by Camden Riviere
It was a busy July at the Westwood Country Club, hosting the Under 26 Championships and a week of international junior competitions between the US, Australia, and the UK. The US team of Freddie Bristowe, Noah Motz, Erik Barker, Henry Smith, & Chase Motz came out victorious in both battles, bringing the US its first-ever joint Val Alen & Clothier Cup victories. Also played was the Limb Cup, which pitted the UK against Australia, with the UK coming out on top.
The tennis played on the week was of the highest quality I have ever seen at a junior level, but better than the tennis was the camaraderie and enjoyment had by all the players and teams. It was fantastic to see lifelong friendships being made and memories that will last forever. It was an experience for the ages and one I am honored to have been a part of!
The first match for the US was the Clothier Cup, pitting them against an up-and-coming Australian side. Although the US were favorites coming into the match, the young Australian side was not one to be taken lightly, with lots of talent and enthusiastic play. The Aussies played well below their handicaps in all matches and showed they will be a force to reckon with in the future.
Day 1 was four singles matches, and one doubles match. At our team meeting in the morning, I warned the US team not to take the Australians lightly. I have played with many of their peers for a long time, and I know their team spirit and competitive nature are not something to discount. This was shown in their results, with all of the Australians playing well above their listed handicaps.
The singles matches started well, with Henry Smith, Erik Barker, & Noah Motz winning in straight sets, although the matches were closer than the scores. The final singles match pitted US #1 Freddie Bristowe against AUS #1 Ollie Pridmore. Freddie had just arrived from the UK due to work restraints and was pushed to his peak by the up-and-coming Australian. Freddie was missing his typical backhand grilles and volleys, while Ollie’s great retrieving pressured Freddie to hit great shots. It was a tight battle till the end, with Pridmore coming out on top 6-5, 5-6, 6-3.
The day’s last match saw Motz & Barker take on Stenning & Webster-Jones. Some 15 points on handicap favored the US, but the Australians stepped up to play some of their best tennis of the week. The camaraderie and support of the teams in the galleries were incredible, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The match came down to the wire, with the US coming out on top 6-5 in the third!
Day 2 started with the US leading 4-1 overall and only needing one more match win to secure the Clothier Cup. At the team meeting, we tried to focus on taking each match seriously and not letting up. The pep talk worked as the US won all four doubles matches played in straight sets, giving them the Clothier Cup title by a final score of 8-1. The Man of the Match award goes to Henry Smith, who went undefeated in all of his Clothier Cup matches and was the steady rock the team needed.
Although the next day, the Van Alen began straight away, I wanted to take a quick second to thank some of the great folks in DC for helping create such a fantastic event for the juniors. We can’t thank the Motz family enough for their tireless efforts during the week, housing all the players, hosting everyone who wanted each night, and working hard to create a week to remember for everyone. With the help of the USCTPF, the kids were treated to different events every night, including a poker tournament, tournament dinner, BBQ, & their days spent at the Westwood Club pool and Simulator Lounge.
Day 1 of the Van Alen was undoubtedly one of my favorite days of court tennis. The level of play, sportsmanship, team support, and atmosphere were incredible. On paper, all of the matches were to be close, and the US team would need a huge effort to win. Luckily that’s exactly what we got.
Henry Smith was up first again, this time against Henry Mullan. We knew that starting with a win could help set the tempo for the day, and Henry continued his steadiness from earlier in the week to bring that first win 6-4 6-3. The match had many swings back and forth, but Henry kept his cool and played to his strengths under pressure which became the deciding factor.
Next up was Erik Barker against Rory Giddens. With a 1-0 lead, the US knew it was time to apply some pressure, and Erik was the perfect person to do that. Erik’s fiercely competitive nature and relentless retrieving were the ideal game style for this situation. By not giving any free points and playing with the same determination from the first ball to the last, Erik was to break his opponent’s confidence and secure the win 6-1 6-3. 2-0 US leads!
The third match of the day pitted Noah Motz against Max Trueman. This was the epitome of a revenge game, as Max had defeated Noah in February at the Tuxedo Gold Racquet. It was a new day, though, and Noah, fresh off his time in Newport, was playing some of his best tennis to date. His forcing was on point, and he stuck to his strengths on the volley and retrieving to force Max into making many errors. There were many tight games, but Noah stayed poised and controlled under pressure taking the match 6-2 6-3. 3-0 US leads!
The final singles match of the day had Freddie Bristowe take on Will Flynn. With the US up 3-0 overall, we all felt something special could happen today. Freddie was out for vengeance after his loss to Pridmore and started to fire his signature backhands more accurately into the grille. Will Flynn might be the hardest hitter on the planet right now, and Freddie did well to handcuff his forcing on the return of serve, allowing him to dominate the service end. Will did his best to battle back, but early leads allowed Freddie to stay on top, taking the match 6-3 6-3. 4-0 US!
The day’s last match would be Noah Motz & Erik Barker against Max Trueman & Rory Giddens. The US could seal the Van Alen Cup victory with a win, while the UK grasped to stay in the event. It was a back-and-forth battle, with great play on both sides. The UK doubles teams seemed strong and practiced, but Noah & Erik have spent many hours on the court together. After taking the first set 6-3, the US was down in the second but came back to take the set, and the match 6-5, clinching the Van Alen Cup on the first day of play! It was an incredible day of tennis, with each US team member stepping up, not just on the court but off the court, to support their teammates while they played.
Day 2 brought an interesting dynamic. The US had already clinched the Van Alen Cup after sweeping Day 1, but there were still four doubles matches to be played. At our team meeting, I tried to impose the importance of the matches that day, that there was a potential overall clean sweep that could be had, and that each match still contained our pride.
First up were Bristowe & Motz against Flynn & Trueman – a heavyweight battle in terms of pace! Noah & Freddie came out fast, taking the first set 6-2 before a very close second set emerged. The UK was playing better, feeling the pressure to get their first win. It was close, but the US took the set 6-5 for a 6-0 match lead.
The second match pitted Barker & Smith against Giddens & Mullan. Giddens & Mullan seemed to be the most practiced pair on the UK side, while Smith & Barker have played together the least on the US side. Their partner’s comfort seemed to be the deciding factor in this match, as the UK team seemed to know each other’s games better, allowing them to sneak crucial points and take the match 6-5 6-4. The US leads 6-1 overall.
The third match had the US team of Bristowe & Barker against Flynn & Giddens. The UK had finally gotten on the board, and you could feel some momentum shifting their way. Will Flynn certainly did, playing his best tennis of the week in this match and showing that he has a bright future in the game. Bristowe and Barker did their best to fight back, with Bristowe stepping up to take control after losing the first set. It was an honorable fightback, but the UK won 6-2, 4-6,
6-4. The US leads 6-2 overall.
The week’s final match was Noah Motz & Henry Smith against Max Trueman & Henry Mullan, and we couldn’t have asked for a better finisher. The US team looked exhausted, while the UK team felt the confidence of a two-match win streak. The first set was over in the blink of an eye, 6-0 to the UK. However, Noah Motz came alive in the second set, covering the court like a madman and finding energy when he looked like there was none to be had. It was back and forth, but the US grabbed a tight second set to bring up a deciding third. Now the roles reversed again, the UK took the lead, and it was Henry Smith’s turn to step up to the plate. With the US 5-3 down in the third, Henry took over the team in a crucial game to regain momentum and give Noah one last bit of energy to finish the match.
Finally, we saw the match at five-games-all, and I witnessed one of my all-time favorite moments in court tennis. The UK and Australian teams had been watching from behind the glass above the court, but at 5-all in the last match to finish the week, every player from the US, UK, & Australia made their way into the side galleries. There was a delayed start to the game for all the cheers from the players in the galleries. They were cheering their teams on, but they were also cheering for the game, the spirit, and the amazing week we had all just been a part of. After each point, the cheering only got louder, and it felt like the ground was shaking all around us as people stomped and banged their hands on the galleries in support. Four points later, it was over, the US took the match 6-5 in the third, and an amazing round of applause came for all the players involved. It is a moment that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and I hope it will do the same for the great competitors we saw this week at Westwood.
Thank you to the Westwood Country Club, Ivan Ronaldson, James Greenley, Dai Edwardes-Evans, & Bryan Stone for hosting and organizing a superb week. If you were lucky enough to tune in, then you know that our hidden hero Ryan Carey was on hand to stream all week, and we can’t thank him enough for always being there for us.
VACL Results and Streaming Link
Photographs by Caroline Marney
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