It was a disappointing afternoon for Lancaster in the men’s 1st tennis on Saturday. After six singles matches, York managed to defeat Lancaster overall. Captain of the team, Martin Eyre, expressed disappointment at the defeat. However Lancaster made several attempts to beat York, with some team members winning several individual games. Nevertheless, the overall score after the six matches was 12-0, with York making a clear lead.
The first game was played by Ted Bennett, who began well with strong serving, which proved difficult for York to return accurately. However York matched these skills, pushing ahead and winning the first set 6-1. In the second set, Lancaster won two individual games, with York again winning overall with six.
The second match, played by Nathan Worrell, again saw York push to an early lead winning the first and second set against the Lancaster team member. Some quick rally’s showed Lancaster’s determination throughout, however York managed to gain an early lead and continue to widen the gap until the end.
York again stole the overall victory in the third match, played by Lancaster’s team member Chris Whalley. The players appeared to be fairly evenly matched at the beginning; with Whalley returning serves accurately and keeping York moving throughout. However York pushed ahead winning two sets up, making it a best of three again.
The fourth game ended equally as disappointingly, with team member Vladamir Topemcharov losing overall to York. However the games in this match kept York on edge as Lancaster won three games in the first set.
The fifth game, played by team captain Martin Eyre had strong rallies throughout, often leaving both York and Lancaster’s victory in question. Some strong serving and quick backhand hits showed Lancaster’s solid attempts to gain a lead. Yet again however, York took a good lead and won overall.
The final game, played by Girts Gutmamis, ended in a final defeat for Lancaster, with York showing accuracy and speed. Although there were some strong serves from Lancaster, York’s accuracy meant they gained an early lead and subsequently an overall victory.
The doubles matches however, although worth less, gave Lancaster a chance to make a come-back. With two out of the three doubles winning overall, it gave Lancaster two points against York’s one. Lancaster’s first team won two sets out of three, with team members Chris Whalley and Ted Bennett working well together throughout. Their ability to match York’s serves meant they could take a lead in the final two sets, and so win overall.
Martin Eyre and Girts Gutmamis again won their match against York, with some close games meaning their determination pushed them to a lead overall. However the defeat in the final match meant York won another point, and overall brought the score to 13-2 to York.
The team were disappointed with the defeat, with the 2nd team having lost the day before. However a serious lack of facilities this year, with nowhere to practice consistently has meant there have been little chances to train the team together. This undoubtedly meant their confidence was lower than it perhaps would have been with the necessary training. However overall, York’s victory was clearly well deserved.
