Summer wins for Thame Squash siblings

WHO thought that squash was a winter game? Throughout the school holidays there have already been three junior tournaments: The Mote Kent Open, the Winchester Open and the Abingdon Open – and that doesn’t even include the local Racquets Open Junior One-Day tournament recently won by Ollie Dudley-Heidkamp, from Thame.

Oliver and Emily Coulcher-Porter with Nick Matthew, former World Number one, now ranked World Number four

Oliver Coulcher-Porter, 10, and his sister Emily, aged 8, train and play at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame, and both have been competing and being highly successful all around the South of England tournament scene.

Oliver has won the Under 13 boys’ Mote Kent Open, the Winchester Under 11 boys Open and the Abingdon Under 11s boys Open tournaments. These results will take his ranking well into the top ten boys in Great Britain.

Meanwhile, sister Emily won the Under 11 girls Abingdon Open – despite being a full two and a half years younger and much lower ranked than the other finalist. She also came fourth in the London Open Under 13 girls where she was the youngest by about four years! Mum, Jane, said: “‘I couldn’t be more proud of my kids who are punching above their age and succeeding. We’re visiting clubs all across the country and meeting so many wonderful people.”

“We love squash and try to go to Racquets for the morning squash drop-in training sessions throughout the summer holidays as much as possible, said Oliver. “We enjoy playing with all the different standards of players, whether they are beginners or nationally ranked. It was great to have one of our older boys from Racquets, Oliver Cartwright, support me in my tough final at Abingdon. He played so well in the U15 boys section against extremely formidable opponents.”

The next tournament for Oliver and Emily will be the Silver South Great Britain Tournament in August, which will be held in Exeter.