Centre court beckoned for the first clash against two well-known names of the tour, Christoph Datler and Bjorn Karstens. We were weary of Datlers infamous cut shot wonder we had experienced so many times on the training court. Karstens also brought the signature jump serve that had seen the team through difficult patches in the past. However, we applied the pressure in defence, produced some rhythmic side-out, and went through 2-0.
Before our second clash of the day, disaster struck. MIGRAINE! Jake quickly became very fragile. With blurred vision and Thors hammer bearing down on his head, he decided to battle through like a true solider. In my partners state I knew I had to step up and make his life as easy as possible, we manage to keep Ramses Ballesteros and Jan Kucherko at arm’s length, with the majority of ball coming my way. Then, disaster struck again! HEART PROBLEMS! Before the end of the first set my rapid heart rate had come on. With only a limited time for a medical time-out there was pressure and a decision to be made on whether the game could continue after Jakes valiant effort battling through the agonies of the migraine. With rest, fluids, and a bit of luck, the heart settled and I was ready to chase the win. Feeling as fragile as each other, we closed the first by a small margin. Making a strong start to the second, to Jakes relief the game was over in good time. The next stop for Jake was bed to rest the head and hopefully recover in time for the quarter final, and last match of the day.
Premier Inn, bed, closed curtains, dark, fan, and silence set the scene for Jakes next moments. Vomiting, sleep, medication and an hour later, we were due to warm up on centre court for a match that would see us through to the Sunday, and semi-finals. I stood alone of centre, with the Lithuanian Italian pairing of Davide Grandolfo and Vytenis Suklys we had met in the final at Weston not weeks before. ‘Will he, wont he?’ was going through my head. The fate of our campaign in the Masters lay with Jake. The toss had been done; warm-up had been called, with only seconds to go until the first whistle, automatic forfeit was in sight with Jakes absence. ‘He’s here!’ shouted an on-looking spectator, now one last effort at grinding through pain and adversity!
Vytenis started the first by bring power and pressure on the serve. On a 3rd time of asking we converted play into point and sprung into action in defence. We were split on 2 ends of the spectrum, Jake feeling like Bambi on ice, me, fresh and ready. Although Migraine and pain had struck, Jakes defensive flare had not vanished completely, he created one transition opportunity after another. We managed to stay close with the talented Lithuanian Italian pairing taking the first set 21-15, the second 21-18. Relief overcame all other emotions as we managed to be successful through the physical and mental strains of the day.
Sunday! The semi finals made for an interesting encounter. The two infamous names of Rob Flay and Richard Payne stood between us and a place in the final. We had witnessed Flay and Payne plough through the losers’ bracket of the draw, encountering some chronic physical problems of their own. Cramp struck for every other point, but defensive flare and talent had seen Flay/Payne through to the Semis. Rob, my partner of the 2011 season, and Richard, was Jakes partner for the previous stop of the tour not a week before. We knew each other only too well before this clash between great friends and athletes. We knew we had to play well, the margins remained close throughout. Flay produced some impossible touches in defence as always, while Payne proceeded to execute the first class trade-mark jumbo into the deep corner. However, we overcame the pressure and produced some quality of our own taking a place in the final at 21-17, 21-14.
We were convinced we would get the opportunity to avenge our loss in the final at Great Yarmouth against rival Phil Smith and Russell Watson. However, the other semi produced a Rosol/Nadal style upset! 10th seeds Renato Silva and Ivan Vatolik overcame the 2nd seed and favourites in a 3 set thriller!Renato and Silva tested us as they had Watson/Smith in the semi! They had proved they could play around a big block. They were fearless, lashing at the serve, committing to every shot with great poise and vision at the net. They brought defensive magic, keeping the impossible alive, they weren’t going out without a fight. With some unbelievable form Renato and Silva took the first set 21-18, the first we had conceded for 2 tournaments. Feeling uncomfortable, we had to come up with a solution fast! In the second, nothing had changed, they continued to question our side-out and grinded the ball back into play on transition. We were down, we were losing, the final slowly slipping away. Time-out was called! Our last chance to save the set and maybe the title came with a change of tactics. We had to change the momentum and pushed to close the gap and save the second. Somehow we pulled through with some daring attempts at the net to turn it around and win the second 21-16. Now the chance came to seal the third and take the Masters title. With momentum on our side we were confident but weary. We started poorly, but belief, desire, and a local support wagon of men from the blood of Saint George gave us the pride and power we needed to close the third comfortably at 15-6! It was a victory for the red cross of England!
The sands of Margate have seen the heroes fall, but steadfast in the face of defeat we come home with a win.Thanks to our coach Amanda Glover, DrunknMunky, Dirty Dog and GLL for supporting us this season.
