BOTH Peter Symonds College tennis teams qualified for the Ageon Team Tennis Schools National Championships in Sheffield.

In the Glanville Cup, the boy’s team – Sam Charles and Miles McDowall (ex Kings’), David Darrock (ex Thornden), Hallam Doney (Harrow Way), Taylor Vane (Hounsdown Secondary) – finished ninth overall, having lost to the tournament’s overall winners, Reeds School, in the first round. Symonds then beat The Lancaster School (8-4), New Hall School (8-4) and Bedes School (8-4).

In the Aberdare Cup competition, the girl’s squad – Frances Arnott (ex Mountbatten), Tendo Gwaze (ex Kings’), Olivia James (ex Romsey School - PSC Ladies team Captain), Emily Kerr (ex Westgate) – finished 10th out of 16 teams.

All the College’s tennis players benefit from the outstanding facilities – 17 tennis courts, 4 indoor, 6 synthetic grass (4 floodlit), 2 artificial clay (floodlit) and 5 hard courts – at Winchester Racquet and Fitness Club in Bereweeke Road.

This season the team have had Andy Sheridan as their coach while Hannah Crawford, a former member of the PSC tennis team and the club’s current ladies champion, is running the training sessions for the PSC developmental squad.