In this week’s Sports Report, we catch up on the hotly anticipated Shiplake Open – a school-wide tennis tournament held annually every summer term. Today’s report is provided by Head of Tennis, Mr Sam Shaw.
There are certain Saturdays in the English calendar which, though not yet officially marked in red ink by the chaps who decide such things, nonetheless acquire a quiet inevitability about them. One wakes, draws back the curtain, and thinks, “Yes, this is a day for tennis.” Saturday 20 June was, beyond any reasonable doubt, such a day, for it marked the finals of the 5th Shiplake Open, a tournament so enthusiastically embraced that nearly a third of the College took to the courts in pursuit of glory, honour, or at the very least, a decent rally.
Gentlemen’s Singles
Proceedings began with the Gentlemen’s Singles, a pleasingly nostalgic encounter between Sam Murray and Zac Fisher, both of Year 12, and both evidently fond of re-enacting the junior final of 2021. As in that earlier production, the result favoured Fisher, though not without a contest of the most absorbing kind. Murray, all thunder and artillery, brought a brand of power tennis that would have warmed the cockles of any enthusiast’s heart, while Fisher, cool as a cucumber sandwich in the pavilion shade, countered with a defensive game of quiet brilliance. It was a clash of styles and philosophies, and in the end the defensive arts prevailed, though only after a gruelling exchange that left spectators blinking in admiration.
Ladies Singles
Simultaneously, on an adjacent court, the Ladies’ Singles unfolded in what many would later describe, with some justification, as the match of the day. The reigning champion, Polina Brown of Year 9, met Rosie Davis of Year 12, a formidable new arrival to the scene. Davis fought with courage and no little dash, recovering early breaks in both sets and refusing to yield an inch without contest. Yet Brown, in the manner of a champion thoroughly acquainted with her own capabilities, brought to bear an accuracy and pace that rendered resistance increasingly untenable. With that, she secured her third consecutive title, a feat that suggests she may have taken out a long-term lease on the trophy.
Junior Singles
A particularly splendid day was had by Audrey Edimoh of Year 8, who embarked upon something of a personal conquest. In the Junior Singles, she faced Jacob Walker of Year 7, commendably returning to action after a knee injury that might have discouraged a lesser fellow. Walker gave an excellent account of himself, but Edimoh proved too assured, securing the title with composure. Not content with one triumph, she later joined forces with Valylysa Nistratova, also of Year 8, to take on D Richards and Sabrina Verano-Luri in the Junior Doubles. What followed was an exhilarating affair, full of pace, invention, and no little drama, before the Year 8 pairing emerged victorious, thereby completing Edimoh’s most agreeable double.
Staff Singles
The Staff Singles offered a narrative of its own, pitting the Headmaster, Mr Tyrone Howe, against the Head of Tennis, Mr Sam Shaw. Previous encounters, notably a rather decisive badminton episode ending 11–3 in Mr Howe’s favour, loomed in the background, adding spice to the occasion. Mr Shaw, perhaps mindful of past indignities, raced to a 3–1 lead with some deft grass-court play. Yet Mr Howe, as those acquainted with him will attest, is not a man to retreat meekly. Summoning a competitive spirit worthy of his sporting past, he levelled matters at 5 all before Mr Shaw, displaying admirable resolve, secured a late break to take the match 7–5. It was, one feels, the sort of result that keeps dinner-table conversation lively.
Mixed Doubles
A note of poignancy attended the Mixed Doubles, where Febe Fisher (Year 13), in her final competitive outing for the College, partnered her brother William (Year 11) against the formidable duo of Zac Fisher and Rosie Davis. The siblings fought gamely, producing moments of fine serving that drew appreciative murmurs from the gallery, yet Davis and Fisher proved too cohesive a unit, claiming the title with authority.
Open Doubles
The Open Doubles provided a contest of both charm and intrigue, featuring the curiously assembled staff pairing of Mr Ari Alejandro and Mr Cathal Meegan, the latter having only taken up tennis this year, yet approaching proceedings with the enthusiasm of a man who had clearly decided there was no time like the present to make up for lost hours on court. Mr Alejandro, calm and assured, supplied experience and tactical nous, while Mr Meegan contributed admirable industry, scampering gamely after anything within a vaguely plausible radius and improving, rally by rally, before the spectators’ eyes. Their opponents, Zac Fisher and Rosie Davis, were by this stage seasoned operators on the day, combining with a fluency that suggested they had read one another’s intentions several shots in advance, and although the staff pair fought with spirit and no little dash, the youthful partnership’s precision and cohesion ultimately prevailed, with Fisher and Davis claiming yet another title, though Mr Meegan, one suspects, left the court having won a considerable number of admirers along the way.
Open Singles
By the time the Open Doubles had concluded, one might have thought the day’s drama complete. But the schedule had one final flourish in store: the Open Singles Final between Mr Shaw and a seemingly indefatigable Zac Fisher, embarking upon his fourth match of the day. One expected at least a hint of fatigue from the young man; instead, he bounded about the court with the energy of a well-wound spring. Mr Shaw’s serve-and-volley game was of high quality indeed, but Fisher’s relentless court coverage and stamina ultimately carried him to victory, bringing a fitting close to the tournament.
As is customary on such occasions, thanks must be extended. To Mr Alejandro, Mr Meegan, and Will Griffith of Year 12 for their sterling umpiring; to the catering team for conjuring a delightful slice of Wimbledon; and above all to the grounds team, whose efforts have rendered the grass courts in such fine fettle that one half expects to glimpse a strawberries-and-cream vendor lurking just beyond the baseline.
All in all, it was a day of splendid sport, commendable spirit, and just enough drama to ensure that the legend of the Shiplake Open continues to grow in the telling.
