The Cambridge Ladies Real Tennis squad scored a decisive victory in their first competitive outing of the season at Newmarket on Sunday January 20th, with the four completed matches all going Cambridge’s way. Immy Whittam got the day off to a cracking start with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over her opponent. Number 1 seed Emma Samia-Aly took her match 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Emily Brady (Captain) completed the hat-trick with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 win. Karen Pearce, playing in her first ever real tennis match, rose triumphantly to the challenge and she too won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

It was up to Kate Kirk, last year’s number 4 seed in the Varsity match, to complete the whitewash. In a departure from the script, she soon found herself 1-5 down in the first set, but getting the hang of her opponent’s game, she pulled the score back to 5-5. Unfortunately, that’s where the match ended. A tricky shot and an awkward turn and Kate was out of the game, with a knee injury that might scupper her chances of representing Cambridge at the end of February.