National Schools' Championships: Day Four Round Up
Berkhamsted continued their successful week at Repton yesterday, winning the Open final against Eton.
In the morning matches, Berkhamsted finally knocked out surprise semi-finalists Eton 3, while the top seeds St.Olave's - after their marathon five game quarter-final win the night before - were beaten by Eton 1. Berkhamsted's win in the final was their first in this competition since 1981.
Charlotta Cooley reports on the final:
Congratulations to all four players for a hugely competitive final, played in the best spirit. Berkhamsted got off to a flyer and were sharp from the start. Eton weren't allowed to settle with unforced errors everywhere and they very quickly went behind. Eton improved towards the end of the first gamr but had left far too much to do, Berkhamsted taking it 12-4.
The second game always looked a much tighter affair, with Berkhamsted edging ahead and getting to 10 first, and Eton then catching up. Eton began to find their range on shots with impressive spin especially from back court and on the cut, with Berkhamsted struggling to return either from in the buttress or under the wall. Things got very close and tense as Eton went 13-10 up, then were pegged back to 13-13 and then had the first chance at 14-13. Some excellent cutting kept Berkhamsted in it and there were then a few rounds of 14-14 where both pairs had chances before eventually Berko edged it 15-14 to go 2-0 up.
After a ball change, all four players started the third game with quality cutting which limited the scoring, but some errors from Eton and a return to some of the ruthlessness seen in the first set from Berkhamsted saw them pull ahead to 6-2. Despite some difficulties with cramp, they were able to keep the pressure on and take the game - and with it the match - 12-2.
Congratulations to losing finalists Eton, Toby and Dan, who put together an excellent tournament, and special congratulations to the winners from Berkhamsted, Ben and Sam, one of whom we may also see next year.
Elsewhere on the Repton courts, the U14 competition got underway and has reached the semi-final stage, with only Highgate and Berkhamsted able to prevent an all-St.Olave's final.
Results
Under 14s
Last 16
St.Olave's 1 beat Berkhamsted 4 2-0
Berkhamsted 3 beat Harrow 1 2-1
Shrewsbury 1 beat Berkhamsted 2 2-0
Berkhamsted 1 beat St.Olave's 3 2-1
St.Olave's 2 beat Cranleigh 1 2-0
Ipswich 1 beat Mill Hill 2 2-1
Mill Hill 1 beat Eton 1 2-0
Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 2-0
Quarter-Finals
St.Olave's 1 beat Berkhamsted 3 3-0 (12-1, 12-6, 12-2)
Berkhamsted 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-5, 12-3, 12-9)
St.Olave's 2 beat Ipswich 1 3-0 (12-3, 12-0, 12-1)
Highgate 1 beat Mill Hill 1 (12-4, 12-2, 12-4)
Open
Last 16
St.Olave's 1 beat Cranleigh 1 2-0 (12-0, 12-1)
Harrow 1 beat Eton 5 2-1 (12-0, 6-12, 15-10)
Ipswich 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 2-0 (12-1, 12-3)
Eton 1 beat Shrewsbury 2 2-0 (12-3, 12-4)
Berkhamsted 1 beat St.Olave's 3 2-0 (12-4, 12-6)
St.Olave's 2 beat Eton 2 2-1 (6-12, 12-4, 12-9)
Eton 3 beat Ipswich 2 2-0 (12-4, 12-5)
Harrow 2 beat St.Olave's 5 2-0 (12-6, 12-5)
Quarter-Finals
St.Olave's 1 (T.Arjaria & A.Agarwal) beat Harrow 1 (G.Stanhope & A.Anderson) 3-2 (12-14, 12-10, 12-4, 11-15, 14-12)
Eton 3 (L.Turcan & H.Turpin) beat Ipswich 1 (E.Caldwell & A.Phillips) 3-0 (15-12, 12-6, 15-10)
Eton 1 (D.Hurst & T.Webster) beat Harrow 2 (V.Balingal & C.Allday) 3-0 (12-3, 12-4, 14-11)
Berkhamsted 1 (B.Spooner & S.Kaynama) beat St.Olave's 2 (T.Farmer & A.Anoop) 3-0 (12-3, 12-2, 12-5)
Semi-Finals
Eton 1 beat St.Olave's 1 3-1 (12-6, 12-10, 7-12, 12-7)
Berkhamsted 1 beat Eton 3 3-0 (12-8, 12-2, 12-3)
Final
Berkhamsted 1 beat Eton 1 3-0 (12-4, 15-14, 12-2)
Under 16s
Quarter-Finals
Berkhamsted 1 beat Ipswich 2 3-1 (12-8, 10-12, 12-11, 12-0)
Berkhamsted 2 beat Harrow 1 3-0 (12-6, 12-8, 14-11)
Highgate 1 beat St.Olave's 1 3-0 (12-8, 12-4, 12-5)
Shrewsbury 1 beat Berkhamsted 3 3-1 (6-12, 12-4, 12-3, 12-6)
Semi-Finals
Berkhamsted 1 (T.Aston & E.Horsley) beat Berkhamsted 2 (R.Morjaria & T.Patel) 3-0 (12-6, 12-0, 12-8)
Shrewsbury 1 (M.Draper & G.Battersby) beat Highgate 1 (M.Wijeyeratne & B.Musikant) 3-1 (9-12, 12-8, 12-6, 15-10)
Final
Berkhamsted 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 3-0 (12-5, 12-6, 12-2)
Girls Under 16s
Quarter-Finals
Highgate 1 beat Repton 1 2-0 (8-0, 8-0)
Shrewsbury 2 beat Highgate 2 2-0 (8-3, 8-3)
Ipswich 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 2-1 (2-8, 12-5, 12-6)
Shrewsbury 1 beat Repton 3 2-0 (8-2, 8-0)
Semi-Finals
Highgate 1 (M.Roxburgh & Z.Kirstein) beat Shrewsbury 2 (W.Bowett & S.Earles) 2-0 (12-2, 12-1)
Shrewsbury 1 (M.Parry & E.Clark) beat Ipswich 1 (E.Oxborrow & M.Lee-Steward) 2-0 (12-8, 12-7)
Final
Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 2-0 (12-7, 12-3)
Under 15s
Quarter-Finals
Berkhamsted 1 beat QEB 3 3-0 (12-8, 12-8, 12-2)
Charterhouse 1 beat Eton 1 3-2 (12-4, 9-12, 10-13, 12-8, 12-8)
QEB 2 beat St.Olave's 1 3-1 (12-2, 12-2, 10-13, 12-6)
Shrewsbury 1 beat Harrow 1 (12-8, 12-4, 12-4)
Semi-Finals
Berkhamsted 1 (L.Clarke & L.Faulkner) beat Charterhouse 1 (J.Formige & M.Gilardini) 3-0 (12-9, 12-5, 12-11)
QEB 2 (A.Lele & P.Patel) beat Shrewsbury 1 (M.Sharman & S.Spiby) 3-0 (13-10, 12-8, 12-8)
Final
Berkhamsted 1 beat QEB 2 3-1 (12-6, 5-12, 12-9, 12-6)
Girls U15
Quarter-Finals
Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 2-0 (8-0, 8-0)
Ipswich 1 beat Shrewsbury 5 2-0 (8-0, 8-0)
Highgate 2 beat Shrewsbury 2 2-0 (8-7, 8-6)
Shrewsbury 1 beat Repton 1 2-0 (8-1, 8-2)
Semi-Finals
Highgate 1 (M.Roxburgh & Z.Kirstein) beat Highgate 2 (S.Valensise & A.Holmes) 2-0 (12-3, 12-0)
Shrewsbury 1 (M.Parry & S.Earles) beat Ipswich 1 (M.Hodgkinson & B.Laws) 2-1 (6-12, 12-10, 12-8)
Final
Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 (12-3, 12-2)