Smashing Expectations
Our club’s courts have been a little quieter lately, but for the best possible reason: our members have been busy winning elsewhere. Will Hilton-Jackson recently headed north after being called up to represent England against Scotland in the McCoig Cup. Competing for the Over 35s, Will didn't just show up—he delivered a clinical win in his singles match, which proved to be a deciding factor in helping England secure the overall victory against the Scots. He wasn’t the only one packing a national jersey, either; the club is incredibly proud of Mitsy Kondo and Sara Foster, who were also selected for the England squad, proving that the talent level in our ranks is reaching well beyond our local league standings.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Will followed up his international duty with a packed weekend at the York Masters Gold tournament. It turned into something of a marathon for him, but the results certainly justified the effort. He managed to top the podium in the singles to take home a well-earned Gold, then quickly switched gears for the doubles events. Alongside Ian Woolway, he fought his way to a Silver medal in the men’s doubles, and he capped off the weekend by pairing up with fellow club regular Hannah Seagraves to snag another Gold in the mixed doubles. It’s an exhausting schedule just to read about, let alone play through, but Will seems to be finding his stride at exactly the right time.
The haul of hardware didn't stop with Will, though. Mitsy Kondo continued her impressive run of form by competing in the Over 45s singles at the same York event. Fresh off the excitement of her England selection, she showed no signs of fatigue, battling through a competitive bracket to earn a deserved Silver medal. It has been a fantastic stretch for the club, seeing so many familiar faces finding success at both the national and regional levels. While the medals are a great bonus, it’s even better to see the hard work put in during our weekly sessions translate into such a consistent run of results across the board.
