St. Paul’s School, Barnes
March 29-April 1st, 2016
Peter King reports: This year’s tournament was again played over four days with three age groups; nineteen schools were represented, with over 110 competitors in all (the U14 entry being down on recent years) and although Winchester were again the dominant force across the three competitions there were winners from a further six establishments. There was a very high standard of play, of sportsmanship and genial enjoyment of the occasion.
The Open singles tournament went largely with the seeding, and Andrew Boyd became the first Edinburgh Academy pupil to lift the trophy. The final featured a long and hard-fought first game, in which Albert Song of Winchester made Andrew work extremely hard for his points. Only one other game in the singles went to three games, but the overall standard was encouragingly high, and many of the Plate quarter-finalists might in other years have graced the last 16 of the main competition. The Plate final was won by Ben Jourdan of Edinburgh Academy in an epic three-game final against Charlie Mabbutt (Whitgift) and the second plate went to Jussi Grut of Whitgift. In the doubles St Paul’s I (Harveer Mahajan & Archie Taylor) came through as champions, defeating the top-seeded Edinburgh pair in a three-game semi and the tough Winchester pair in the final 11-6, 11-8.
The Colts’ singles event was always a matter of whether anyone could get close to Tom Kidner, the top seed from Winchester; and the answer was a fairly emphatic “no”! Cameron Low of Whitgift made him work in the semi-final, as did Matthew Cheveley (St Paul’s) in the final, but this was a class act and a well-deserved win. And in the doubles it was Kidner and his partner Alex Poyntz (a junior colt who enjoyed his singles win against the reigning U14 champion) who proved strongest, defeating Whitgift’s second and first pairs in the semi and final respectively. Both Whitgift pairs had won epic three-gamers against the equivalent Pauline pairs to reach the Winchester match and, as in the Open, the standard of fives played was encouragingly high.
The U14 tournament arrives on the third day and despite slightly lower numbers this year proved extremely enjoyable for all who took part. Winchester dominated the later stages of the singles, with three semi-finalists, and they provided the eventual winner in Dominic Percival who was pushed all the way in the final by Teddy Monro-Davies of St Paul’s, who took the middle game and led 8-0 in the third before succumbing to sustained excellence of serving and pressure from the right. St Paul’s had three pairs in the doubles semi-finals, but it was Winchester who took the trophy in an exciting three-game final.
Many thanks to all involved in organisation and support, especially Ian Jackson, who again shouldered the burden of managing the U14 events, to parents, fanclubs, and some extremely devoted staff without whom the school players would not be developing such an obvious love of the game and skilful enjoyment.
See below for full results
The winner of the U18 Singles from Edinburgh Academy
Results
Open (U18) Singles
Pool A: 1st A.Boyd (Edinburgh Academy); 2nd A.Younger (Winchester); 3rd T.Aziz (Whitgift)
Pool B: 1st J.Hanton (Alleyn’s); 2nd W.Stevens (Bradfield); 3rd L.Jones (Bedford)
Pool C: 1st N.Hughes (St Paul’s) 2nd A.McCreath (Fettes); 3rd T.Barlow (Oundle)
Pool D: 1st J.Halligan (Derby Moor); 2nd C.Barnett (Merchant Taylors’); 3rd J.Lee (Rossall)
Pool E: 1st A.Tudor (Malvern); 2nd S.Yang (Alleyn’s); 3rd J.Savage (Merchant Taylors’)
Pool F: 1st A.Taylor (St Paul’s); 2nd C.Mabbutt (Whitgift); 3rd J.Hutchings (Bedford)
Pool G: 1st S.Drennan (Edinburgh Academy); 2nd J.Manger (Oundle); 3rd G.Barnard (Alleyn’s)
Pool H: 1st P.Kullavanijaya (Winchester); 2nd J.Kim (St Paul’s); 3rd H.Howard (Rossall)
Pool I: 1st H.Mahajan (St Paul’s); 2nd C.McKinney (Sedbergh); 3rd C.Rogers (Oundle)
Pool J: 1st G.Romain (Rugby); 2nd T.Francis (Blundell’s); 3rd H.Russell (Whitgift)
Pool K: 1st E.Taberham (Merchant Taylors’); 2nd D.Shaw (St Paul’s); 3rd J.Bate (Rossall)
Pool L: 1st L.Nelson (Malvern); 2nd B.Jourdan (Edinburgh Academy); 3rd D.Cox (Bedford)
Pool M: 1st M.Evans (St Paul’s); 2nd J.Sellar (Edinburgh Academy); 3rd G.Marshall (Oundle)
Pool N: 1st J.Byford (Tonbridge); 2nd B.Singh (Derby Moor); 3rd S.Braidford (Rossall)
Pool O: 1st D.Whitham (St Paul’s); 2nd A.Hopkins (Merchant Taylors’); 3rd J.Grut (Whitgift)
Pool N: 1st A.Song (Winchester); 2nd B.Kirwan (Alleyn’s); 3rd H.Beard (Bedford)
Round 1: Boyd beat Hanton 11-1, 11-5; Hughes beat Halligan 11-5, 11-4; Tudor beat Taylor 11-9, 11-8; Kullavanijaya beat Drennan 11-7, 11-4; Mahajan beat Romain 11-5, 11-2; Nelson beat Taberham 11-2, 10-12, 11-8, Evans beat Byford 11-0, 11-2; Song beat Whitham 11-2, 11-1
Quarter-finals: Boyd beat Hughes 11-2, 11-0; Tudor beat Kullavanijaya 11-8, 11-7; Mahajan beat Nelson 11-7, 11-9; Song beat Evans 11-8, 11-9
Semi-finals: Boyd beat Tudor 11-1, 11-1; Song beat Mahajan 11-1, 11-9
Final: Boyd beat Song 11-4, 11-0
First plate: Jourdan (Edinburgh Academy)
Second plate: Grut (Whitgift)
Open (U18) Doubles
Preliminary round: Winchester II beat Rossall I 11-4, 11-0; Whitgift I beat Bedford II 11-3, 11-3; Oundle I beat St Paul’s IV 11-7, 7-1, rtd.; Sedbergh II beat Merchant Taylors’ I 9-11, 11-8, 11-9; Tonbridge beat Oundle II 12-10, 11-2; Edinburgh Academy II beat Merchant Taylors’ II 11-1,11-0; Alleyn’s II beat Blundell’s 12-10, 11-6; Sedbergh I beat Whitgift II 11-2, 11-5; Derby Moor beat Rossall II 11-0, 11-0; St Paul’s III beat Bedford I 11-0, 11-3
1st round: Edinburgh Academy I beat Winchester II 11-1, 11-2; Whitgift I beat Oundle I 5-11, 11-9, 12-10; Alleyn’s I beat Sedbergh II 11-1, 11-1; St Paul’s I beat Tonbridge 11-0, 11-2; Malvern beat Edinburgh Academy II 11-7, 11-8; St Paul’s II beat Alleyn’s II 9-11, 11-2, 11-9; Derby Moor beat Sedbergh I 11-3, 11-5; Winchester I beat St Paul’s III 11-8, 12-10
Quarter-finals: Edinburgh Academy I beat Whitgift I 11-0, 11-0; St Paul’s I beat Alleyn’s I 11-5, 11-8; Malvern beat St Paul’s II 8-11, 12-10, 11-9; Winchester I beat Derby Moor 11-5, 11-5
Semi-finals: St Paul’s I beat Edinburgh Academy I 7-11, 11-5, 11-3; Winchester I beat Malvern 11-7, 11-9
Final: St Paul’s I (Mahajan & Taylor) beat Winchester I (Kullavanijaya & Song) 11-6, 11-8
Plate: Merchant Taylors’ I (Taberham & Savage)
The three winners of Singles titles
Colts (U16) Singles
Pool A: 1st T.Kidner (Winchester); 2nd O.Colbert (Bedford Modern); 3rd N.West (Alleyn’s); 4th J.Gibson (Bradfield)
Pool B: 1st R.Etwaroo (Whitgift); 2nd J.Abbott (St Paul’s); 3rd O.Mawdsley (Alleyn’s)
Pool C: 1st W.Hanley (Tonbridge); 2nd M.Henry (Winchester); 3rd J.Anand (Merchant Taylors’)
Pool D: 1st A.Chai (Blundell’s); 2nd Z.Murphy (Merchant Taylors’); 3rd J.Zealley (St Paul’s)
Pool E: 1st H.Jackson (St Paul’s); 2nd M.Bruce (Malvern); 3rd T.Davey (Alleyn’s)
Pool F: 1st C.Low (Whitgift); 2nd S.Bagnell (Winchester); 3rd T.Toalster (Tonbridge); 4th W.Awdry (Christ’s Hospital)
Pool G: 1st M.Cheveley (St Paul’s); 2nd H.Anbukumar (Whitgift); 3rd B.Kullavanijaya (Winchester); 4th R.Rhode (Alleyn’s)
Pool H: 1st S.Garella (Merchant Taylors’); 2nd T.Liu (St Paul’s); 3rd A.Cochrane (Alleyn’s)
Pool I: 1st J.Sumner (Bedford Modern); 2nd B.Howman (Winchester); 3rd Z.Nurzhanuly (Tonbridge)
Pool J: 1st A.Poyntz (Winchester); 2nd S.Prakash (Whitgift); 3rd W.Hirth (Alleyn’s)
Pool K: 1st J.Davies (St Paul’s); 2nd A.Nelson (Malvern); 3rd E.Townshend (Merchant Taylors’)
Pool L: 1st T.McGuire (Sedbergh); 2nd I.Hudis (St Paul’s); 3rd C.Hughes (Tonbridge); 4th C.Hudson (Bradfield)
Round 1: Etwaroo beat Hanley 11-1, 11-2; Chai beat Jackson 11-4, 11-1; Garella beat Sumner 11-5, 11-7; Poyntz beat Davies 2-11, 11-4, 11-3
Quarter-finals: Kidner beat Etwaroo 11-0, 11-0; Low beat Chai 11-3, 11-0; Cheveley beat Garella 11-1, 11-3; Poyntz beat McGuire 11-3, 11-5
Semi-finals: Kidner beat Low 11-2, 11-5; Cheveley beat Poyntz 11-0, 11-0
Final: Kidner beat Cheveley 11-1, 11-2
First plate: Prakash (Whitgift)
Second plate: Cochrane (Alleyn’s)
Colts (U16) Doubles
Preliminary round: St Paul’s IV beat Alleyn’s II 11-0, 11-0; Winchester III beat Merchant Taylors’ II 11-3, 11-2
First Round: Winchester I beat St Paul’s IV 11-0, 11-1; Tonbridge II beat Merchant Taylors’ I 11-7, 12-10; Whitgift II beat Alleyn’s I 11-4, 11-8; St Paul’s II beat Tonbridge I 11-2, 11-9; Whitgift I beat St Paul’s III 11-0, 11-0; Bedford Modern beat Winchester II 11-6, 11-7; Malvern beat Alleyn’s III 11-0, 11-1; St Paul’s I beat Winchester III 11-2, 11-2
Quarter-finals: Winchester I beat Tonbridge II 11-1, 11-0; Whitgift II beat St Paul’s II 11-3, 9-11, 11-9; Whitgift I beat Bedford Modern 11-3, 11-1; St Paul’s I beat Malvern 11-3, 11-6
Semi-finals: Winchester I beat Whitgift II 11-3, 11-4; Whitgift I beat St Paul’s I 10-12, 11-5, 11-7
Final: Winchester I (Kidner & Poyntz) beat Whitgift I (Low & Prakash) 11-7, 11-4
Plate: Tonbridge I (Hanley & Hughes)
Under 14 Singles
Pool A: 1st D.Percival (Winchester); 2nd C.Jobson (St Paul’s); 3rd A.Daya (Merchant Taylors’)
Pool B: 1st J.Griffiths (St Paul’s); 2nd F.Filleul (Tonbridge); 3rd T.Price (Alleyn’s) 4th T.Pearce (Blundell’s)
Pool C: 1st J.Watson-Gandy (Alleyn’s); 2nd Z.Hussain (St Paul’s); 3rd C.Crooke (Tonbridge)
Pool D: 1st S.Fraser (Winchester); 2nd J.Graham (Merchant Taylors’); 3rd S.Bavisha (St Paul’s)
Pool E: 1st L.Odgers (St Paul’s); 2nd T.Mangat (Merchant Taylors’); 3rd S.Pigott (Tonbridge)
Pool F: 1st F.Smith (Winchester); 2nd G.Ward-Jackson (St Paul’s); 3rd A.Singh (Merchant Taylors’)
Pool G: 1st V.Matthews (Merchant Taylors’); 2nd S.Sharma (St Paul’s); 3rd J.Tritton (Alleyn’s) 4th D.Vause (Blundell’s)
Pool H: 1st T.Monro-Davies (St Paul’s); 2nd H.Gujadhur (Winchester); 3rd M.Mangat (Merchant Taylors’)
Quarter-finals: Percival beat Griffiths 15-4; Fraser beat Watson-Gandy 15-9; Smith beat Odgers 15-11; Monro-Davies beat Matthews 15-3
Semi-finals: Percival beat Fraser 15-7; Monro-Davies beat Smith 15-5
Final: Percival beat Monro-Davies 11-9, 5-11, 11-9
First plate: Graham
Second plate: Bavisha
Under 14 Doubles
1st round: St Paul’s IV beat Tonbridge II 15-9; Alleyn’s I beat Merchant Taylors’ II 15-11; St Paul’s II beat Tonbridge I 15-11; Merchant Taylors’ I beat Alleyn’s II 15-2; St Paul’s III beat Blundell’s 15-4; Winchester II beat Merchant Taylors’ III 15-2
Quarter-finals: Winchester I beat St Paul’s IV 15-0; St Paul’s II beat Alleyn’s I 15-10; St Paul’s III beat Merchant Taylors’ I 15-12; St Paul’s I beat Winchester II 15-1
Semi-finals: Winchester I beat St Paul’s III 11-1, 11-6; St Paul’s I beat St Paul’s III 11-2, 12-10
Final: Winchester I (Percival & Fraser) beat St Paul’s I (Monro-Davies & Griffiths) 5-11, 11-8, 11-7
Plate: Tonbridge I (Pigott & Crooke)
The U14 winners from Winchester College