University Tennis: York 1sts 2-10 Sheffield Hallam 2nds

By Stephen Holcroft

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic- a remarkable 27 career grand
slams between them, the current top trio in modern-era tennis. Only four
slams have gone against them since the summer of 2003. Fed-Express, The
King of Clay, The Djoker – their names really do flow off one’s tongue.
When visiting Sheffield Hallam 2nds stepped onto court against York 1sts
on Wednesday afternoon, there was neither a plethora of grand slams, nor a
league standing nor a nickname to boast about.

Instead Ben ‘NETTO’ Hampton, Francis ‘SCHOLESY’ McGinley, Max ‘BICEPS’
McCall, Chris ‘GAFFER’ Bradley and Aaron Winters(whose name is too explicit
to name) were here for one simple reason: serious business. Survival versus
relegation was the challenge they faced on a season-defining day for the
South Yorkshire club. Even Andy ”Grand Slam Thank You Mum” Murray could
claim status in these rankings.

With schedule set for four singles then two doubles matches each victory
was worth two points each.

First up was Francis McGinley versus Steve McNicol. Having fallen 6-0, 6-0
in his previous outing against McGinley, McNicol was keen to avoid any
repeat and any talk of history. Aiming for respectability second time
around, the opening set wasn’t to be and again he fell to a 6-0 loss.
However McNicol did break that duck in the following set at 1-1 only to
lose 6-0 6-1.

Ben Dyer then came short against Dan Hampton, also falling to straight sets
6-2, 7-5. Aaron Winters and York’s James Young served out a high-standard
affair, and at one set a-piece, going into a deciding third set tie-break,
York had hope. But a 7-1 demolition in the tie-break put pay to this.

Absentees through course interference was seemingly blighting York’s
chances in the afternoon’s play against a determined Sheffield Hallam.
Still, the hosts did manage to get their points tally underway. So-called
German Jerry withstood the challenge and for the matter, biceps of Max
McCall. A dubious line-call went against McCall and Jerry sealed a 6-2,
5-7,10-4 victory in controversial John McEnroe fashion.

With overall scores 6-2 in Sheffield Hallam’s favour going into the two
doubles pairings,hope was still at large for York to dent their opponents
must-win ambitions in this contest.

The Dyer-McNicol combination against Hampton-McGinley was initially
effective; 5-4 up in the first set it appeared they would hold on, but
Sheffield fought-back and ousted the hosts 7-6, and as morale fell, sealed
a 6-2 victory for the match.

The last doubles pairings was now non-significant. Young-Jerry teamed up
next versus Bradley-Winters, but such was this not to be York’s day the
”GAFFER” Bradley and co worked their stuff and clinched a marginal
victory at 6-0, 3-6, 11-9, an overall victory 10-2.

York 1sts league status was already confirmed before this match, so results
proved worthless. Following on from Matt Vermeulen’s ”yeh buddy ain’t
nothing but a peanut!” Varsity comment, NcNicol and Vermuelen summed the
day up in compensatory fashion: ”form is temporary, class is permanent.”