MCC Gold Racquet 2025

At last season’s Gold Racquet, though the play was competitive, the scoreline was comprehensive; Rob winning the best of five sets match without dropping a game (6/0 6/0 6/0).  He has been victorious over Bertie in three competitive meetings since: the UK Amateur Singles in February (6/5 6/0 6/1); the Champions Trophy at RTC in July (6/4 6/4); and at the Open de France (6/0 6/3 6/3).

The top two British amateurs have both improved dramatically in the past year, maintaining their handicap difference of 8 or 9 points as they have.  Robert came into this match with a singles handicap of +7.2, having surpassed the personal best handicaps of David Woodman (+6.3) and Spike Willcocks (+7.1), with only the tennis great Julian Snow far out (+12.7) ahead of him in the RTO records. 

The most notable accolades in Robert’s year were his third-in-a-row title at the British Amateur Singles and reaching the QF of both British and US Opens, and his first Open SF at the recent Open de France in Paris.

Bertie has collected a few trophies himself including the Under 21 and Under 24 Singles titles and helping Great Britain to victories in the Limb Trophy vs Australia & Van Alen vs USA (at Seacourt in the summer). 

The comprehensive background completed, let’s get into the match.  The best way to enjoy it even now is through the MCC YouTube recording [link below: match play starts 13 minutes in].

Though Robert went 2-0 up in set 1, Bertie was well in the fight.  He fought back to 2-2 before Robert pulled away again to 4-2.  The gallery chases were being used effectively by both to win service end, both from depositing the ball in them and from hard struck dedans-seekers bouncing off the brickwork down the court.  Robert was serving a mix with railroads and bobbles predominantly. At that stage, Bertie was already having some impact with his drag serve.
The seventh game was remarkable: just shy of 18 mins, both players having Advantages and opportunities to take it.  Bertie did so.  However, perhaps it was a lack of concentration, the relief post that intensity to go up 4-3, Robert then won the eighth game in only 2 mins 30. Bertie won another to make it 5-4, but Robert closed out the set. 

1^st set = 56 minutes long.

Bertie was equal to Robert for large sections of that first set and this continued in the second set.  Though Robert had won the first game, Bertie then had a 1-3 lead.  Bertie had an Advantage at 2-3 up, from the receiver’s end; he attempted a force for the dedans off a presumably tricky railroad, and the ball ballooned up off the penthouse out of court. Robert was properly back in it and, even though Bertie won another to be 3-4 up, it took Robert fewer than ten minutes to win the three games he needed for the second set: 6-4. 

2^nd set = 41 minutes long.

The intensity remained in the third set, Robert always only a game ahead, then level, then a game ahead again up to 4-3. The fifth game had been the stand out, with 40 all reached several times, Advantages to both players.  It was an intense eight minutes with lots of those gallery chases again.  Bertie won through.  Though the games that Robert won were mostly going to deuce, when it mattered he was always able to bring out strong main wall forces from the hazard end and many grilles hit from the service end.  It was also the case by then that even in the quicker games that Robert won, they often had 5 or more points. 

The mean time per game that set was 3 mins 45: for the 8 minute game there were also the ones at more like two minutes, won by Robert and Bertie alike.

3^rd set = 34 minutes

The hearty dedans support spilled onto the court for the prize giving and a glass of Pol Roger.  Graeme Marks, Chair of Tennis and Squash at MCC, said a few words to thank the players for a great spectacle, and make point of the bending of their knees and strength of calves that mark what a different level the players are at to that of any of those spectating.

As ever, Robert was generous in his post match speech: “That was awesome.  Watching the Silver Racquet last Sunday, which was again a fantastic match - 5 sets. Bert, the fact that you are working so hard is pushing me so hard and doubling my efforts. On handicap it appears big but at this level of the game the margins are pretty fine.  Especially on this court now, with the fantastic new floor, getting consistency…. Literally it is like a different game out here, it was fantastic.  I am glad you all enjoyed it”.

Robert felt the high quality of Benedict Yorston, Ned Batstone, (the All Comers’ finalists), Bertie Vallat and himself were “near enough the best amateurs that would be in the field (for the tournaments)”. 

Bertie also said a few words of thanks (and apologies) to Chris Swallow who marked generally well.  Also, he gave thanks to his parents for their support and to his girlfriend, and other supporters from MCC and other clubs alike who came out for the tennis.  Online many had tuned in from Queen’s Club, Oxford University (where Bertie is now a first year undergraduate), and the Midlands and North for Robert.

Next season’s Gold Racquet is in the calendar for Saturday, 31^st October 2026.  Robert Shenkman, as the Gold Racquet holder, will wait for the Silver Racquet outcome where Bertie, as holder, waits for a challenger from the All Comers.

MCC Gold Racquet 2025: R Shenkman v B Vallat 

YouTube Livestream 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YkMNWZWdF0

Written by Tom Carew Hunt