For this year’s 10U Boys County Cup we were in South Group E at Royal Wootton Bassett over the weekend of Saturday 20^th and Sunday 21^st May 2023.

The Team was:            Edward Durman, Arthur Hollingale, Jude Jeffries Keel, Alex Pardoe and Reggie Scutt

Team Captains:           Callum Li and Assistant Wilson Neaves

Other Counties:           Berkshire, Dorset, South Wales and Wiltshire

The team all met bright and early at Gerard Buxton Sports Ground and Hampshire & IOW had to come 1st in a group of 5 teams to qualify for the South Area Finals.

Day 1 – 1^st match v Wiltshire

Arthur played a very high-quality match leading the team but lost a close match in 2 tiebreak sets.  Jude, Alex and Reggie followed in the singles, and all won so 3-1 going into the doubles.  Arthur and Jude played at 1 and Edward partnered Alex in the other doubles and both pairs had comfortable wins.  Overall result 5 -1 H&IOW – great start!

Day 1 – 2^nd match v Dorset

In his 2nd match, Arthur couldn’t quite get into it as their number 1 player, played a near perfect match.  Jude played another good match and was a real role model in the team from start to finish.  Jude made light work of another opponent and ultimately was too switched on and barely made an error.  Alex won his second singles match despite his opponent making things tougher as the games went on.  Reggie really stood out in his singles match and won 16 games in a row over the two matches.

So again, we were 3-1 going into the doubles.  Arthur and Jude again gave a great display of doubles winning 4-0, 4-0.  In the second doubles, Edward showed a great display of doubles skills and he and Alex came back to win a close game 10-1 in the deciding tie-break.  Another 5-1 win setting up for a good day 2 with everything to play for.

Day 2 – 1^st match v South Wales

Arthur lost a close singles game against another tough opposition.  Jude and Alex won their singles games comfortably and carried on their streak of singles wins.  Reggie won a brilliant game and in the Captain’s view, the most competitive match of the weekend against a very tough opponent.

Again, 3-1 up going into the doubles.  Jude and Reggie secured the tie with a solid doubles win and showed they had put the practice in for the doubles at their home club in Portsmouth.  Arthur and Alex lost a dead rubber in a super tight doubles match which could have gone either way.  Overall result 4-2 to H&IOW.

This left Hampshire & IOW and Berkshire top of the group with only their tie to play to decide who would win the weekend.

Day 2 – 2^nd match v Berkshire

The team put in a brilliant effort in the deciding tie, it was such a close match.  Parents and Captains were giving their all supporting the players on the side lines.

Reggie kicked things off with another singles win and at one point it seemed a whisker away from Hampshire & IOW going 3-1 up, however the tie turned on its head very quickly.  Jude played well and narrowly lost out 0-4, 4-3(4) 10-6.  Arthur and Alex lost their doubles and Jude and Reggie fought hard but lost the match tie-break 6-10.  So, unfortunately, Hampshire & IOW came out on the losing side and Berkshire won 5-1.

It was a brilliant display of teamwork and effort all weekend for Hampshire & IOW and all players in the team did themselves very proud.

Callum Li – 10U Boys Captain