Reinvent Your Life

YC&AC vs SCC (Singapore Cricket Club) – Mini Tennis Tournament

October 14, 2023

Words: Dennis Stanworth (On behalf of the YC&AC Tennis Committee)

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, YC&AC was delighted to welcome members of the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) to take part in a rival game of football (soccer). At stake was the Friendship Challenge Trophy, donated by two former longstanding members of the YC&AC, Graham Dickson and Sadao Hosagai. It was fortuitous that three of the team were also avid tennis players and having recruited a fourth, these members were inspired to challenge the YC&AC to a mini tennis tournament before the soccer game.

The YC&AC took up the challenge and chose a team of social/ intermediate players to take part in a two-hour tournament using our clay courts 1 & 2. (The Argentinian Ambassador, one of the SCC tennis members, commented on how well- kept our clay courts were – huge kudos to our ground staff).

YC&AC Team: Eddie Wu, Christopher Jackson, Nobu Ishigami and Dennis Stanworth

SCC Team: Martin, Roman, Mauricio, Kevin

Captains: Dennis and Martin exchanging of plaque & pennant with team members watching on.

After exchanges of greetings and announcements, presentations were made on Court 1, with the deputy president of the SCC handing over a beautiful plaque to the YC&AC (see photo). We in turn gave the captain a YC&AC pennant. The tournament got off to an enthusiastic start and during the pursuing two hours of tennis, some close matches and some convincing wins were witnessed by an enthusiastic gallery in front of the tennis hut!

Results: Even though the two sides won the same number of matches, it was SCC who took the tournament based on the total number of games won; SCC-26, YC&AC-14. This was a thoroughly deserved victory by the SCC and in the true spirit of sportsmanship, YC&AC showed magnanimity in defeat.

Thank you so much to our guests for such a delightful afternoon of tennis interwoven with fun and camaraderie. We keenly look forward to the return battle on your home soil next year! The seeds have now been firmly replanted to ensure this close friendship remains a quintessential feature shared by both these two great clubs with future annual exchanges across a variety of sports in the offing.

Thank you again Singapore Cricket Club for making the trip over, for the gifts (a cap each) and for the plaque donated to the YC&AC. Extended thanks also go to the YC&AC tennis members for their supportive contributions and to our Sports Operations Team for its wonderful backstage support. Upwards and onwards! (or lobs and volleys as one would say on court!).

(The Singapore Cricket Club was established in 1852, sixteen years before the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club. Both these clubs are rich in history and mirror each other in many traditional sports and activities)