Training completed the Kent girls 12 under team of Anais Fernandez Laaksonen, Skye Bentum Siripi, Emily Bolton and Daisy Carpenter headed to Sundridge Park Tennis Club to compete against the counties of Surrey, Sussex and Gloucestershire.
Day one saw The Kent team comfortable beat Gloucestershire 8.0 and then the team from Sussex 6.2, placing them in the final on Sunday morning against Surrey. Skye playing at number three started the day of against Lilac Jervis, after a close first set which could have gone either way the Surrey player closed the match out 5.3, 4.1. Second up for Kent was Daisy Carpenter playing at number two the powerful attacking game of Daisy saw her confidently beat the Surrey number two 4.2, 4.0 drawing the match level at one all. Anais playing number one then stepped on court to play the Surrey number one, after a very tense second set Anais finally battled her way to a 4.1 5.4 win. After the singles Kent lead the fixture 2.1 with the doubles to play, the pairing on Anais and Daisy fought hard to bring home the victory 4.1 4.2, putting Kent in the National Finals in Bolton in two week’s time.
Day one saw Kent drawn against a very strong team from Yorkshire. After getting off to a great start with Skye winning the opening rubber in a third set tiebreak the more experienced team from Yorkshire won the next 3 rubbers to win the match 6.2.
Day two started off with Kent taking on the team from Nottingham. Skye again got Kent on the score board early with yet another three-set victory. Next up saw Daisy battle hard to win a close first set before going up a gear in the second set to win easily 5.4 4.0. With Kent leading the fixture two nil, Anais came up against a very strong Nottingham number one who’s game was just too big winning 4.1 4.0. Unfortunately, in the deciding doubles the pairing of Anais and Daisy just couldn’t get going and lost 4.0, 4.0. In the shot out they fought hard but couldn’t halt the Nottingham pair taking the tiebreak and the fixture.
Saturday afternoon saw Emily Bolton make her Kent debut against the West of Scotland, Emily got Kent of to a flyer with a 4.0, 4.2 victory. Next up Skye now playing at number two kept her amazing record going with her most comfortable victory 4.1, 4.1. Now playing at number one Daisy Carpenter produced a great performance cruising to a convincing 4.1,4.0 win. Daisy then paired up with Emily to complete the white wash giving Kent a deserved 8.0 victory over West Scotland.
On the final day Kent went up against the team from Hertfordshire. Emily playing at three couldn’t repeat the form of the day before and lost 4.1, 4.1, Skye again played some great tennis winning in three sets. Finally, Anais got her first singles win of the weekend with a hard fought victory in a three close set match. Unfortunately as against Nottingham the Kent pair of Skye and Anais can’t get going and lose the doubles 4.1,4.0, they then can’t stop Hertfordshire pair closing out the shootout.
In the end a very successful county cup for the Kent girls making the national finals and finishing sixth in the country. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the players for their hard work, enthusiasm and fighting spirt. Also a big thankyou to Sarah Wray and all the parents who travelled all the way up to Bolton, your support and help was much appreciated.
Martin Whitehouse
Kent 12 under County Cup Captain