Junior teams serve up high-quality competition in Fallows Cup final
THE Fallows Cup entered its second half century with a high-quality final between the junior teams of Oadby (Granville) and Market Bosworth, held on the prestige show courts at Leicestershire Tennis and Squash Club in Stoneygate.
This under 18 inter club mixed knock-out competition is unique to Leicestershire and gives a rare opportunity for junior boys and girls to compete together as a team.
A particularly strong Oadby side, all of whom have senior tennis experience, took both the boys’ and girls’ doubles rubbers to run out 2-0 winners without the need to play a mixed doubles play-off rubber.
Not that Oadby weren’t pushed hard to gain their victory. In the boys’ doubles, games went with serve until Oadby pair, Jack Minski and George Knopp, broke the serve of Bosworth
partnership, Lawrence Cockrell and Finley Thompson-Lowe, to take the first set 6-3. Oadby broke again in the first game of the second set to hold out for a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
In the girls’ rubber, again featuring very accomplished players on both sides, the Oadby girls, Tabitha Holmes and Maisie Smith, won in straight sets to overcome
Bosworth’s Ellen Burton and Isabella Cockrell.
It is the first time Oadby has lifted the trophy since 1991. It was a fitting occasion with the club having just celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Longstanding junior coordinator at Oadby, George Milne, and the county’s newly-elected chair, Kate Stock, along with enthusiastic supporters of both sides were all present to appreciate the high standard of tennis and sportmanship. In the plate final for the losing semi-finalists, Ashby Castle ran out narrow winners by two rubbers to one after a close third rubber decider against Carisbrooke.