The day after Boxing Day saw the usual antidote to Christmas at Grange Road. 24 competitors battled out the annual CURTC Xmas Tournament under testing conditions with rules devised by John Trapp. These included the enforced use of a bisque, which confused even the most experienced players, and doubles with mis-matched handicap pairings.

After a total of 18 hours of play across both courts involving 24 singles and 12 doubles matches we had 8 group winners who returned at 6pm to contest the knock-out stages. In the first of these Geoffrey Greatrex defeated Karen Pearce 6-4. Then the young pretender Ed Hyde defeated James Thomas (a former Xmas winner) 6-2, Smuts Beyers despatched last year’s winner Gillian Moore by the same score (6-2), and Hugh Markus chalked up a 6-0 victory over Richard Doe.

In the first semi final Geoffrey Greatrex took a tense match 6-5 against Smuts Beyers, while on the other court Ed Hyde found himself in trouble with a 25 handicap difference against Hugh Markus. Nevertheless the youngster managed to take the match 6-4.

Facing a tricky handicap difference once again in the final Ed Hyde looked to be running away with the match but Geoffrey pulled it back to an even score before Ed found the points to take the match 6-4, and with it the Xmas 2014 Tournament title.

Many thanks as always to John Trapp for the time and effort he gave to organising the tournament whilst also taking part, and for the selection of food and drink provided. Special thanks also to Andrew Petrie (27 handicap) and James Thomas (30 handicap) who sportingly put themselves up for continuous games of exceptionally adverse handicap differences.