The Bathurst Cup matches begin on Monday. Representing the USA are: Jon Crowell, Freddie Bristowe, Peter Dickinson & Pat Winthrop for the men and Freddie Adam & Xanthe Ranger for the women. Lots of great info in the attached program. Watch The Bathurst Cup Livestream here! https://bit.ly/3CK0dkl #RealTennis Bathurst Program
Freddie Bristowe wins 2022 Below Zero – defeating Tony Hollins 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 The Racquet and Tennis Club hosted the 2022 Below Zero from October 3rd through the 6th. A total of sixteen of the country’s professional and top-amateur players competed for the prize of Below Zero champion. Unfortunately, top-seed and past winner, Barney Tanfield, was forced to withdraw shortly before the event leading to a shake-up in the draw. Josh Dodgson, Tony Hollins and Adrian Kemp were the top seeded professionals, with Jon Crowell and Freddie Bristowe leading the amateur ranks. The event began on Monday the 3rd with… Read the Full Story >
by James Zug photo by Tim Edwards In September 2022 the USCTA was proud to award Kathryn Ronaldson McNicoll the 2022 George Plimpton Prize. The ceremony was held at Prested Hall during the Fourth International Conference on the History of Tennis. Frederica Adam, on behalf of the Real Tennis Society, hosted the conference on the second day of the World Championship. Numerous historians gave talks during the conference, including John Shneerson on tennis at Lords, Ian Harris on Philip the Bold of Burgandy, David Best on tennis in London and Michael Lindell on the world of Mikko, the famous tennis artist.… Read the Full Story >
by Jeremy Wintersteen The 100th anniversary of the Bathurst Cup will take place in England at Marylebone Cricket Club (Lord’s) from October 8-15. An international amateur team competition between France, Australia, England, and the United States, the Bathurst Cup was first contested in 1922 and is played every two years. It was last hosted by the Racquet Club of Chicago with England taking the Cup. The United States team is comprised of Jon Crowell (captain), Pat Winthrop, Freddie Bristowe, and Pete Dickinson. Jon and Pat are veteran players from previous Bathurst campaigns and Freddie and Pete are new additions and… Read the Full Story >
MEMORIAL SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS ARE POSTED AT THE END OF THE STORY Mike Gooding January 1, 1965 – September 28, 2022 Michael H.J. Gooding died on Tuesday. He was fifty-seven years old. Mike Gooding was a beloved leader in court tennis for the past forty years. He grew up in Troon in southwest Scotland and attended Marr College. As a junior he was a top badminton player, representing Scotland. In 1979, at age fourteen, he was introduced to court tennis at the revived Sun Court in Troon—Chris Ronaldson, then the pro at Troon, hosted the Scottish badminton team at the court.… Read the Full Story >
Samuel P. Howe, III (1938- 2022) Sam Howe died on September 15, 2022 at the age of eighty-four. Beginning in the mid-1960s, he was a leader on and off the tennis court. He won the U.S. Open doubles in 1972 (with Ed Noll) and 1974 (with Gene Scott). With his brother Ralph he captured the U.S. Amateur doubles in 1974 and the World Masters 50+ doubles in 1992 and 1994; with Julian Snow he won the British Amateur doubles in 1996. A dominant masters player, he won the U.S. 40+ singles in 1994; the 50+ singles in 1993, 1996, 1998,… Read the Full Story >
by James Zug Third Day 6-3, 3-6, 5-6, 6-2 FINAL Riviere 5-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 5-6, 6-3, 3-6, 5-6, 6-2 It was an even colder, damper Thursday afternoon at Prested for Day Three, upper fifties and raining. Everyone, though, was happy to gather again, needing to return to the scene after having barely recovered from Day Two. Ringing in everyone’s ears—still echoing out through the car park and down Prested’s long drive and into Feering—was the roar after the climatic final point of Day Two. It was a twenty-six stroke masterpiece at 5-all, 40-30, set-point for Rob… Read the Full Story >
by James Zug Day Two 2-6, 2-6, 3-6, 6-5 Day Two was quite different than Day One at Prested Hall. There were new faces onsite. Owner Mike Carter, who dreamed up Prested twenty-eight years ago, returned from Spain. Former world champion Penny Lumley appeared. A second American-based professional, Conor Medlow (Chicago), joined Penny’s son John (Philadelphia) in the galleries. The weather was suddenly autumnal, chilly and damp, with rain threatening and then finally in the third set some spitting turned into a steady, light patter. And everyone was attuned to historical resonances after the fourth annual International Conference on the… Read the Full Story >
by James Zug First day 6-5, 1-6, 6-4, 2-6 It was an extraordinary first day to the 2022 World Championship. Or rather the twice-postponed 2020 World Championship. We waited exactly 1,597 days from the astonishing third and final day of the 2018 Challenge Round at Queen’s until we all met again on the sunny grounds of Prested Hall for the next Challenge. Over four years and four months—that was a nineteenth-century sort of break between matches. It was a lovely day in Essex with patches of bright sunshine breaking through the clouds, in the mid-seventies, fairly humid. Pol Roger supplied… Read the Full Story >
Elliott Philpott traveled to Queen’s Club for the British Juniors and came home as the Under 12 Champion! The lone American entry, Elliott, plays out of Prince’s Court in Washington. The seven participants were divided into two round-robin groups. After some tight matches, Elliott secured a place in the final by winning the most games in his group. After a delay due to some close matches in the U18 division, Elliott squared off against Oratory’s – Albie Tomlinson. Elliott jumped out to a 3-0 lead with solid returns that were difficult for his opponent. The fourth game was pivotal, but… Read the Full Story >
