10U Girls County Cup Report
Our final event of the year for the 10U Girls! Olivia, Scarlett, Bella, Isla & Dorina stepped up to represent us over the two days.
The Girls had a long day ahead taking on Nottinghamshire & Cambridgeshire.
Up first was Nottinghamshire! Isla got us off to a great start! Isla stayed focused while her opponent struggled with consistency. Isla maintained her control and secured a very comfortable victory! Good job Isla! Bella faced a formidable opponent, but Bella came out of the gate firing! It was a valiant performance that was much closer than the scoreline suggested. Scarlett got straight into action! Her powerful forehand forced her opponent to a first set-tiebreak! Scarlett just missed out in the tiebreak, but she made a very positive start to the day. Olivia settled into her first match very calm & comfortably! With some strong serves and consistent play, Olivia had an incredible 4-0 4-0 win! Amazing work!
Isla & Dorina put on a solid performance in their first outing as a pair! The girls made a positive start keeping both-back & having decisive calling. It was a seesaw 2 sets, but the girls clutched the victory 4-3 (7-5) 4-2! Brilliant! In a thrilling display of resilience, Olivia & Bella rallied from a set down, to secure a hard-fought victory! Olivia & Bella with their exceptional communication, and court coverage turned the match around to clinch the deciding set 10-6! Fantastic work! An astounding 4-2 win over Nottinghamshire!
Cambridgeshire were the strongest of the 3 Counties, but all the girls kept competitive & determined! Dorina got stronger as the matched progressed, and she did a fantastic job in picking up a few games against a fierce competitor! Bella was on fire! She continued her impeccable standard of play and left it all on the court! Although she was narrowly edged out in the end, Bella can be incredibly proud of her performance! Scarlett faced an up-hill battle against a high ranked player! The two were very alike, with both having lots of power and solid ball striking. Scarlett showed great competitiveness, forcing her opponent to work for every point! Olivia’s opponent was a powerhouse – Her shots were enormous!! So, Olivia shifted strategy in the second set to completely neutralise her opponent’s pace and took a very comfortable 3-0 lead! It was a magnificent second-set turnaround and Olivia just missed out by the narrowest of margins 9-7 in the tiebreak! Unbelievably close!
Stepping on the court as best friends, Olivia & Bella put on an exhibition of high-level doubles! The girls found themselves locked-in an intense point-for-point battle against a remarkably tough pair. They embraced the challenge as a team, matching their opponent’s intensity throughout the match to put in a highly commendable performance! Scarlett & Dorina reunited on court, bringing the momentum of a 4-match winning streak after Lionel Cox the previous weekend! Delivering a business-as-usual masterclass with Dorina using her soft-spin angels to open the court, leaving Scarlett to unleash her fiery-forehand to finishing of the job! The girls did a formidable job defeating an exceptionally strong pair 4-3 (6) 0-4 10-8! Outstanding!
Day 2
Day 2 saw us take on Leicestershire with 2nd & 3rd place on the line!
Olivia found her rhythm early, taking the first set comfortably with clinical consistency! Her opponent found a second gear, sending the match to a third-set tiebreak. It was neck and neck, but with a few good points from Leicester, we just missed out 10-6. I really admired Olivia’s effort she put into the match – She gave it 100%, and it really showed! Bella had a battle on her hands, facing a physically strong player. Bella’s explosive shots, lead to numerous clean winners! And her serve was unreturnable! The final score was 4-3 (7-5) 4-2 to Leicester, but it was an impeccable display of tennis! Well done Bella! Scarlett tackled some difficult points against Leicestershire! There were flashes of brilliance, with Scarlett’s huge firepower producing some unrivalled winners! Scarlett showed great presence on court, it just wasn’t our day on the scoreboard. Isla faced a mirror-image opponent – Both players incredibly creative, mixing soft-touch shots with gruelling long rallies. Although, the score didn’t go Isla’s way, the match was far closer than it looked with nearly every game going to deuce!
Even though the result was settled, the girls went into the doubles with a competitive spirit and used the opportunity to showcase some great teamwork!
Besties Olivia & Bella had a blast on court! With their great bond off court, the girls were perfectly in sync, dominating the match and taking the win with ease! Well-deserved girls! Scarlett & Dorina with their incredible rapport, refused to go quietly, forcing a hard-fought battle until the very end! The girls pushed Leicester to a second-set tiebreak, saving 2 Match-Points! There was nothing to separate them at times! The girls just missed out 4- 2 4-3 (7-5) but the girls left the court knowing they had given it there all!
Olivia, Bella, Scarlett, Isla & Dorina – You were a pleasure to Captain! I am very proud of all the girls’ efforts & behaviours! You all had some fantastic matches, and moments over the two days, resulting in a solid 3rd Place! You’ve been a fantastic 10U Team, and I will miss working with you all!
Imogen Allen, Captain
