The Wildmoor Spa League Junior Cup Final was played recently at Henley-in-Arden Tennis Club between last year’s champions HDA Redditch and host side Henley-in-Arden Juniors. This was the Redditch side HDA’s fifth consecutive cup final having lost the first two but managing victory the last two years. This year though saw a new pair of youngsters representing their club Harvey Ravenscroft & Scott Mortimer as their previous pair were now too old to enter the competition. Henley-in-Arden had appeared in previous finals winning in 2008 and 2012. They fielded a pair who reached the play-offs the previous year before being knocked out. Alex Evans & Louis Walsh had one last chance this year to try and lift the cup.
The 12 and under age competition, sponsored by the League President and Alcester man Tony King, began back in March with four Pools of four pairs playing each other and taking it in turns to host each month. Then in July a Play-Off Pool Night was held at Littletons Tennis Club when the four Pool winners, Stratford, Evesham, HDA Redditch and Henley played each other with the top two sides reaching this Cup Final.
Watched by parents, coaches and league officials, the final produced some good quality competitive tennis with no player giving quarter. Scoring was tight and at 6-6 in the first set a tie-break was needed to separate the sides. HDA just edged the tie-break 7-5 to take the first set 7-6. Alex Evans & Louis Walsh stepped up a gear in the second set to tie the match at 1-1 by winning the set 6-3. So to a match deciding third set they went, trading points and games before the Redditch pair eased ahead again to take the third set 6-4 and with it HDA’s third title on the trot as Junior Champions. League Chairman Tony Eskew presented all the boys with individual awards and of course the cup and a cheque for £50.00 from the Wildmoor Summer Tennis League to HDA tennis club to develop their junior section. A free buffet was also supplied.