Taunton Tennis Club’s top men’s team pulled off a surprise 3-2 win away against Esporta Cardiff last Sunday in the National Premier League. Cardiff had beaten Taunton in their last four meetings, including twice last season, and had been among the country’s top 16 teams in each of the last two seasons.
In the first round of matches, Matt Bernard and James Deem of Taunton lost to Cardiff’s first pair 2-6, 4-6, while Bruce Wheatley and Craig Phillips chalked up an excellent 6-3, 6-2 win against a strong Welsh second pair.
Bernard and Deem then comfortably beat Cardiff’s second pair 6-2, 6-3, before Taunton’s second pair of Wheatley and Phillips nearly pulled off a shock win against Cardiff’s first pair. They eventually went down 7-5, 3-6, 6-7 after a particularly tight third set tie break that went to 9-11. However, the set they won secured the bonus point the team needed.
"This win against Cardiff gives us a strong chance of making the national play-offs,” said team captain Matt Bernard. Taunton’s next match is against Bath University at Blackbrook Pavilion on Sunday 21st November at 10am.