Weston-super-mare saw the tour and its athletes at a new and interesting venue! With firmer sands there were bigger blocks, and bigger swings than we had seen at Great Yarmouth previously. Some struggled with windy conditions, however Jake and I managed to retain reasonable control and grind out 2-0 results against 3 teams on the first day of play.
We were fortunate against rivals, and fellow training amigos Richard Payne and Tommek Lasoki! This third round encounter was an epic neck-and-neck battle against the South African and Polish duo. Both teams put the ball in the net at crucial times, frustration quickly mounted in the windy conditions! With some fortune and high swinging we closed the set at 28-30 carrying the momentum into the second for a 2-0 victory!
The Sunday was finals day and an all centre court affair! We took refuge in the one man team tent with the wind and rain beating down on the Weston front! Puddles formed on centre court, and firm sand turned to sludge! However with the amazing work from the local council and volunteers and a bit of help from the sun the centre court was returned to its former glory. We brought the heat against Mark Garcia Kidd (Magic) and Carl Butcher in the semi-final! With some great swings on the cross court from Magic, our defensive form was tested. After a combination of crushing blocks and intense defensive pick-ups we managed to come away with a 2-0 win after a well fought contest and a place in the final!
Before
After
There was no surprise on meeting our Lithuanian/Italian rivals in the final! They were a hot favourite following great performances earlier in the season. A lethal left arm from Lithuanian Vytenis, and a crafty touch from Italian Davide proved a tricky combination. We had to play well and dominate at the net. The first set was a close fought battle, trading point for point we managed to seal the win by the smallest of margins. Momentum on our side, we managed to seal a straight sets tournament win and the title of Weston-super-mare Champions!
Thanks to DrunknMunky and Dirty Dog for the great gear that kept us in check during a harsh weekend of weather and match play.
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