Cambridgeshire Boys team of Vincent Chen, Harry Wendelken, Charlie Taylor and Derrick Chen came second in the Aegon 12 and under County Cup held in Norwich on 29/30 June.
The Counties are split into groups all around the country and the winners of each group then go through to the finals at Bolton. Cambridgeshire were in a group with Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and the strong county of Hertfordshire. Two matches were played on the Saturday and then two more on the Sunday. Each match consists of three singles matches and then one doubles.
On the Saturday Cambridgeshire played Bedfordshire and then Norfolk. In the Bedfordshire match all the boys won their matches in convincing style. Vincent Chen at number one beat Charlie Axford 4/1, 4/0; Harry Wendelken at number two beat Alex Papp 4/0, 4/0 and then Charlie Taylor at three beat Darren Hall 4/1, 4/1. In the doubles Vincent and Charlie beat Axford and Papp 4/2, 4/1 to get the team off to a good start. In the next match against Norfolk again all the team won, Vincent beat Cameron Whiting 4/0, 4/0; Harry beat Harry Ketteringham 4/0, 4/1 and then Charlie Taylor had a marathon first set against Jon Hyde but eventually won it 13-11 in the tie break and then won the second set 4/0. In the doubles Vincent and Harry beat Whiting and Ketteringham 4/1, 4/1. The team ended the first day with two 4-0 wins.
On the Sunday the boys played Hertfordshire which was the crunch match to see who would win the group. Charlie Taylor started off and lost to David Latter 4/5, 0/4. Harry Wendelken then took on Loius Gibbard and despite winning the first set 4/2, then lost the next 1/4 and then lost a close tie break 8-10. This meant Vincent Chen had to win at number one to keep the tie alive. He played very well took the first set 4/0 against Daniel Martin but then lost the next 2/4 and then tie break 2-10. In the doubles the substitute Derrick Chen came in and played with Harry but they lost 2/4, 3/5 to Gibbard and Patrick Evans.
In the final match of the day the boys overwhelmed Suffolk with another 4-0 win. Vincent beat Noah Cutting 4/2, 4/1; Harry beat Adam Levey, 4/0, 4/0 and Charlie beat Jake Davey 4/1, 4/5 and then 10-7 in the tie break. In the doubles Vincent and Charlie beat Cutting and Travis Ireland 5/3, 4/0 to end the day a very good second in the group.
Sue Rich captained the team on the Saturday and Chris Johnson on the Sunday – they felt the team played very well and with a bit of luck the result could have gone the other way.
The girls team was without top player Kira Reuter who was unavailable and their third player Ellie Coleman so it was left to Aisha Brown to lead the team with help from the younger Natasha Scott and then two ten year olds Sama and Chaaya Malik. As a result the girls were really up against it but did well to finish third.
They played the same Counties as the boys but were in Hertfordshire at Legends Tennis Centre in Hertford.
On the Saturday the girls beat Bedfordshire 3 matches to 1. Aisha Brown lead the way at number one beating Harriet Potter 4/1, 4/0; Natasha Scott at number two beat Annabel Phillips 4/1, 4/2. Sama Malik lost to Natalya Ogunwale 1/4, 2/4 but then in the deciding doubles Aisha and Natasha beat Potter and Ogunwale 4/2, 4/2.
In the second match against Norfolk Asiha Brown had a really good game against Katherine Barnes before being edged out 2/4, 4/1 5-10 in the match tie break. The rest of the team were unable to play at Aisha’s level and each lost. Natasha lost to Vianne Palffy 1/4. 0/4; Chaaya Malik lost to Monica Raviraj 1/4, 1/ 4 and then the Malik twins lost Palffy and Raviraj 0/4, 2/4.
On the second day the girls were in good spirits and Aisha Brown had a great win against the Herts number one Mimi Bland 1/4, 4/1 and then 10-5 in the match tie break. Natasha Scott fought hard but lost 2/4, 1/4 to Alex Hildreth and Sama Malik lost to Indianna Spink 0/4, 1/4. In the deciding doubles Aisha and Natasha lost to Bland and Spink 0/4, 2/4.
In the final match of the day Cambs beat Suffolk and again Aisha Brown featured in the match of the day as she came from behind to beat Sofia Khalyaeva 2/4, 4/1 and the 10-6 in the match tie break in a good quality match.
Natasha Scott was trailing against India Bull 1/4, 3/3 when her opponent walked off the court and so conceded the match! Chaaya Malik then beat Lottie Summers 4/2, 4/1 and the Sama and Chaaya teamed up to win the last doubles 4/2, 4/1 against Walker and Summers.
Chris Johnson captained the girls on the Sat and Sue Rich on the Sunday – ‘the team had great team spirit especially on the Sunday and all played with pride for the County – well done everyone’.