Five in a row for Merchiston
The original date and venue of the final were washed out by rain, but the switch from St George’s outdoor courts to indoors at Craiglockhart did not rattle an impressive Merchiston Castle side.
For the fifth year in a row, the Edinburgh boys claimed the title, defeating the High School of Glasgow 6-0.
Jacob Fearnley, a talented 15-year-old, led the team to success and was ably backed up by Chris Edge, Cameron Bowie and Mackenzie Cox.
David Brewer is the coach at the Merchiston Castle Tennis Academy and the school’s victory brought back fond memories.
He was a member of the Belmont House School team that won the title in 1997. He was only 12 at the time.
For Jacob, it was a hectic day, and the start of a busy period of tennis. Having sat his final GCSE exam in the morning, he then turned out for the team in the afternoon.
Ranked in the top ten in his age group in the UK, his summer sporting programme will take him to Denmark, Bournemouth, nottingham and then a few more overseas trips.
It is all aimed at fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional tennis player.
“That is the main goal,” he confirmed. “I first started playing with my grandad in his garden in Penicuik.
“I really love tennis, but I still have two more years at school.”
For Merchiston, it was another season’s accolade. The boys finished runners-up in the World Schools Team Championships in Brazil.
Two of that team – captain Douglas Macintosh (injured) and Matthew Hollingsworth (unavailable) – were missing from the Craiglockhart line-up.
The result of the girls’ final – contested by George Watson’s College Mary Erskine School – will be reported next Tuesday.