Shenkman retains MCC Gold Racquet with third straight title
Vallat fends off Yorston in five to hold on to MCC Silver Racquet
Robert Shenkman has won the MCC Gold Racquet for the third time, fending off a spirited challenge from Bertie Vallat at Lord’s on Saturday.
As the incumbent Gold Racquet holder, Robert Shenkman awaited a challenger to come through the All-Comers tournament. Benedict Yorston had won through Ned Batstone in a tight 6/5 6/5 affair, earning the right to challenge Bertie Vallat for the Silver Racquet title. In that match, Vallat had his work cut out for him, at one point trailing 1 set to 2 before sending a spectator to the nearby shops to fetch some energy food: bananas. Vallat’s second wind propelled him through the fourth and fifth sets, earning the right to battle for the Gold Racquet for the second consecutive year.
Shenkman entered the Gold Racquet match as the favourite. He had won the previous edition without dropping a game. However, the pair had played each other three times in other competitions in the intervening time; Shenkman was the winner each time, but Vallat was getting closer as each match passed. Vallat used the year to establish himself as the number 2 British amateur.
Shenkman was defensive from the start, absorbing anything Vallat sent his way and waiting for his younger opponent to overreach. But Vallat was eager to show that his game had improved since the previous fixture 12 months prior, as he ensured that such errors were few and far between. Shenkman took the first two games, but after Vallat rallied to take the second two, Shenkman couldn’t rely on passive retrieval any further. Shenkman began pressing, asking question after question of Vallat around the backhand corner until he was able to slip one past into the grille. The next three games were tight, with Vallat missing an opportunity to go ahead by inches when attacking a short chase. Both players were keen on using the last gallery to win the serve — a battle won by Shenkman which proved key in deciding the set. He broke through with a slim lead despite Vallat holding firm against the constant pressure. Shenkman took the eighth game comfortably, earning a 5/3 lead in the set that would be too much for Vallat to bring back.
Vallat took an early 3/1 early in the second set as Shenkman’s play started to falter, making an uncharacteristic number of unforced errors as Shenkman relaxed too easily into the play. Vallat was ready to take full advantage, but the opportunity didn’t last long. Shenkman quickly rediscovered his form, once again becoming an impenetrable wall that Vallat could not get the ball past. Shenkman won five of the next six games to round out the second set.
Into the third set, the even contest that had been present during the first set re-emerged. Each game was once again tight, with long rallies that saw the advantage shift back and forth multiple times. However, at 3-all, Vallat finally faltered. A couple of racket errors and Shenkman sensed blood and went in for the kill. He won the final three games comfortably, finishing off a comfortable yet competitive match.
Shenkman will hold his Gold Racquet title for another year, while Vallat retains the Silver Racquet he first won last year. Both players will next be in action at the British Open later this month.
Match results:
4 October (MCC All-Comers): Benedict Yorston def Ned Batstone 6/5 6/5
26 October (MCC Silver Racquet): Bertie Vallat def Benedict Yorston 6/3 4/6 3/6 6/0 6/3
1 November (MCC Gold Racquet): Robert Shenkman def Bertie Vallat 6/4 6/4 6/3