Blues draw in wash-out
The men's Blues tennis side took on Lord Birkenhead's team on Sunday. This match has occurred annually since 1909, and is played at the country estate of the current Lord Birkenhead, in Northamptonshire.
The match format meant that only doubles matches would be played. The Oxford pairs were Venki Sundaram and Joerg Peltzer (-1 pairing), Ivan Griffin and Max Lang (-2), and Spike Willcocks and Danny Bloomfield (-3). Lord Birkenhead's team was made up of county players and players from Queen's club.
In the first round of matches Sundaram and Peltzer played some excellent tennis in dominating their senior opponents 6-2, 6-2, including spectacular drive-volleys from Peltzer.
Griffin and Lang turned in a solid doubles performance to overwhelm their opponents 6-4, 6-4, in a match featuring many sharp volley exchanges won by the Oxford pair. Bloomfield (just returned from abroad) and Willcocks (just returned from a broken shoulder) were understandably rusty, and were narrowly edged out 6-4, 7-6.
In the second round of matches, Sundaram and Peltzer again despatched their opponents with some ease, 6-3, 6-3. Griffin and Lang were under-par in their match, and lost 7-5, 6-2. Bloomfield and Willcocks also lost narrowly again, 6-4, 6-4.
With the match tied at 6 sets each, it started to pour with rain, so the match was abandoned and declared a draw.
Oxford seized upon the opportunity of this friendly fixture to practice their doubles play, and although there were good performances, there is clearly a lot of work still to be done before the Varsity match.
Cuppers 1st Round Results Magdalen 16 - 0 Trinity Merton 12 - 6 Wadham Pembroke 10 - 5 Lincoln LMH 2 9 - 9 Christ Church (LMH 2 won deciding tie break after the sides were level on games) Hertford 12 - 6 Corpus St Johns 13 - 5 Osler/Green Balliol 14 - 4 Keble Mansfield 16 - 2 New St Peters 10 - 4 Worcester 3 Queens 11 - 7 Linacre St Catz 10 - 8 St Annes Teddy Hall 16 - 2 St Hughs Worcester 1 10 - 8 Somerville Brasenose 14 - 4 St Antonys Cuppers Last 16 Draw Magdalen v Merton Pembroke v LMH 2 Hertford v St Johns Balliol v Worcester 2 / LMH 1 Mansfield v Exeter Peters v Queens St Catz v Teddy Hall Worcester 1 v Brasenose
Teams on the left at home. All games are due to be played by Sunday of 5th week.
24th May 2001