Yorston breaks through Giddins to reach British Amateur semi-final
Oxbridge flavour to proceedings at Queen's in new-format tournament
Benedict Yorston has proven he is a contender for the later stages of the British Amateur Championships, defeating two-time finalist Jamie Giddins in four sets at Queen’s on Friday. Meanwhile, defending champion Robert Shenkman and former champion Ed Kay have progressed through their quarter-finals untroubled.
One could be forgiven for thinking they were watching an Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity alumni event instead of the British Amateur quarter-finals, as two matches kicked off simultaneously, featuring one player with at least three Dark Blue appearances and one player with at least four Light Blue appearances. All together, an alumnus from each Varsity match between 2012 and 2023 — except 2013 and 2022 — were represented on court, yet neither of the two matchups had occurred in said matches.
On the west court, five-time Light Blue Ed Kay played three-time Dark Blue Charlie Defries. Kay quickly got to business, serving one-bounce railroads and looking to finish the rally on his forehand by the third stroke. After he lost the serve in the first game, Defries did not see the service end again until the fifth game. While there, he won his only game of the first set, with Kay wrapping it up moments later once he recovered the serve.
Though Defries saw more of the service end in the second set, his serve was loose, allowing Kay to launch himself at the ball. Defries was able to extend the rally longer as the match wore on. But Kay’s retrieving into the corner was solid, coupled with his ability to turn a defensive position into an attacking one at the blink of an eye meant he kept streaking ahead for a two set lead.
With the pressure off in the third set, Kay began missing more of his shots. Defries came within millimetres of serving a drag winning gallery, hitting the outside edge and heading back into the hazards. Unsure if it was a hazard or a stroke, the marker had to award a let as Kay lost track of the ball. Defries took an early lead in the third set, but it wasn’t to last. Kay recovered and pushed on to secure his place in the semi-finals.
Compared to the frenetic pace of play on the west court, the east court match between former Dark Blue Benedict Yorston and former Light Blue Jamie Giddins was a lot slower and more cagey. The rallies were long and even, with neither player able to get away. By the time the first set reached its deciding game, the Kay and Defries match was already midway through its third set. Yorston walked out the marginal victor in the set, laying two long chases early in the game. He won one and lost one, but his drag serve proved effective in securing the remaining points.
The pressure of having lost the first set messed with Giddins’s flow into the second, as a chest-out Yorston became more bullish with his strokes. Unlike the first, it passed quickly, with Yorston taking an early lead and building on it, with the scoreboard snowballing all the way through. Giddins finally put up more resistance at the start of the third set. He put away his desire for quick points and settled back into the series of long rallies that had typified the first set. Giddins narrowly pressed ahead in some otherwise tight games to a three game lead. With the scoreboard presssure now going the other way, Yorston cracked, playing uncharacteristic shots to try and break back in. It didn’t work out, with Giddins going on to win the set.
Yorston tidied up for the fourth set, refocusing on his bread-and-butter of naggingly putting the ball in play over and over again. With a gap on the scoreboard again and the finish line in sight, Yorston pushed on, denying Giddins a game in the final set as he qualified for the semi-finals.
The final match of the night moved away from the Oxford and Cambridge theme, with first seed Mancunian Robert Shenkman being challenged by Moreton Morrell’s Tom Bomford. Shenkman made quick work of it, hitting the ball clean and with very few mistakes. Bomford tried playing his shots but Shenkman was able to absorb them all. Shenkman’s shots weren’t flashy, but they needn’t have been. Instead, he was focussed on being reliable and methodical, and was critical of himself whenever he did make an error. Fortunately for him, they were rare, as he completed an easy straight sets victory.
All three winners will play in the semi-finals on Saturday, and will be joined by Ned Batstone who received a walkover in his quarter-final from Oliver Taylor — who himself received a walkover from Will Flynn. The final will be played on Sunday. The doubles draw has been separated out and will be played in May.
Match results:
Wednesday 11th February (Round of 16)
Queen’s East:
6:00 PM: Charlie Elmitt lost to Jamie Giddins 1/6 1/6 2/6
8:00 PM: Henry Mullan lost to Ned Batstone (6) 1/6 0/6 6/5 3/6
Queen’s West
6:00 PM: Freddie Dixon lost to Tom Bomford 4/6 2/6 1/6
8:00 PM: Robert Shenkman (1) def Nick James 6/0 6/1 6/2
Thursday 12th February (Round of 16):
Queen’s East:
6:00 PM: Charlie Braham lost to Ed Kay (2) 6/5 2/6 3/6 5/6
8:00 PM: Alex Dyter lost to Charlie Defries 3/6 2/6 2/6
Queen’s West
6:00 PM: Benedict Yorston (5) def James Lamming 6/0 6/2 5/6 6/0
8:00 PM: Will Flynn (3) lost to Oliver Taylor via walkover
Friday 13th February (Quarter-finals):
Queen’s East:
6:00 PM: Benedict Yorston (5) def Jamie Giddins (4) 6/5 6/1 2/6 6/0
8:00 PM: Robert Shenkman (1) def Tom Bomford 6/0 6/1 6/0
Queen’s West:
6:00 PM: Charlie Defries lost to Ed Kay (2) 1/6 1/6 3/6
8:00 PM: Oliver Taylor lost to Ned Batstone (6) via walkover
Order of play for Sunday (all times GMT):
2:30 PM: Robert Shenkman (1) vs Benedict Yorston (5)
Followed by (approx 4:30 PM): Ned Batstone (6) vs Ed Kay (2)