Dom Redmond reports:
This year the London tournament was held at Eton College with over 40 pairs entered across the weekend. The Main competition started on the Saturday and continued on to the Sunday, with the Festival being a one day event on the Sunday only.
The Main Tournament saw 20 pairs split into four pools with the top two pairs qualifying for the knockout stages. This year saw the highest entry of strong pairs in recent years; arguably fielding all but one of the top eight established pairs in the country. The standard of all the pairs that made up each pool were so strong that all matches were fiercely contested. The top eight seeds did make it through to the quarter-finals, but had been made to work hard. One of the highlights of the tournament was the titanic quarter-final between Mew & Tyler and the two Petes (Cohen and White). This was the fourth and fifth-seed clash, lasting almost 4 hours and finishing at 10pm on the Saturday when Mew & Tyler eventually took the fifth and final game 12-9. This must surely be the latest end of play recorded for such an event?
The semi-finals got underway with one match lasting just over an hour and the other taking over three hours. James Toop & Matthew Wiseman had a convincing win over Mew & Tyler winning in straight games. Meanwhile the Dunbar brothers and Howard Wiseman & Seb Cooley were embroiled in another five game match. Despite facing three match points in the fourth game, the Dunbars managed to claw their way back to level the match at 2-2. Wiseman and Cooley then ran away with it in the fifth game, beating the Dunbars 12-2.
The Final
With one pair having a relaxed afternoon and the other coming straight out of a five game match, the Final began. Matt Wiseman and James Toop took on Howard Wiseman and Seb Cooley in an all Olavian Final. This was probably the quickest final in history; lasting about an hour. Matt and James took the London title in straight sets with Howard and Seb being unable to generate the energy and focus they had displayed in their previous match.
The Main Tournament plate was won by Rez Malik & George Campbell.
The Festival saw 24 pairs compete in the one day event; again with a great standard of play all round. The Festival was won by George Campbell in partnership with James Claughton (from KES School). They defeated Will Gibbons & Oliver Watts in the Final.
The Festival Plate was won by Chris Self & Sanjay Kundu (St.Olave's), defeating James Calpin & Alun Meredith in the Final. Congratulations to James Caplin for reaching the Plate final - this is his first appearance on a Fives court other than at Westway where he has recently been introduced to the sport.
Many thanks to Eton College for allowing use of their courts, and in particular to Seb Cooley for all his help over the weekend.
Quarter Finals
M.Wiseman & J.Toop beat M.Herring & A.Joyce 3-0 (12-3, 12-5, 12-2)
D.Mew & R.Tyler beat P.White & P.Cohen 3-2 (12-9, 15-10, 12-15, 14-15, 12-9)
S.Cooley & H.Wiseman beat A.Theodossi & R.Perrie 3-0 (12-9, 12-6, 12-4)
T.Dunbar & P.Dunbar beat L.Brock & D.Foster 3-012-2, 12-3 (D.Foster had to withdraw)
Semi Finals
M.Wiseman & J.Toop beat D.Mew & R.Tyler 3-0 (12-5, 12-5, 12-2)
H.Wiseman & S.Cooley beat T.Dunbar & P.Dunbar 3-2 (8-12, 14-11, 12-7, 11-14, 12-2)
Final
M.Wiseman & J.Toop beat H.Wiseman & S.Cooley 3-0 (12-1, 12-2, 12-5)