Magdalen ace to make cuppers tennis semi-finals
A confident and assured display by Magdalen saw St Peter's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of tennis cuppers shattered.
Both teams knew that a win would ensure them a place in the semi-finals, but Magdalen held their nerve and looked faster and more powerful than their opponents. In spite of this, captain Greg O'Mahoney was still cautious, telling The Oxford Student: "We're not getting hopes up for the semi-final, but if Tim Henman can make the semis, anything could happen".
O'Mahoney and partner Stephen Daley took their first sets comfortably, beating SPC's Davis Litwak and Dan Lowther 6-0, 6-0. Similarly, Jules Neave and Tim Pitt were beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Prateek Tandon and Mark Saunders.
St Peter's Mark Poyner and Tom Adcock were more successful in taking games from Steven Baxter and Nilay Hazari, but at the close the sets finished 6-4, 6-2 in Magdalen's favour.
At the half-way point, St. Peter's knew they could snatch victory from defeat if they upped their game and Magdalen could sense they were games away from the semi-final. Both teams improved as they went into their last sets.
Litwack and Lowther were unfortunate to lose out in two closely fought sets with Magdalen's Tandon and Saunders. Saunders fell foul of numerous double-faults which could have turned the match in St. Peter's favour, but their superior quality shone through and Magdalen took the sets 6-1, 6-1.
Saunders and Tandon's victory meant that O'Mahoney and Daley could guarantee a semi-final place for Magdalen if they were to win their crucial rubber against Poyner and Adcock. Both pairs played some technically impressive tennis and, again, the sets were close, but it was not to be St. Peter's day.
This week saw the reappearance of the Lawn Tennis Challenge Cup. This trophy was last inscribed in the 1920s after Magdalen's victory in this competition, but disappeared and had not been seen again until this week. It will be given to the Director of Sport for the University for presentation to the winner of men's tennis cuppers.
After this victory, Magdalen must feel confident that the cup could be on its way back to their college after eighty years of absence. Their semi-final opponents will be Lincoln who defeated Queens 70-68 on games countback after a 9-9 draw.
10th Jun 2004