The annual 2/3s tour took place over the Easter break, with a group of 24 OULTC players travelling to the Algarve for a week of tennis in the sun. We played at the Vale de Lobo Tennis Academy and stayed in villas within walking distance of the club. Everyday we were put through our paces by the coaches in 1.5 hour training sessions, and spent most afternoons doing further hitting sessions or playing friendly fixtures against Tonbridge School and Bradfield College.
Against Tonbridge we played a round robin doubles tournament, allowing us to play against fellow OULTC players, as well as Tonbridge students and some of the coaches at the club. Despite a pair of coaches ending up victorious, the M2 pairing of Ignacio Perez and Casper Scheible finished in a strong 2nd.
Against Bradfield a similar set-up was adopted, except for the top 4 seeds from M2 who played a fixture against their strongest players. Everyone played a singles and doubles match, with OULTC winning 5-1 after some well-fought sets. On the women’s side, the OULTC pairing of Jennifer Ehr and Alex Reyner finished in first place whilst Andrew Grassick and Jess Zionts won the mixed doubles event.
Off the court this was also a great opportunity to bond as teams and get to know other members of the club. Overall, the tour was a really great experience, and an ideal way to prepare for Trinity term.
