2003 – 2004

Men’s Tennis

Captain Sam Tyson

Following on from last season’s successes, this campaign has proved to be somewhat mixed. The team has put in some good performances in the fourth division of the university league, notably a comfortable victory over Hertford II and a narrow win against an otherwise unbeaten Exeter team, with strong individual performances from Jeremy Humm and the two freshers, Ahmet Feridun and Nicholas Fosh. Cuppers was more of a disappointment. Having advanced to the quarter-finals, a slightly under-strength team narrowly lost to a decent Lincoln team. With the number of sets won equal on both sides, Lincoln ended up triumphing due to their having won just one extra game. However, credit must go to Richard Hodges, Jeremy Humm and Thomas Campbell for good performances and indeed to all the team for their commitment at what was a very busy time in the term.

Women’s Tennis

Captains Louise Dent and Louisa Jarvis

It has been an extremely busy season for the women’s tennis squad, with a team entered in both Cuppers and in the League, as well as regular Sunday practices for competitive and social players. Having reached the semi-finals in both competitions under the able captaincy of Jill Barraclough in 2003, the ladies were determined to go one better this season. Unfortunately in Cuppers this was not to be the case. Following a disastrous week trying to arrange a suitable time and place for combat with Lady Margaret Hall, the Queen’s team turned up lacking several first-team players, and, despite a heroic effort, fell to their opponents.

The League proved much more rewarding. Fuelled by the lavish – and now infamous – tennis teas provided by Martin, the Queen’s groundsman, and his wife, Queen’s stormed through the group stages, defeating Jesus, New, Lincoln, Hertford and St Catherine’s comfortably. The semi-final was unfortunately forfeited by old rivals, St Edmund Hall, who were unable to get a team together (or so they claimed), leaving only Worcester standing between Queen’s and victory in the League. Sadly, this too was not meant to be. Forced by an obstinate Worcester captain to play the final at 9am on Friday of 8th week, Queen’s was only able to make use of two of its so far unbeaten team of six, due to inconvenient Prelims, and made up its numbers with some extremely devoted, but unpractised and rather tired, finalists who had attended ‘Going-Down Drinks’ the previous night. Nevertheless, the matches were closely fought. The developing pattern of annually increasing success is expected to continue next year under the captaincy of Claire Coppel, without a doubt the team’s most proficient and passionate player, who is sure to clinch victory for Queen’s in 2005.