News of the Scottish Schools U18 Singles Championship

News  Schools  Tournaments
3rd March 2026 Comment off

Fettes College, Edinburgh
1st March 2026   

The Boyd Trophy is retained after a superb day of  Fives

Hector McFarlane reports: 15 schools boys from three schools (Edinburgh Academy, Merchiston Castle and Fettes College) entered the 9th edition of the Scottish Schools’ U18 Singles. The morning’s play consisted of 4 groups of players battling it out to place themselves into the Cup or the Plate. Group A was the tightest, with three players all winning one game, one of them, top seed Jock L (E.A.), winning all of his matches. Total points was the deciding factor, which saw Freddie J (E.A.) sneak into the Cup. Group B went to seeding as Fergus F (MCS) won all his games, dropping only 2 points in the process. A commendable effort should be noted by Robert J (E.A.), who did not look out of place despite still being U14. Group C saw Lochie F (Fettes) win three tight games, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9, to progress as group winner, while last year’s runner-up Reggie H (MCS), struggling with a bruised hand, slipped into the Plate. Group D had only three entrants, so games were played to 15, with Ludo C (E.A.) taking top spot ahead of James R (MCS).

A superb lunch was provided by Fettes as competitors mulled over the knock-out draws for the afternoon. In the Cup Jock won an all-E.A. fixture against Oscar Z (E.A.) 15-8, whilst Lochie came from behind in the closest quarter-final to defeat James 15-10. The other half of the draw saw commanding 15-1 wins for Fergus and Ludo over Freddie J and Prannav J (E.A.). Jock’s deep serving and accurate left-hand made short work of Lochie in the first semi-final 15-2, before watching on as Fergus and Ludo did battle in the game of the day. Ferocious power from Fergus’s right hand was matched by Ludo’s retrieving. Ludo took to volleying at every opportunity to try and rush Fergus, but Fergus showed superb court coverage, which led to some scintillating rallies. Fergus edged himself ahead and had match points at 14-9 but Ludo dug deep and eked out solo points before Fergus finally ousted him 15-13. Jock, watching on, was the main beneficiary and Fergus had to find some energy to go again in the final. It was unsurprising that the well-rested Jock got off to a fast start in the final, taking the first game 11-3. Fergus is not player to give up easily though and dug deep, with impressive grit and resolve, to outlast Jock in game two, winning it 11-6. It all came down to the decider as it turned into more of a physical and mental battle than one of pure Fives skill. Jock found an improved length, taking a bit of pace off the ball, before winning in style with a deft left-handed, angled drop shot winner, taking the final game 11-4, thereby retaining the Boyd Trophy that he had successfully lifted last year.
 
In the Plate Reggie H iced up his hand and applied layers of padding to win through 15-6 in an all-Merchiston final against Angus J (MCS) to win the McEwan Plate.
 
A superb day of Fives, which bodes well for the Scottish Schools Doubles and for those venturing down to London for the UK Nationals later in the month.

U18 Singles

Final: Jock L (Edinburgh  Academy) bt Fergus F (Merchiston Castle) 11-3, 6-11, 11-4

Plate: Reggie H (Merchiston Castle) bt Angus J (Merchiston Castle) 15-6

15 competitors 

Jock L. retains the Boyd Cup for the Edinburgh Academy

Finalists in the Cup and Plate