Bears Dominate the U14 County Cup in Style

Written by Rich Partridge

Team:

Zakaria Guittoune

Natan Luras

Tin Ching Jeremy Man

Kurran Panesar

Lionel Zhang

Captain: Richard Partridge

Assistant: Jack Boughen

Match Results:

• vs Staffordshire – 5-1

• vs Isle of Man – 6-0

• vs Lincolnshire – 6-0

• vs Derbyshire – 5-1

The U14 County Cup proved to be a hugely successful and triumphant weekend for the Bears, finishing top of the division while dropping only five sets throughout the entire competition.

Going into the weekend, we knew we were considered one of the favourites to win the division. However, we also understood that reputations mean very little unless the job is completed on court, especially against strong opposition determined to prove people wrong.

Our opening match against Staffordshire began with Zak and Lionel taking to the courts on a very warm and dry day. Both boys started strongly, securing early breaks of serve in their opening sets. Staffordshire fought back well and pushed both matches close in stages, but Zak and Lionel remained composed in the important moments and both secured impressive straight-sets victories.

Kurran and Natan were next on court. Kurran showed excellent composure alongside his trademark power, using his serve and forehand to dominate his opponent and secure another strong win. Unfortunately, Natan was battling a stomach bug and was unable to perform at 100%, but despite this he showed tremendous determination against a very strong Staffordshire number one. Although he came out on the wrong side of the result, he should be extremely proud of the fight and resilience he showed throughout the match.

The doubles against Staffordshire produced some of the best tennis of the weekend. Natan and Kurran recovered brilliantly from a set down to win in a deciding tiebreak, producing outstanding doubles tennis to defeat Staffordshire’s top pair. Jeremy and Lionel partnered superbly against Staffordshire’s second pair, showing real class and composure in a comfortable victory, securing the tie 5–1 overall.

Our second match was against the Isle of Man. As we had little information about the opposition, we ensured we approached the tie with full focus and professionalism. Zak, Lionel, Jeremy and Kurran all competed in the singles and did not drop a single game, demonstrating excellent concentration and discipline against some tricky opponents.

In the doubles, Natan partnered Jeremy while Zak teamed up with Lionel, and both pairs continued the momentum from the singles, winning comfortably without dropping a game. This completed a dominant 6–0 victory for the Bears.

The Isle of Man deserve enormous credit for the attitude and spirit they showed throughout the weekend. Regardless of the scorelines, they competed hard until the very last point in every match, which reflects fantastic character and sportsmanship — qualities I greatly respect in any tennis player.

Day two brought much cooler conditions and, after overnight rain, the courts played noticeably slower with greater grip underfoot. Our opponents were Lincolnshire, a match that carried extra significance for assistant coach Jack due to his ties with the county.

Zak and Lionel once again took to the courts at numbers three and four respectively and immediately continued where they had left off the previous day. Zak showed exactly what County Cup tennis is about — competing hard, maintaining the right attitude and producing a strong straight-sets victory. Lionel was outstanding, giving his opponent very few free points and displaying incredible athleticism around the court, chasing down balls few expected him to reach on his way to a flawless performance without dropping a game.

Kurran, playing at number two, once again used his powerful serve and forehand to great effect and secured another straight-sets win. Natan, still not feeling fully fit, battled brilliantly at number one against an opponent swinging freely and producing some exceptional shot-making. Despite this, Natan remained composed throughout and earned a highly impressive straight-sets victory.

In the doubles, Natan and Jeremy produced an excellent performance against Lincolnshire’s first pair, using all the doubles qualities we knew they possessed to secure a comfortable win. At second pair, Kurran and Zak started strongly to take the opening set, but Lincolnshire fought back hard in a highly competitive contest. Both pairs produced some excellent tennis, but Kurran and Zak edged the second set tiebreak to complete another 6–0 win for the Bears.

Our final match of the weekend was against Derbyshire. With both counties having won all three ties up to that point, we knew the winners of this match would take the division title. The boys were fully motivated and ready to fight for the Bears badge.

Jeremy and Lionel took to the courts at numbers three and four respectively. Lionel faced a very powerful opponent and found himself broken early through some excellent shot-making and big serving, falling 2–0 behind. However, he responded brilliantly, not losing another game for the remainder of the match. It was a real testament to his composure and commitment to the game plan we had discussed beforehand, alongside some incredible athleticism and outstanding winners on the run.

Jeremy, who was managing a right arm injury (fortunately as a left-hander), also found himself broken early. He responded superbly, using clever angles and well-executed drop shots to move his opponent around the court and secure another straight-sets victory. Fittingly, he sealed the match with a drop shot on a sudden-death point — a moment that certainly had both myself and Jack holding our breath before thankfully seeing the ball land in.

Kurran maintained his excellent level throughout the entire weekend and produced another composed performance. His opponent competed hard and forced him to work for every point, but Kurran consistently rose to the challenge and secured another comfortable straight-sets victory.

The singles match of the weekend followed, with Natan facing Derbyshire’s number one. We knew this would be an extremely difficult challenge, particularly as the Staffordshire number one had defeated him the previous day in a very high-level match. Natan fought unbelievably hard and produced some exceptional tennis, even holding set points in the opening set. Ultimately, he narrowly lost in two tiebreak sets, which was an incredible effort considering how unwell he had been throughout the weekend.

Leading 3–1 going into the doubles, we knew that one more victory would secure the division title. However, we also knew Derbyshire would come out aggressively and fully committed. We selected Jeremy and Kurran as first pair, with Zak and Lionel partnering at second pair.

As expected, Derbyshire started strongly, playing some excellent doubles tennis with aggressive net play and strong serving. However, both Warwickshire pairs remained calm under pressure and produced their best tennis in the crucial sudden-death deuce points. Their composure and teamwork allowed both pairs to secure victories, giving the Bears a 5–1 win overall and confirming us as division champions.

A huge thank you must go to Jack, who made my role significantly easier throughout the weekend. He ensured the boys were fully prepared for every match, contributed excellent tactical input courtside, and played a major role in the doubles selections and team management.

Another massive thank you goes to all of the parents who brought and supported the players throughout the event. Your positivity and encouragement made my first experience as captain extremely enjoyable and relaxed, and both Jack and I are incredibly grateful for your support across the weekend.

Finally, to the players — it was an absolute pleasure to captain you both on and off the court. There were plenty of laughs throughout the weekend, but most importantly you all represented the Warwickshire badge in exactly the right way. You showed everyone what it means to be a Bear.