18U County Cup Report 2026

Boys - Finished 3rd in Group 2

Coaches: Matt Chadwick and Lewis Denton

Team: Regan O’Brien, Charlie Woods, Thomas Herbert, James Mayers, Charlie Knight, Sammy DeLange, Isaac Eyo, Dominic Poulston

The boys competed on home soil at Bidston Tennis Centre, facing Berkshire, Middlesex, and North of Scotland in Group 2. Ahead of the event, the team suffered a setback with the loss of their number one player, requiring everyone to move up a position in the lineup.

On day one, Cheshire faced Berkshire in a closely contested match. Cheshire secured wins at singles positions 2, 3, and 4, while Berkshire responded by winning at 1, 5, and 6, leaving the score tied at 3–3 after singles. The captains made some key decisions in selecting the doubles pairings, which proved decisive as Cheshire won at numbers 2 and 3 to secure a 5–4 victory.

The second day saw Cheshire take on tournament favourites Middlesex. Cheshire managed a strong win at number 2 singles, but several narrow losses resulted in a 1–5 deficit after singles. Middlesex maintained their momentum in the doubles, winning all three matches to seal an 8–1 victory.

On the final day, Cheshire faced North of Scotland, looking to finish strongly. The singles matches were highly competitive, with many going down to the wire. Cheshire claimed victories at positions 2 and 5, while North of Scotland won the remaining four matches, giving them a 4–2 lead going into doubles. North of Scotland secured wins at numbers 2 and 3, while Cheshire took the number 1 doubles, resulting in a 6–3 defeat. However, results elsewhere went in Cheshire’s favour, meaning the boy’s finished 3rd in the group and retained their place in Division 2.

Girls – Finished 4th in Group 2

Coaches: Brent Parker, Simon Thornewill, Kim Schmider

Team: Annabel Wong, Millie Ryder, Karina Kiss, Amy McMahon, Leah Fosbury, Lois Roberts, Eva Jenkins, Hattie Birkett

The girls competed in Bolton against Lancashire, Hertfordshire, and North of Scotland. On day one, they faced a strong North of Scotland side. Cheshire fell behind early with losses at positions 5 and 6 but responded with a win at number 4. Despite their efforts, further losses at 3 and 2 put them under pressure. A convincing win at number 1 provided some momentum heading into the doubles. Cheshire won at number 2 doubles but lost at 1 and 3, resulting in a 6–3 defeat.

On day two, Cheshire took on Hertfordshire, another strong opponent. The team found themselves 0–4 down before showing resilience to win at positions 1 and 2, reducing the deficit to 2–4 after singles. In the doubles, Cheshire secured one win but lost the other two matches, resulting in another 6–3 loss.

Going into the final day against Lancashire, relegation was at stake. The team faced additional challenges, having lost one player prior to the event and another on day two due to injuries. Lancashire edged the singles, winning at positions 2, 3, 5, and 6, while Cheshire secured victories at 1 and 4, leaving the score at 2–4. Lancashire proved strong in the doubles, winning at numbers 1 and 3 to confirm victory and relegate Cheshire to 4th place in the group.

Despite the results not going their way, the girls demonstrated great determination and maintained a fantastic team spirit throughout the competition.

Simon Thornewill (County Lead) had this to say about the weekend:

"It was a challenging weekend for both teams, with injuries and last-minute changes testing the players throughout. The boys showed great resilience to secure third place and retain their division 2 status, while the girls battled hard in every match despite tough results. Across both teams, the effort, attitude, and team spirit were outstanding, and that is something everyone involved should be proud of."

We are so proud of all of our players and captains for their hard work!