Merola fightback knocks Sayers out of Moore Family Office Spring Challenge
Fahey victory over Eadle sets up husband & wife battle in semis
Nino Merola has pulled his Moore Family Office Spring Challenge back from the brink, recovering from a sluggish start to defeat Bryn Sayers at the Oratory School on Thursday. Meanwhile, Robert Fahey’s victory over Zak Eadle has locked in a semi-final against his wife, Claire Fahey, in what will be just the third time in a competitive match in their careers.
The two quarter-finals of the evening saw the event’s top two seeds, Robert Fahey and Bryn Sayers, enter the competition having received byes through the first round. Fahey lined up against Bristol professional Zak Eadle, with Eadle receiving 15 points of handicap every game. For Eadle, even though he was receiving points, it was always going to be an uphill task given the tournament demands the true handicap difference be halved. Nevertheless, he set about his task well, retrieving Fahey’s incessant side-to-side play well. Both players were finding all three targets on the court well, with Fahey sliding several balls into the winning gallery from very thin angles. Though the first few games were evenly shared, Eadle broke away to a two game lead at 3/2 after winning a game point with a ball that deviated over the net tape and into the stroke area in front of the tambour despite a flat-out Fahey trying to cover. Through the rest of the set, Eadle was successful in largely confining Fahey to the hazard end, getting several balls to roll unreturnably out of the back wall nick. Eadle took the first set and looked a strong chance to do well in the second.
Fahey had other ideas. After Eadle took the first game of the second set, Fahey dialled in his main wall force. It provided an effective release valve. Even if it didn’t make it into the dedans, it was strong enough to force an error or weak response from Eadle, or at a minimum ensure a long chase. Spending more time at the service end again, Fahey progressively improved his giraffe — served from the gallery side of the court — as the set wore on. At first, Eadle had just enough room to work the ball into a gallery, but increasingly he had no option but to boast out off the high service wall. Fahey’s cut-volley also improved, extracting errors and short chases out of Eadle’s forehand. Fahey won the next five games, holding four set points in the seventh, which Eadle defended. But he couldn’t hold on any longer. Fahey took the set then immediately carried on into the third, with every element of his game continuing to improve. There was little Eadle could do, letting his frustration and astonishment be known, twice dropping his racket to the floor out of disbelief. Fahey won the final set easily as well, moving on to face his wife Claire Fahey in the semi-finals.
The last of the quarter-finals pitted Bryn Sayers against Nino Merola. The match started with the statistical improbability of three chase-off calls in the first five games, including two in the first game alone. Throughout the first set Sayers had a strong grip on the service end, controlling the play well. Merola was poor on the return of serve, trying to lean into the big weapon that is his cut-volley but framing balls into the net or the floor. With the handicap behind him and with a few of his shots still coming off, Merola was able to remain vaguely in the hunt in the first set, but Sayers’s consistency and control was far too strong.
The second set continued in much the same manner as the first, with Sayers still leading from the front, but Merola just keeping in the contest. Merola battled to 3-all, riding the natural advantage of the 15-0 games afforded by the handicap. Sayers extended the next two games to put himself within touching distance of the finish line. Merola took one last roll of the dice, leaning into his main wall force to break through. It paid off, winning the next three games and stealing the second set. Merola’s confidence grew in the third as well, now landing his cut-volleys to short chases once again. Sayers’s couldn’t find a serve to restrict him as Merola took a decisive 3/0 lead early in the set. Sayers fought hard, but Merola’s hot hand was too strong. Merola dominated the final set, with his win improving his handicap to better than scratch for the first time in his career.
The tournament continues next week, with the semi-finals taking place on Thursday evening and the final on Friday evening. The semi-finals present a rare opportunity to see the most prolific male World Champion play the most prolific female World Champion for just the third time in their careers in a competitive match — and the first time played off a handicap.
Match results:
5:00 PM: Robert Fahey (Love) def Zak Eadle (Rec 15) 3/6 6/2 6/1
7:00 PM: Nino Merola (Rec 1/2 15) def Bryn Sayers (Owe 1/2 15) 3/6 6/5 6/2
Order of play for Thursday:
5:00 PM: Jack Josephs vs Nino Merola
7:00 PM: Robert Fahey vs Claire Fahey