Warwickshire U18 Boys Show Fight and Unity in County Cup Campaign

Written by Jack Smith

Warwickshire 18U Boys County Cup Team

Captains Report

Warwickshire 18U Boys County Cup Report

Day 1 vs Dorset

With the first day of County Cup upon us, Warwickshire faced Dorset. Leading the team into the opening round of singles were Sam Atchenson and Seb Wood.

Seb got off to a great start, cementing it with a 6–2 first set. Meanwhile, Sam’s match was a

tense affair. Even though the first set went against us, the scoreline didn’t reflect the on-court

situation. There was a lot of tension, with Dorset attempting to irritate Sam. However, the

Warwickshire boys on the balcony got behind him, with Vice Captain Alex also on the bench

guiding him through.

Sam showed great fight and mental belief to turn the momentum, taking the second set, which ultimately swung things in our favour. He then closed out the third set.

While this was happening, Seb continued to move through his match and ultimately closed out a 6–2, 6–4 victory.

Next up were James and Dylan. It was a calmer environment during these matches, and the

boys reflected that well. Both matches were won without many twists and turns, with strong

composure and smart decision-making throughout.

Charlie and Will Harvey were last on court. Charlie was involved in a close battle in the first set, narrowly taking it in a tiebreak. Will, meanwhile, faced Dorset’s number one, who used his

forehand effectively and enjoyed the carpet surface. Despite Will’s great attitude and fight,

Dorset’s number one prevailed.

Charlie then closed out his match in a more routine fashion, winning the second set 6–2.

With the rubber decided in our favour, doubles pairings were selected with the next day in mind.

At number one, Charlie and James saw the first set get away from them relatively quickly, but

showed great fight to take the second set 7–6. Unfortunately, the match tiebreak slipped away.

At number two, Seb and Dylan made light work of their match, coming through 6–2, 6–2. Lastly, Will H and Alexander proved too strong, winning 6–3, 6–3.

A 7–2 result gave us a strong start to the weekend. ⸻

Day 2 vs Suffolk

A tough day ahead against Suffolk, who narrowly missed out to Essex on day one.

There was a change at number six, with Alexander Naughton coming into the team. He made a flying start, taking the first set. The Suffolk player then grew into the match, taking the second.

The third set could have gone either way, but unfortunately went to Suffolk. Alexander, however, showed the fight and passion that set the tone for the team.

Seb Wood, at number five, gave the team a point on the board, matching his day one performance. He was efficient and effective throughout, even producing a few outrageous shots along the way.

James Lea faced a tough opponent at number four — a world-ranked player whose order didn’t reflect his level. James gave a great account of himself and tested his opponent well, with plenty to take from the match.

Dylan Ram, similar to Alexander, took the first set in his match. In true County Cup fashion, the momentum shifted, and the match went to a third set, which unfortunately got away from us. At this point, we were 3–1 down overall.

Charlie and Will then took to the courts. Charlie’s match was a battle of styles, but the Suffolk

player found a way through despite Charlie’s efforts. Will Harvey was effective throughout his

first set, winning it 6–4, after which his opponent retired.

Heading into the doubles at 4–2 down, at number one were James and Sam. Showing great

chemistry and flair, they put on a strong performance but just missed out on taking it to a third set. Dylan and Seb were unable to get the win in their doubles. A positive end to the day came from Will and Charlie, who secured a doubles victory to give the team a boost heading into the final day.

Result: 6–3 Suffolk ⸻

Day 3 vs Essex

The final day arrived, with the boys in good spirits despite the previous day’s result.

Mathematically, there was still everything to play for.

Seb, as he had done all weekend, got us off to a great start, winning efficiently at number five. Alexander, at number six, edged the first set but once again found himself in a similar position to the day before, with Essex battling back to take the second and third sets.

The next two matches went to Essex in efficient fashion. Dylan, like the previous day, found

himself in another three-set battle. Unfortunately, the result was the same.

At 4–1 down, the tie was almost decided, with Essex needing just one more point for promotion. Will Harvey took to the court, alongside the number three doubles pair. Will was closing in on a clinical first set win, as were the doubles pair, both taking their opening sets in close fashion.

Will then raced through the second set to secure his win, bringing the score to 4–2.

The doubles match had everyone watching, unsure whether the tie would continue. Essex took the second set more comfortably, sending the match into a deciding tiebreak. The boys raced into a 5–1 lead but soon found themselves 7–5 down. With the team fully behind them, James and Matei showed great resilience to come through and win the tiebreak 10–7. It was a moment that captured what County Cup is all about.

With the tie still alive, the final matches continued. Although we knew we were safe in the group and could not achieve promotion, the focus shifted to finishing together as a team and creating a strong, supportive environment across both courts.

Essex ultimately secured the final point and their place at the top of the group. Despite this, the final doubles match still received unwavering support and energy from the team.

Result: 5–4 Essex ⸻

Overall Reflection

Alex Griffiths and I are extremely proud of the group — not just for the 3rd place finish, but for

the standards, effort, and togetherness shown across both the training and the weekend itself.

We would also like to thank the parents for their support across all three days, as well as the

Warwickshire County team for their work behind the scenes with organisation and admin. A

thank you also to referee Kathryn Heathcote and David Lloyd Coventry for hosting — having a

home venue provided unwavering support throughout.

The players consistently demonstrated resilience, strong attitudes, and a genuine team

environment. This is a young group with exciting potential, and there is a lot to build on moving forward.

Results:

• Dorset – 7-2

• Suffolk – 3-6

• Essex – 4-5

Team:

Will Harvey

Charles Fielding

Dylan Ram

James Lea

Sebastian Wood

Matei Grecu

Samuel Atcheson

Will Ellis

Alex Naughton

Captain: Jack Smith