Cheshire 14U Boys Battle Hard at National Finals in Nottingham

The 14U County Cup National Finals in Nottingham proved to be a weekend full of grit, determination, and team spirit for our Cheshire boys’ team. Representing their county on the national stage, the squad of Elijah Cuddy, Alex Dariev, Jacob Fray, James Horton, Gabriel Okeke, and Vishi Urs gave everything they had across four intense matches, finishing 6th overall after a spirited campaign.

Day one opened with a fantastic 4–2 victory over Hampshire & Isle of Wight, giving the team a strong start and showing just how dangerous they could be. With some impressive singles and doubles performances, Cheshire got their County Cup Finals off to a confident start.

Later that same day, however, the team faced a formidable Middlesex side. Despite their best efforts, Cheshire were edged out 6–0 in what was a tough encounter against eventual finalists. Though the scoreline didn’t reflect the close nature of many of the matches, the boys never let their heads drop and continued to fight for every point.

Saturday saw another close contest, this time against Essex. Again, the boys were competitive throughout, pushing their opponents to the limit in both singles and doubles rubbers. Ultimately, Essex came away with a 4–2 win, but the effort and spirit shown by Cheshire was second to none.

In their final match on Sunday, Cheshire met Kent in the 5th/6th place playoff. A strong Kent team proved just too much, winning 5–1, but our boys once again demonstrated their trademark resilience and teamwork until the very last ball.

While the results didn’t quite fall our way in the latter stages, the overall performance from this young group was one to be incredibly proud of. Competing at this level is no easy feat, and to come away with a 6th-place finish in the entire country is a brilliant achievement that speaks volumes about the ability and attitude within the squad.

A huge thank you must go to the players for their effort and professionalism throughout the event, and to the coaching and support team who helped guide and inspire the boys every step of the way. These moments are only possible thanks to the tireless dedication of the captains, parents, and wider county team.

We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these fantastic young players. One thing’s for certain - the spirit of Cheshire tennis is in very safe hands.

Well done, boys.