Parsons Cup
Overheard .. An aghast Mat Fattorini was shocked to hear that the handicap against Alice Messer was one serve and banned tambour. He was particularly miffed to be banned the tambour and apparently chuntered to that effect and then for the first point of his match ... he served a fault! Owe 40 40!
Bruce Paxton asked Tom what the chase was and sotto voce and for the dedans only Tom replied ‘Would it make any difference if I told you?’ Harsh treatment of someone playing as well as ever and in danger of winning the Cup!
It’s fantastic that so many new members took part but it needs to be pointed out that most of our weekend tournaments straddle both days!
For those of you who chose to travel to the pub to watch the usual rout, you missed an excellent weekend of tennis!
In the last 16, re. the above, unsurprisingly Mat Fat fell victim 3/.5 to Alice Messer. Form horse Keith Beechener who had displayed a fleetness of foot never seen before or experienced by himself, murdered the Chairman and Mark Maclure without conceding a single game. James Richardson charged past Harry Walsh 5/3, Bruce Paxton proved to Garland Cup winner John Franklyn that you are only as good as your last game with a comfortable 5/1 triumph. Mark Maclure found little joy in the handicap difference of nigh on 30 and too great a challenge against Peter Lewis; the Fire Brigade was called out to hose down the on-fire Beechener who won 5/0 again against Terry Drane, Andrew Jeffrey proved too strong for Grant Arthur with a 5/2 win, Professor Hodges had no need to calculate angles and percentages because he received a walk over and Mark Savage who has an uncanny knack of being there or thereabouts in the final mix, was disappointed to be defeated by Steve Walsh 5/2.
In the quarters, Alice failed to find inspiration from her mentor Jo and succumbed to Richardson 3/5. Paxton saw off the challenge from Lewis 5/2, Beechener found the on form Jeffrey a different proposition, got to 40-40 4-4 and blew his chances ... Fresh from his walk over Hodges squeezed past Steve Walsh 5/4.
Bruce Paxton had been improving throughout the tournament and won a close contest with Richardson 5/4 the same scoreline for Jeffrey's victory against Stuart Hodges. In the final Andrew Jeffreys proved too strong for Bruce, playing well crafted cut shots and getting around the court well to deservedly win the Parsons Cup 6/2.
The Cup was presented to Andrew by former Club Secretary Tony Parsons after whom it is named.
