced a dominant serving display to reach the final and struggled to get the same reward from his excellent railroad in the final as Andy was able to counter it and offer a better variety of serves and shots to take the first set 6/3. Much like the first final the second set was nip and tuck all the way as there was never more than one game in it but again like the first final it was all over as Andy clinched it 6/5 to take the title back to Norwich. Both finals were played in a great spirit throughout!

David Hudson with winner Chris Handley In the 30-34 section Hatfield didn’t put up such a good show as all 3 Hatfield players went out in the first round. The final was between Andy Keeley of Holyport and Chris Kroeger of Leamington and proved to be a very close match and with a similar score line to the first final.

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T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Category E Singles Wellington Real Tennis Club hosted the T&RA Category E Championship (40-49 handicapped players) for the first time. The competition was split into two sections 40-44 and 45-49.

In the 40-44 section, Ashley Deakin beat Nick Abelson 6/3 6/4, then Jonny Miller & Grant Miller both took Sunday semi-final spots with straight set victories over Richard Marmoy & William Flynn. William then faced Richard in the plate Semi-Final and took the final spot with just the loss of one game.

45-49 - Nick Jeffery (L) beat Clive Turner (R) The first Final was the 45-49 Plate and it was an all-female affair with Izzy Hunt taking advantage of her knowledge of the court after her two earlier matches and won the match against Liz Leach 6/4 6/3. In the 40-44 Plate final, William Flynn continued his good form against Nick Abelson and won the first set 6/1 and took a 5/1 lead in the second, Nick did well to battle back to 5/5 but William stole the final game and won the match.

In the 45-49 section, John Garrett and Nick Jeffery had straight set victories against Liz Leach & Robin Mace. Prested’s Clive Turner battled back from a set down to home player Simon Boutwood and booked his Sunday spot winning 5/6 6/1 6/2. However, the match of the day was Izzy Hunt taking on second seed and beating Martin Tucker from Hatfield. Later on Izzy then took on Martin’s fellow Hatfield member Robin Mace with Izzy sealing her Plate final spot with a 6/3 4/6 6/4 win.

The Final of the 45-49 section saw Clive Turner edged the first set 6/5 against Nick Jeffery, and then took a lead in the second but Nick wasn’t going to let the match go easily. With both players playing better than their handicap, it was Nick who managed to take the title 6/3 in the final set.

Sunday was Semi-final & Finals day. The first match was the second Plate semi-final in the 45-49 section, and Liz Leach managed to beat Simon Boutwood 6/5, 6/0.

The first semi-finals in the 45-49 section saw Clive Turner lose the first tight set against John Garrett, but he got his left handed serve going and took the next 2 sets 6/1 6/2. In the second semi of this section Nick Jeffery battled past the second seed, Martin Tucker, in 2 close sets 6/4 6/4 to face Clive in the final.

In the 40-44 section, Ashley Deakin upset the top seed, Johnny Bruce, in the first semi-final and didn’t give him a chance to get going and wrapped up the match 6/1 6/1. The second semi-final was a much closer affair between the 2nd & 3rd seeds with both players playing great Tennis and both improving as the match went on, but Grant Miller edged past Jonny Miller winning 5/6 6/4 6/3.

40-45 - Grant Miller beat Ashley Deakin In the 40-44 final people had Ashley Deakin down as the favourite but Grant Miller had other ideas and won the first set 6/5, again with both players playing great Tennis it was looking like another marathon match. The final set was as tight as the first two and with Grant 19

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 retrieving the ball so well as he had done all weekend, he was able to just get that one more ball back and he took the title back to Oxford winning the final set 6/4!. It was a great weekend of Tennis with two superb finals, both taking over 2 hrs! Well played everyone!

Category F Singles Huge congratulations to Mike Norgrove and Amy Pye - winners of the Category F Championships 2017. Prested hosted players from all round the country this weekend, some spectacular Tennis and rallies played by all.

Prested's very own Chairman, Mike Norgrove won 10/4 over 'newbie' Greg De Silva, a great final to round out the day for the 50-54 handicap section of the tournament. Greg's volley was unstoppable throughout the day but Mike's tactical play and home court knowledge was a pleasure to watch as he eased his way to victory.

55-59 Handicap

Brown Advisory British Open Doubles Championship A packed gallery witnessed a masterclass in controlled Rackets by New York pair, Peter Cipriano and Jamie Stout. Mike Bailey and Nick Hopcroft battled throughout to create a wonderful spectacle, covering off difficult angles and making extremely difficult recoveries. However, Stout was in his usual sublime form, backed up by Cipriano who missed nothing.

Greg de Silva (L) Mike Norgrove (R) In the 55-59 final, Amy Pye was victorious over Trevor Hammond 6/3 6/3. Trevor had a particularly good tournament playing above his standard and had an epic win 6/5 in the 3rd(!) in his semi-final to secure his place in the final. Amy looked strong throughout the tournament and at times was untouchable with her drag serve working devastatingly well.

A pleasure to have all the visitors to Prested and shall look forward to welcoming you back!

The first game saw the New York pair make the early running to 4-0, before Bailey and Hopcroft pegged them back to establish their own, albeit narrow, lead 7-5. Two points apiece from Stout and Cipriano redressed the balance and established a lead they would hold through to the end of the first game, winning 15/11, and laying down the gauntlet. The third seeds carried their run into the second game, opening up a commanding 9-1 lead. A brief recovery by the battling Bailey/Hopcroft 20

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017 combination brought the score back to 5-9, but it was too late and the travellers finished off the second game 15/5 - and a two-love lead.

Peter Cipriano. The number three seeds had previously come close, runners up in the Manchester Gold Racquet.

The third game would prove to be pivotal, with the first ten points shared before Bailey and Hopcroft opened up a commanding 12-7 lead.

Slowly but surely, Stout and Cipriano worked their way back into the game, 9-12 then 11-13, before forcing a set to three. A brave call by the fourth seeds and Stout served out the vital three points to win 16/13, and edge closer to the championship. The fourth game was equally tight, with Bailey and Hopcroft holding a slender advantage until 11-9. But, losing service, their opponents struck; one point from Cipriano then four more from Stout gave them their first Championship Point. Stout didn't waste the chance, serving brilliantly to win the Open Championship with his outstanding partner, Cipriano.

Stout & Cipriano started strongly, making the early running to lead 3-1, then 7-2, then 9-3; always the more confident serving. But then a purple patch from the champions saw them overturn the early play to lead 11-9 in a couple of dominant hands, including a divine drop shot from Owen. Stout & Cipriano couldn’t respond, and Billings served to within a point and Owen finished off the first game in style – 15/9. The second game followed a similar pattern, although the Stout & Cipriano partnership were perhaps more dominant, leading 9-0 before being pulled back to 6-9, then 8-10. However this time they didn’t let the lead slip, adding the necessary points over the next pair of service opportunities to secure the game 15/8, and level the match.

The third game was extremely tight all the way, with the pairs closely matched, but again tighter match play by Stout took the game to 14-9. Owen returned well to take back service and slowly clawed back to 13-14 before a Stout low return gave Cipriano the service. A dominant Stout then secured the vital point – 15/13 – and a 2-1 lead. The defending champions had their opportunities in the fourth game but were generally chasing the game. Billings covered the court brilliantly and Owen’s length was exceptional, but Cipriano missed little and Stout was sublime in all departments, incorporating a trick shot into the final point, winning 15/9, and taking a 3-1 lead.

Peter Cipriano & Jamie Stout David Norman and Peter Mallinson presented the prizes, with special thanks to Brown Advisory as they completed their second year of Rackets sponsorship. Two great seasons which has built on the successful foundations laid down in the game - and a record turn-out to watch top Rackets.

The fifth game would prove to be decisive and the closest in the match. Cipriano appears to be carrying an injury leaving more to Stout.

Owen and Billings saw their opportunity and chose their targets carefully to take an early 50 lead. Great resilience by Stout and Cipriano in particular pulled the game back to 4-5 before Cipriano aggravated his injury stretching for a lost cause. After a short injury break Stout played with utter determination to establish a slight 6-5 lead, with his partner largely side-lined. But the service was lost and

Peter Cipriano & Jamie Stout (3) beat Mike Bailey & Nick Hopcroft (4) 15/11 15/5 16/13 15/11

Friday evening had seen two exciting semifinals. The first match saw top seeds and defending Open Champions, Richard Owen and Tom Billings, take on World Champion, Jamie Stout, and his partner from New York, 21

T&RA EASTER NEWSLETTER 2017

Over 70s Singles and Doubles

Owen served to 9-6. Stout responded to 8-9 but Billings eased the service to 12-8, with another point from Owen to make 13-8. Five points on the next hand drew a set to five, with Stout now making all the running to lead 2-0.

The champions served again gaining game point at 4-2. It wasn’t to be, and Stout & Cipriano recovered to 4-4 and didn’t miss the game/match point. 18/17.

The second match saw a mixture of seasoned campaigners and youthful exuberance. Both reasonably new partnerships with the experienced James Coyne paired with the fast rising Alex Duncliffe-Vines; pitted against two returning players; Mike Bailey, a seasoned campaigner who has spent time Down Under and the highly talented prodigy, Nick Hopcroft, back from the US. Coyne is a former World Doubles Champion and Duncliffe-Vines an Amateur Doubles Champion. Bailey has been a Doubles finalist (partnered with Coyne) in 2014, and Hopcroft was this year’s runner up in the Open Singles.

Singles - John Ward beat Dick Tanfield 8/1

The fourth seeds, Bailey and Hopcroft, were rarely troubled in the first couple of games, making the early running and securing both games 15/3 15/6. Bailey’s touch remains remarkable and Hopcroft can generate the most extraordinary shots, proving too strong on the night for the powerful Coyne and the hard-running Duncliffe-Vines. The third game was perhaps the tightest with Coyne and Duncliffe-Vines pushing hard to reach a 9-11 deficit, but Bailey’s volleying and a Hopcroft winner secured the service. The fourth seeds didn’t waste this opportunity taking the next four points with a solid display of Rackets, enjoyed by the gallery. The fourth game saw some great exchanges but Bailey and Hopcroft were always in the ascendency, winning 15/6, and the match 4-0.

Doubles - John East & Robin Barlow beat John Ward & Willie Wilks 8/5

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