After suffering their first league defeat of the academic year against Coventry University, the Blues hit back on Wednesday by crushing Birmingham University 12-0 in the penultimate match of the season.

Cohen (St Cat’s) and Johnston (Christ’s) started solidly against a rangy Czech and his powerful but immobile partner. They stole an early break but quickly threw it away again to send the set into a tiebreak. Cohen was slowly finding his touch off the return and a brace of dumped second serves gave Cambridge the opening set. Cohen was limping now after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps during training, but hobbled valiantly on to give Cambridge the opening win.

Sylvester (Trinity) and Ashcroft (Magdalene), having rarely played together this year, combined effectively to edge their match. Both cracked down serves which raced off the slick outdoor astroturf courts and veered past the outstretched rackets of their stranded opponents. Ashcroft returned particularly well and Sylvester delivered aces at opportune moments to see off the Birmingham pair.

In the opening singles, Johnston started serenely against a hulking right-hander, Jaob Wayne. His opponent’s game-plan, which amounted to trying to slap the casing off the ball, had little chance of success as he flailed at forehands. 6-1 to Johnston. But Wayne served up a string of unexpected winners in the second set which caught Johnston off his guard, and, buoyed up by the cheers, jeers and catcalls of the local onlookers, he took the second set, 6-3. Johnston took stock at the beginning of the third, reined in his wayward ball-toss and dug in. Wayne, always the crowd-pleaser, went for too much, misfired and handed the set and the match to Cambridge. Three matches in and Cambridge were cruising to victory.

At number two, Markides broke in the very first game, using his flat forehand to full effect on the quick astro courts to wrap up the first set, 6-2, in less than 20 minutes. The second set seemed to be developing along similar lines. Markides stole an early break and victory beckoned, or so he thought. Uncharacteristic indecision and poor serving offered his opponent a lifeline, but it was quickly withdrawn as Markides toughed out the set, 6-4.

Sylvester was in truth never likely to trip up against an ungainly Midlander. He started the match well with some solid serving and big forehands and after the closely fought opening exchanges, he was able to break his opponent at 3-3 with some crafty slice backhands and knifing volleys.  He served out the first set with ease, taking it 6-4.  The second set was again defined by dominant serving but after a marathon game at 4-4, Sylvester hit a flat backhand up the line to break. He finished in style, serving an ace out-wide on match point.

Ashcroft sustained his impressive form with a comfortable win against a childhood hitting-partner at number four. His bending serves, powerful, compact returns and much-improved movement proved too much for his opponent. 

So, Cambridge recorded a solid win but they must resign themselves to another year in the second tier of BUCS tennis after frontrunners Coventry virtually guaranteed themselves a promotion play-off match with an emphatic win over Nottingham University.