Melbourn lost 6-9

On a very warm and humid Monday evening in Huntingdon, Emily Fuller held her nerve and her energy to defeat Colm O’Gorman 3–1 in a summer league match that tested both players physically and tactically.
The first game saw a sluggish start from O’Gorman, who struggled to get moving in the heavy atmosphere. Fuller capitalized immediately, using a series of well-executed boasts and volley drops to catch her opponent off guard repeatedly. With O'Gorman off the pace and struggling to read the play, Fuller raced through the game, taking it 11–2 with ease. Between games, O’Gorman regrouped and took on advice from his teammates, which paid off in the second. His movement improved, he tightened up his length, hitting with more pace, and began to dictate more of the rallies. O'Gorman took second game 11–5, levelling the match at 1–1.
But just as it looked like the tide might be turning, Fuller found another gear. In the third, she returned with renewed energy and purpose, while O’Gorman’s error count began to rise. Simple mistakes crept into his game—loose shots, mishits, and finding himself out of position—allowing Emily to regain control. She dominated the mid-game exchanges and pulled ahead to take the third 11–7. The fourth game scoreline indicated it was the most competitive of the evening. O’Gorman fought hard to extend the match and had moments early on where it looked like he might force a decider. But once again, mistakes at crucial points handed the initiative back to Fuller and she led 9-5. O'Gorman dug deep to recover, but couldn't sustain it and another error handed Fuller 3 match points, the second of which she took to seal the match.

Miles Jeanneret delivered a composed and commanding performance securing a well-deserved straight-games win over Grant Mankee. Jeanneret triumphed 3–0, with game scores of 11–9, 11–3, 11–8.
While the scoreline might suggest a close contest—particularly in the first and third games—Jeanneret was in control throughout, showcasing his full range of abilities. From the outset, he imposed a steady tempo, mixing accuracy and tactical patience to neutralise Mankee’s aggressive shot-making and tireless retrieval. Mankee, known for his powerful hitting, pushed hard early on, narrowly losing the opening game 11–9. However, Jeanneret upped the intensity in the second, racing to an 11–3 win with a series of punishing drives and well-timed drops and boasts that left Mankee scrambling. To his credit, Mankee battled bravely in the third, digging in to keep the rallies long and trying to force errors. But Jeanneret’s composure never wavered. His ability to absorb pressure and remain clinical in key exchanges proved decisive, eventually closing out the match 11–8 to seal a 3–0 victory.

Jason Burgon claimed a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Vinod Duraikan in a thrilling encounter that kept spectators gripped from start to finish.
The match, played in excellent spirit, was a showcase of skill, strategy, and resilience from both players. Final scores: 11–9, 15–17, 11–8, 8–11, 11–3. The first four games were fiercely contested, with neither player able to pull away. Burgon edged the opening game 11–9, though Duraikan—showing sharp movement and craft despite recently recovering from a back injury—was unlucky not to snatch it himself. Determined to level the match, Duraikan dug deep in an epic second game, eventually taking it 17–15 after a series of gruelling rallies and deft touches from both ends of the court.
The high level continued in the third and fourth games, with Burgon regaining the lead before Duraikan once again fought back, forcing a decider with an 11–8 win in the fourth. However, the physical toll of the match began to show, and Duraikan—still working his way back to full match fitness—struggled to maintain the intensity in the fifth. Burgon capitalised, keeping the pressure high and closing out the game 11–3 to seal the win. Despite the result, it was a match filled with brilliant rallies, tactical trickery, and mutual respect between two evenly matched and well-acquainted opponents. A superb contest that could easily have gone either way.