Cambridgeshire’s 12 and under team of Anna Loughlan, Kira Reuter and Aisha Brown had a terrific weekend at Bolton to finish third in the AEGON 12 and under County Cup Finals in Bolton on 14/15 July.
The team qualified having won their Group in Corby 2 weeks ago. There are 8 groups around the country and then winning team from each group then goes to the National Finals.
The 8 teams in the National finals were Surrey, Yorkshire, Avon, Leicestershire, East of Scotland, Hertfordshire, Staffordshire and Cambridgeshire. Surrey were seeded1, Yorkshire 2, Herts 3 and Cambs 4.
In the first round Cambridgeshire played Leicestershire. Each match consists of 3 rubbers of singles and one doubles. The format is short sets (first to 4) and then a championship tiebreak in the third set.The order is number one plays first and then two and three and then the doubles. Anna Loughlan got the team off to a good start beating Elizabeith Allwood 4/2, 4/2. This was followed by Kira Reuter beating Anna Chesca 4/0, 4/2. Aisha Brown at number three won 4/1, 4/2. The doubles was then won by Kira and Aisha 4/2, 5/4 to give Cambs an 8 – 0 win and ensure they were in the semi-finals.
The semi-final was against the top seeds, Surrey. Anna had a tough match against Surrey’s Emily Appleton and lost 1/4, 1/4. Next up was Kira who played really well against Jodie Lawrence-Taylor a girl she had previously lost to and won 4/0, 5/4. Although Aisha had a close first set which she lost 3/5, her opponent Gemma Southwick was too strong for her in the second and she lost this 0/4. This meant the whole match rested on the doubles. Kira and Anna played this against Emily and Jodie and despite some really good tennis they lost 2/4, 1/4.
On the Sunday Cambs played against Yorkshire for third and fourth place and the bronze medal. Yorkshire had been seeded two but lost their semi- final to Hertfordshire. Anna had a tough match against Alice Thane and narrowly lost 3/5, 2/4. Next up was Kira who continued with her excellent form and beat Megan Hopton comfortably 4/1, 4/1. Aisha then lost her match to Rebecca Hill who was too consistent 1/4 2/4.
This meant the match was all on the doubles and Anna and Kira played incredibly well against Alice and Megan and won 4/0, 4/1.The match then went into a tie-break doubles shoot out which Anna and Kira played against the same two girls and won this 10-6 to crown a really good weekend.
Captain Sue Rich said ‘ the girls played incredibly well all weekend and with great team spirit deserved to finish third overall – well done to them all and a special mention to Kira who won all her singles matches’.