National Schools Handicap Doubles Championship 2015
Handicap Doubles 1st March 2015
Radley (Senior)
The strongest pair on handicap (Ramjane & Ramjane) found the handicaps just a little too much, and just failed to register any wins, while 3 pairs finished with only one defeat – Portsmouth (George Charlton & Huw Thomas), MCS (Vincent Graham & Walter Thompson) and Harrow (O’Shea & Heywood) who just failed to reach the final by a couple of games.
Radley (Barker & Carr), with much less experience, played with great gusto but narrowly failed in close sets against both Portsmouth and Harrow (5/6).
The final saw Portsmouth avenge their group defeat by MCS, winning 8/3.
Oratory (Junior)
Initial groups were won by Canford 2 (Fountain and Newton), Radley 2 (Daly & Egerton-Warburton) and a new entrant to the event, the girls of Wycombe Abbey (Taylor and Farron). Moulsford (Wetton & Breach) were extremely unlucky not to qualify (by one game, in a very tight group), as did Canford 1 (Dix & Hollywood) who were but one game adrift, but found the handicap just a tad too much.
Oratory 1 won the 3rd final group for 7th place with a triumphant final win over the high handicappers of Moulsford 1, while Canford 1 won the 2nd group, beating Radley 3 (Marshall & Redmayne) and Moulsford 2 with comfort.
Canford 2 won the leaders group with some ease, though the final battle for 2nd place in the top group was won by Wycombe Abbey over Radley 2 in a tense encounter, with the boys unable to quite give the handicap required.
Many thanks to Mick Dean, the Schools' Tennis supremo, and all the supporters who travelled to both venues.