Bath University was the venue for this year's 14 & Under AEGON County Cup and hopes were high for a successful weekend.
Saturday morning started well with a great performance from the Devon team in the morning beating South Wales in all 4 singles matches. Callum Wade from Exmouth, playing at number 4, coached by Adam Tapp of Exeter Golf and Country Club won 6-2 6-0, Matt Morrish playing at number 3 won 6-0 6-2, Robert Leck playing at 2 won 6-0 6-3, and Emerson Styles from Barnstable coached by Chris Gill playing at number 1 for Devon won 6-2 6-3.
In the afternoon Devon lined up against H&W. The singles came first with Zaccariah Sheppard at 4, losing a closely fought match 7-5 7-5. Matt Morrish following his victory in the morning put in a top notch performance winning 6-1 6-1, putting the teams level after the first round of matches. The next match saw Emerson Styles go down to big hitting Adam Bowen 7-5 6-1, putting the pressure on Robert Leck who at this time was one set ahead. Rob held his nerve to win 6-2 6-2 leveling the match going into the doubles. The Devon pairings of Matt Morrish and Callum Wade and Robert Leck and Emerson Styles were chosen. Game on!
Devon came through with a superb showing from both doubles pairs, setting up a first place play off on the final day.
Day two beckoned and after a relaxing start the team went on to play the remaining two doubles matches against South Wales. Robert Leck and Zac Sheppard played at 1, and Exmouth's Callum Wade and Barnstable's Matt Morrish played at 2. Leck and Sheppard winning 6-1 6-1 and Wade and Morrish winning confirmed a 6-0 win over South Wales.
Day 3, the first place play off, Devon lined up against favourites Hampshire & Isle of White.
Wade and Morrish played at 4 and 3 respectively. Wade playing higher rated Ricky Hernandez had to dig deep to contend with Hernandez's Nadal style forehand. A game of peaks and troughs saw Wade go 3-1 up, then 5-3 down, finally coming through to take the first set 7-5. Wade went on to win in straight sets 7-5 6-3.
Morrish playing higher rated Joe Weatherly played superbly but closely lost 7-5 6-4 in a hard hitting spectacle of fantastic tennis.
Leck and Styles, both playing well, went down to on form opponents, Leck losing 6-3 6-2 and Styles losing 6-1 6-0. It was all to play for in the doubles!
Leck and Morrish went on first playing as second pair. A superb showing of doubles by them saw Devon win 6-2 6-3. Styles and Sheppard had their work cut out for them against the Hampshire and Isle of Wright’s first pair and put up a valiant effort but lost 6-3 7-5 giving first place to Hampshire who go on to the Natinal finals in Bolton in May.
Adam Tapp, had this to say, “What a weekend. All the boys did fantastically well and played some brilliant tennis. To win our half of the box was a testament in itself as we had to play some tough matches. I feel what set us apart from the other counties was the quality of our doubles play. Congratulations need to go to all the boys who represented Devon impeccably”.