Cambs Men's Over 70 vs Surrey

Following a journey that could have made any Traffic Warden ecstatic at the thought of ticketing the entire M25 car park, Cambridge Men’s 70s eventually reached Oxshott Village Tennis Club to face Surrey in the next round of County Cup tennis.

Under ideal conditions and amidst a quintessentially English backdrop, the duo of Des Chalk and Mike Dakin, together with David Milburn and Phil Eaves took to the immaculate artificial clay courts.

We were aware before the match that we faced a formidable challenge, as Surrey had an unbeaten record and a steadfast determination to maintain it. Right from the start, it was evident that the Surrey players were in peak tournament form, displaying a remarkable repertoire of shots, including volleys and smashes from all over the court. Moreover, their unerring accuracy meant that on this occasion, Cambs was outclassed by a significantly superior team that not only identified and leveraged their weaknesses with surgical precision but also exhibited the prowess of true champions enroute to Division 1.

Despite a valiant effort against a polished team, our players left the court feeling underwhelmed by their performance. However, the truth is, that facing a team seasoned by consistent victories in ITF Tournaments, limits you to playing only as well as they let you, so far from being despondent, they should feel proud of what they achieved.

Jim Hunter