York’s men’s 1sts continued where the women’s tennis team had left off this afternoon, with a comfortable win over St. John’s, winning by 10 points to nil.
On a day where the rain had already caused the abandonment of both football and rugby, the universities were reluctant for the weather to dampen any chance of play in the tennis.
The double pairings representing York, consisting of Pete Thompson and Brad Hudson, and Chris McDonald and Sam Francis, got the first glimpse of the men’s action under way. Under the Varsity doubles rules that teams were to play a first to eight games set, it was to be the former pairing of Hudson and Thompson who sent the storm rolling in York’s favour with an eight games to five victory. It wasn’t long after that York had their second double’s victory, after a highly convincing eight games to one demolition by McDonald and Francis, giving York their first two men’s firsts’ points, and leaving St. John’s with a grey afternoon ahead of them.
The four singles matches followed immediately after, and although the downpour continued, York failed to off any respite to their rivals. With each match worth two points, it was game on in the tennis. Chris McDonald made easy work, not dropping a single game as he raced to a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Then the second singles victory for York men’s followed as Sam Francis inflicted a 6-1, 6-2 defeat.
Brad Hudson enjoyed similar fortunes as his teammates in his match, also winning in straight sets, wrapping up a 6-3 first set victory with a 6-0 score in the second. And to end an almost perfect day for the tennis, Pete Thompson managed to serve out a somewhat tighter affair, 6-3, 6-4, netting a clear victory for York, without losing a single set. It was very much advantage York in their hope to retain the Varsity title.