by Leon Smart
The 2024 Burke Cup occurred at the Tennis & Racquet in Boston on January 26th – 28th. Players from Boston, New York, Tuxedo, Newport, Aiken and Philadelphia made up the field.
The tournament started with the number 1 seed, Brad Ursprung, taking on fellow T&R member Connor Richmond. Connor stunned Brad in the first set, winning it 6-1. Ursprung fought back and eventually prevailed 6-4 in the third set. On the other half of the draw, number 2 seed Tyler Sloan also lost the opening set 6-5 to Will Spruance of New York. But Tyler also managed to pull through and win 6-4 in the third set. This set the tone for the rest of the tournament with many tight three-set matches and dramatic comebacks.
The matchups showcased skill, strategy, and raw athleticism in the semifinals. The final four players battled fiercely for a coveted spot in the championship match. Ursprung took on Dan Villiers from Aiken in the first semifinal. Ursprung seemed slow to warm up and lost the first set comfortably again, 6-2. Brad tidied up his game, hit fewer balls onto the penthouse and won the second set 6-1. In the third set, players traded games to 5-games-all. A couple of smart shots from Brad gave him the service end. Villiers hit some loose returns onto the penthouse, and Ursprung put the ball away when he had the opportunity. Ursprung wins 6-5 in the third.
In the other semifinal, Sloan faced off with the 3rd seed, PJ Jean from Boston. These rivals have played each other more times than they can count on their quest to break into the 30s. Sloan controlled the ball around the court, taking the first set 6-2. Jean found his rhythm on the return of serve and won the second set 6-5. We were in another three-set match! Sloan took an early lead in the third and didn’t look back, winning the final set 6-3.
In the back draw, there were also a lot of battles. Dick Tanfield of Philadelphia managed to beat Christopher Gould of New York 8-7 before losing to up-and-comer Will Spruance in the semifinals. Connor Richmond, who only narrowly lost to the number 1 seed in the first round of the main draw, won the Burke Cup Back Draw final 8-6 in a well-contested match.
The main draw final took place on Sunday at 2 pm: the number one seed, Bradley Ursprung, versus the number two seed, Tyler Sloan. The first set was extremely tight. There were long rallies and great shot selection by both players. However, true to form, Ursprung loses the first set 6-5. Ursprung changed his serve from a railroad to a bobble in the second set. This limited Sloan’s ability to attack the return and Ursprung won the second set 6-4. Even though both players were on their 9th set of the tournament, the level of play didn’t dip. They both fought hard, and the third set consisted of great retrieving and excellent ball control. However, in the end, Brad Ursprung took the title 5-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Jimmy Burke, former Head Professional of the Tennis & Racquet Club, gave an excellent speech and presented the Burke Cup to the winner.
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Leon Smart, Brad Ursprung, Tyler Sloane & Jimmy Burke
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Will Spruance & Connor Richmond
