TENNIS

National ‘A’ Division Girls Semifinal
Victoria Junior College vs Raffles Junior College
Wednesday, 16 May 2007, at Kallang Tennis Centre

The following report is by Red Sports reader Darren Leong.  Thanks, Darren!

(Editor’s note: There were no pictures submitted with this report.)

In a repeat of last year’s National ‘A’ Division Final, the girls of Victoria Junior College (VJC) and Raffles Junior College (RJC) played it out with heart and soul at the Kallang Tennis Centre.

RJC’s Chan Shuying drew first blood with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Sarah Tan of VJC, while Vanessa Boey levelled the score for VJC, beating Christine Fong in straight sets 6-0, 6-2.

As the first two singles matches were completed, crucial battle lines were being drawn in the ongoing doubles matches. Supporters from both sides, sensing an afternoon of spirited and hard-fought matches, raised the ante with voracious cheering and rapt attention.

The first doubles match pitting Xiong Jingwei and Ooi Shiyan (RJC) against Samantha Yeo and Claire Oei (VJC) was a three-set thriller. All four players were consistent from the baseline, with only unforced errors at the net allowing for service breaks. After losing the first set 6-3, VJC’s Samantha and Claire took their game up a notch in the second set, by varying their strokes and hitting the ball harder and including more net play. Their new tactics worked. Forcing their RJC opponents to make error after error, they took the second set 6-2.

Unfortunately, VJC’s win of the second set only riled up RJC’s Jingwei and Shiyan, who then regained their momentum and raised their game in response. Loud cheering from at least 15 RJC supporters greatly fueled their desire to finish what they had started. The RJC pair broke their opponent’s serve at least three times and attacked solidly at the net. They raced to win the third set 6-1. The final score was 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to the Rafflesians.

The third singles match between VJC’s Combined Schools’ player Ong Shaofang and RJC’s Denise Lwin ended with no surprises. Shaofang kept the Victorians in the race with a 6-0, 6-3 win.

As spectators streamed to their court, the doubles match of Janelle Teng and Leong Jiayi (RJC) vs Kelly Leow and Lee Huiling (VJC) was already well underway, with the RJC girls leading 6-1, 5-1. Throughout the game, the heavy strokes and deep shot selection by Kelly and Huiling were overwhelmed by Janelle and Jiayi’s enthusiastic play at the net and from behind. With their supporters behind them, Kelly and Huiling kept their nerve and broke their opponent to go 2-5. But the RJC girls maintained pressure, converting their second match point to close out the set, match and semifinal.

It was sweet revenge for both the RJC girls and boys teams, as the girls trumped VJC whom they lost to last year. Meanwhile, RJC’s boys team, which lost to ACJC in last year’s final, turned the tables this year and beat them 4-1.

This year, the girls’ final will see RJC meeting HCI (4-1 victors over ACJC).  And for the boys’ final, ACS(Ind) booked their place against RJC, beating SAJC 4-1 in their semifinal.