Written By: Leung Lok Heng Edited By: Valerie Chua & Jolene Wong Photographs By: Eusoffworks
Tennis (M) Finals: EH vs TH
On the final day of the Tennis IHG season, our boys were back at the SRC courts, ready to duke it out with their opponent, Temasek Hall (TH). The team was fired up and hungry for the win. With the loyal Eusoffian supporters lining the sides of the court, the air was buzzing with excitement as the first match begun.
Taking to the court first was, as usual, Captain Wilbert for the first singles match. His trademark service game was on point today, as he dazzled both his opponent and the crowd with one booming serve after another. Strong forehand shots gave him crucial points that allowed him to keep up with his very worthy opponent and it was clear it was going to be a fiercely contested battle. At one point, TH led 5-2 but some sick plays by Wilbert kept him in the game. He continued to give it his all, chasing down balls all over the court but ultimately, he dropped his match 2-6, 3-6.
EH 0:1 TH
Up next for the second singles match was Neville. The Freshie, playing in his first IHG finals, showed off his talent as he gave his opponent fits with his tenacious defence, running all over the place as if his life depended on it. Despite TH leading 5-0 in the first set, he displayed great poise and focus as he continued to battle hard, returning his opponent’s shots with equal, if not greater, pace. He managed to claw his way to win the next game and closed the score to a 5-1 gap. However, strong play by TH eventually gave them the game 6-1, 6-0 and widened their overall lead in the match.
Freshie Neville preparing to serve.
EH 0:2 TH
Determined to avenge the earlier losses, Damien and Le Yuan took the court for the first doubles match of the day. The LYLC combo were definitely familiar with each other as their chemistry showed on the court. Despite one of his serves hitting Le Yuan on the head (comic relief perhaps?), Damien’s serving was on fuego as his rocket serves were unable to be returned by his opponent. The score was tied neck-and-neck at 2-2 early in the first set as the two teams fiercely traded points. Though they dropped the first set 6-3, they did not let that deter them as smart plays by Le Yuan gave them a 2-1 lead in the second set. The duo continued to fight endlessly, but eventually they dropped the second set 6-3 as well and the match to TH.
EH 0:3 TH
The next doubles pair up were Chee Wang and Yu Rui. The duo showed off their aggressive play right from the start, sending bullets across their net for spectacular points. The match was extremely evenly matched as they scrambled to save what seemed to be sure-win points for their opponent. However, good play from TH gave them the first set 6-2. Despite the odds being against their favour, the pair showed why they were still in contention as they never gave up hustling for points, mixing in smart and creative lobs with strong and powerful shots. They managed to remain close in the second set and the supporters were in full force cheering the two players on. However, a strong fight back was not enough as they ultimately dropped the second set 3-6.
Chee Wang (front) preparing while teammate Yu Rui (back) served.
EH 0:4 TH
The final match came down to freshie Zhen Nan who stepped up as the third and last singles for the night. If looks could kill, Zhen Nan would have easily won the match as he made a strong fashion statement donning a stylish bandana. Equally impressive were his tennis skills, which were on full display as he mercilessly whacked balls to the opposing court for quick points. His opponent had no answer to his powerful shots as he managed to keep the scores extremely close. He also proved to be a jack of all trades with strong defence as well, running down balls with such speed and grace. In the second set, the crowd went wild as Zhen Nan went on to hit a stunning tweener winner and ace to make it 1-0 to EH! He continued to hustle hard but eventually, this battle of the halls came to a conclusion as his opponent won with a score of 6-2, 6-3.
Final score – EH 0:5 TH
A tough end for the Tennis team who had come so far, but it was still a spectacular season for the Tennis guys nonetheless. Their journey had definitely not been easy, with countless of hours spent training into the late night or under the scorching sun, sweating it out one day at a time. But ultimately, let us again congratulate the team for their amazing finish this season as they continue to train hard and come back even stronger for the next one! Well done, guys!
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