Sue Tullett
Surrey 9U Team Manager
Our Surrey U9 county cup adventure started on 12th July at Sutton Tennis Academy where Tom Crisp, 9U County Cup Coach, and I held trials to pick our team. It was an incredibly difficult job. The girls were lovely and they really enjoyed getting together. The standard was very high but we had to choose three girls and a reserve. We had eleven girls to choose from but after long deliberation Tom and I chose Nora Khediri, Lilac Jervis, Lotty Forsyth with Isabella Calvert as reserve.
We had 14 boys and the competition was fierce. Tom and I had the ridiculously tricky task of narrowing them down to choose our team. We decided on Freddie Plummer, Tom Dunlop, and Dominik Hagmann with Henry Jefferson as reserve. Dominik was going on holiday so politely declined his place on the team which meant Henry Jefferson was in the team with Flynn Bolton as reserve.
On Friday 18th we got the team together for a doubles practice with the reserves. It was a great team building session in the scorching sun. We deduced what the good doubles combinations would be - Tom distributed our navy matching Surrey kit - and we went home for early nights!!
Amidst thunderstorm warnings the U9Aegon 9U County Cup was held at Surrey County Indoor Centre at Weybridge. The lightening had set the fire alarm off which kept going off every five minutes until the lovely Rory sorted it out!
It was very warm indoors and Gill the tournament referee moved her desk on to court to try and keep cool.
Unfortunately our first match was against Kent who were very strong. We didn't come out of the blocks fast enough, maybe it was nerves? Nora played Emily Bolton and lost in three sets. The tennis was fantastic and points were fiercely contested. Poor Freddie Plummer lost against Oliver Evans who had a massive forehand. Match point was lost to the ball hitting the net and just dropping over! Tom Dunlop pulled it back for Surrey beating Hugo Cocquelin in two sets.
The Kent girls were very strong and our number 2 Lilac lost to Daisy Carpenter but the points were amazing both girls hit the ball so hard! Henry Jefferson lost in three to Timothy Viding who was also a very good player but Henry battled hard!
Our girls doubles Nora and Lilac lost to Emily and Daisy and our boys also lost in three sets, but Lotty and Flynn won the mixed doubles. We lost to Kent but closely lost there were so many 3 setters.
Our next round was Essex. They had strong boys but the girls weren't quite so strong! But the girls did have the most amazing matching pink dresses! Freddie lost his singles to Ralph Bartlett the heat was starting to affect the children at this point. Nora Khediri beat Essex number 1, Poppy Chapman, comprehensively in straight sets. Lilac powered Aimee Bromfield off court but the Essex number 3, Selena Braithwaite, beat our Lotty. Tom Dunlop put in another very solid performance beating Henry Hammond. We changed our boys and put Flynn Bolton in to play 3 against Toby Terrell he won in three!! Fantastic match. We won our girls and boys doubles but lost the mixed and won overall.
Our final rubber was Sussex. They were also very strong. The match between Freddie, our number 1, and Charlie Holmes, Sussex number 1, was brilliant; the tennis was phenomenal. Freddie's volleys were so good but he lost in 2 sets, 11-9 in the second. Nora had to play Grace, the Sussex number 1. Nora played her best tennis of the day and won in three sets. Lilac then had to play Evelyn Thomas who was a massively big hitter and had a huge first serve. Lilac battled hard but lost in 2 sets. Tom Dunlop played Finlay Edwards - Tom pulled it out of the bag again with a straight sets win. He also looked like he had been swimming fully clothed when he walked off the court. Weybridge Indoor Centre must have been about 35 degrees on court at this point. Lotty Forsyth played Imogen Mcnaughton. The rallies were ridiculous and Lotty eventually won after a 60 shot rally on match point! Flynn played Darcy and played very steadily to win the match; his big 1st serve was working very well! Our girls Nora and Lotty played really well in the stifling heat to beat Imogen and Evelyn. The mixed doubles was an epic match with Flynn and Lilac playing against Grace and Darcy. The net play was so fast; we won the first set 7-5, lost the second but won 13-11 in the third. The boys doubles Tom and Freddie played so well and won in two sets. We had won against Sussex and the children played so well!
Overall, we were runners- up to Kent who were worthy champions. It was a fantastic event that the parents, players and Tom and I thoroughly enjoyed. Gill Andersson was a great referee and it there was a really nice atmosphere all day. All the team captains were fair and encouraging to all players.
It was a wonderful introduction to County Cup - I'm pretty sure a lot of the children playing in Weybridge on 19th July 2014 will be playing many County Cups to come!!!