Who's your money on?

Michael Dawson eyes the leading runners and riders in this year's club competitions.

Very rashly, I offered to make some predictions about this year’s tournament. Having now studied the draw, I’ve realised just how foolish the offer was: in retrospect, all the winners will look to be inevitable and my failure to forecast them will seem incredibly ignorant.  But at this stage, forecasting any of the competitions is actually really hard.  But I’ve committed to writing this blog post now, so here goes…  And apologies to everyone I’ve left out and especially those I’ve mentioned but said won’t win.  Please don’t go out and prove me wrong!

The men’s singles looks a very open competition, especially with the champion in 2023 and 2024, Ales Cerny, suffering with a long-standing shoulder injury.  If fit, I’d expect Ales to progress to the final, but not without tough matches in the quarters against Francois Carrie and in the semis against Danny Reynolds. The other side of the draw has some particularly juicy matches in prospect.  Shamus Hirani, losing finalist in 2023, has a tough draw against either Phil Costello or Hernan Enriquez.  With no confidence at all, I’m tipping Hernan to come through this very difficult section and to play his doubles partner Mike Birtwistle in the quarters.  There has to be a shock somewhere in this tournament and maybe it will be last year’s losing finalist Robin Clarke getting through at the expense of Mario Deconti.  That would leave a Mike v Robin semi-final, which I’d take Mike to win.  Again, injury permitting, I’d see Ales winning the final.  But I say this with very little confidence, given the quality of the field.

Ales, playing with JP Rud, must also have a decent chance in the men’s doubles, where I’d fancy them to win their group and beat Francois and Danny in the semis.  At the top of the draw, last year’s winners, Mike and Hernan, are odds on to win their group and I’d fancy Mario and Phil Costello to progress from a strong looking Group B.  If so, that would set up a very competitive semi-final.  On the totally spurious grounds that there has to be more than one shock in this tournament, I’m taking Mario and Phil to upset the odds and win through to the final.  I’m also thinking that they will go on to win the final, but again I say this with very little confidence.

Unfortunately, the ladies’ singles only has six players this year, with some very good players not entered.  It’s hard to see past Ros Morgan Fraser to win Group A, with a close match in prospect for second place between Debbie Harrison and Ana Suarez Navarro.  Group B should be particularly competitive.  I’d make former two time champion Asha Reynolds a narrow favourite to win the group, with Renee Mellow runner-up.  I’d then expect Ros and Asha to win through to the final to renew a rivalry that will remind older players – OK, that’s everyone – of Martina and Chrissie, Margart and Billie Jean etc.  This would be the fourth final these two have contested, with Ros leading this particular head to head by two wins to one.  Being contrarian, I’d take Asha to triumph this time and level things up, but, honestly, if this is the final then I won’t be putting any money on the outcome.

Finally, the ladies’ doubles is also a very open competition, with four very strong pairs standing out.  Reigning champions Alessia Mosci and Asha Reynolds have won this tournament multiple times and will take a lot of beating.  Their group match against Barbara Herriott and Helen O’Neill is a repeat of last year’s final, which could have gone either way and was a fantastic contest. In the other group, club legend Sue Jelley and Renee Mellow must have a great chance and Ros Morgan Fraser and the rapidly improving Liz Garbutt can beat anyone on their day.  I’m going with past form over course and distance here and tipping Alessia and Asha to beat Sue and Renee in a very close final.

The fact that all four competitions are genuinely very open ones, with a number of players and pairs having very legitimate chances in each, is testament to the strength in depth at the club.  It should make for a very exciting competition and I hope people will come along and watch some of the matches, including but definitely not limited to finals day, which is on Sunday 29 June.