10/02/20: Harrow won the Mike Hughes Cup - the three pair team U15 competition - for the first time ever yesterday.
Although travelling was difficult due to storm Ciara schools came from far and wide to compete. None of the Harrow boys - Alonzo Fontana, Adam Zackhir, Angus Stanhope, Charlie Hope, Casper Stone and Leo Gordon-Pullar - lost any of their matches, defeating all schools they played including Eton, Highgate and Shrewsbury. Ipswich and St.Olave's were unable to attend due to the storm.
Mark Williams reports:
Eight Schools originally entered this competition, but 3 had to withdraw in advance because of the extreme forecast weather conditions. In the event there were howling gales which dislodged part of the roof and heavy rain at times, but the courts remaied playable throughout. It was a round-robin event, with each match being played over 2 games up to 8. Harrow won all of their matches, had very good players at the top end and plenty of depth; they were worthy champions for the first time. Eton 1 pushed Harrow hard winning two of the games in the match between them. They had a strong first pair and plenty of depth. Shrewsbury had a good team and again plenty of depth; their 3rd pair took a game off Harrow and Eton. Highgate had a last minute drop-out and replaced him with an overage player; hence one pair was conceded 0-8 in both games. They played with spirit all day, especially Catherine Vos, who has reached a veryhigh standard. Eton 2 played gamely all day, drawing with Highgate, and troubling pairs from stronger schools. Although the floors became increasingly slippery, it had been well worth playing the competition, ad our thanks to Ian Hutchinson and harrow for osting the event so well.