Cambridge v Oxford is always a big match occasion, and as National League matches go this was no different. With the entire Cambridge side made up of students and the Oxford side predominantly the same, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a warm-up for the Varsity crown.
1st year undergraduate, Freddie Kalfayan got off to a great start against Alex Portz who is fairly new to the game, but comes from a rackets background so certainly has an eye for the ball. The initial exchanges were even, but Freddie managed to deal with Alex’s heavy boasts well and dominate with his own railroad serve, running out a comfortable winner 6/2 – 6/3.

Next up Ed Kay took on the only non-student player involved, Adrian Fawcus. Again, early stages suggested this could be a close match, but Adrian’s powerful shots and creativeness in a tight situation were too strong for Ed, who never really got settled, and Adrian took the match 6/3 6/3.

As the tie hung in the balance, it would be up to the two captains to battle it out for the victory. Jules certainly started the stronger, with Johnny looking to force his way through the match, but with that came many errors, enabling a quick 6/1 first set to Cambridge. The second set was a closer contest, and seemed to be dominated by whoever had the service end. With some great rests and Johnny’s forcing starting to pay off, the set was poised at 5/5. Jules had the serving end, which was crucial, and managed to get a few volleys back at the right times to just nick the second set 6/5 and ensure Cambridge secured the match overall. With Varsity at the end of February, this was a good victory, but we still have plenty to do if we are to ensure the Pol Roger comes our way!