27-30 January
An intrepid team of Dedanists visited Paris. We received a warm welcome from the Jeu de Paume club. Enormous thanks to Rod McNaughton for his help with the organization, despite just returning from surgery. This was his first day back. We were looked after by the bar team, with an enjoyable cold collation for both days.
Given the characteristics of the Paris court; we had a preparatory hit for a couple of hours on the Friday before a simple repast at Le Petit Retro. Most players staying in Victor Hugo, or the sister hotel Pascal, both within a 2-3 minute walk of the Jeu de Paume.
Trudy Machin was the player of the weekend, adapting to the court with ease. The Dedanist’s played with intensity and concentration against a strong opposition, with home court advantage. All the matches were keenly fought and could have gone either way. Rod had managed to create matches with balanced handicaps, only two matches required adjustment. An excellent result for the Dedanist’s, especially as we lost 8 nil last year.
At Victor's restaurant, we celebrating with members of the Jeu du Paume. Victors provided a great set menu with excellent wine
On the Sunday we played rolling doubles; using a system, picked up by Jonathan Ellis Miller on a recent tour of the US courts. We were joined by Emmanuel Foy and Jeremey Kreitz, both playing off 60 despite only taking up the game within the last year. The final repast was a brasserie on Rue Henry Poincore.
Je remercie Patricia Gallagher d’avoir pris les photos, avec sa générosité et son flair habituels.
I am grateful to Patricia Gallagher for taking photographs, with her customary generosity and flare. It was lovely to see Gil Kressman on court.
I was glad to hear that Charles Heaton and his wife successfully negotiated the French farmers blockade to leave Paris for the Alpes without too much trouble. The rest of us arrived back in the UK to the ASLEF overtime ban.
J’ai été heureux d’apprendre que Charles Heaton et sa femme avaient réussi à négocier le blocus des agriculteurs français et à quitter Paris pour les Alpes sans trop de problèmes.Le reste d’entre nous est rentré au Royaume-Uni pour assister à l’interdiction des heures supplémentaires de l’ASLEF.
Chris Marguerie
Paris Dedanists
Geurout/Fontaine vs Jon Fistein/Ian Machin
Charton/St John-Webb vs Anthony Bailey/Trudy Machin
Mariani/ Kressman vs Charles Heaton/Martin Village
Salmon/Oddo vs Jonathan Ellis-Miller/Simon Cripps
Smart/Maguet vs A Bailey/T Machin (gave 15 owe 15)
Salmon/Chapellier vs Chris Marguerie/François Ménage
Oddo/Chapellier vs C Marguerie/ François Ménage
Mariani/Mallen vs C Heaton/M Village
J Kreitz/E Foy vs J Ellis-Miller/ S Cripps
Zolidis/Heasler vs J Fistein/I Machin
The Dedanists are a private club of real tennis enthusiasts who seek to share the virtues and pleasures of the game and raise funds for good causes, in particular real junior tennis. The club is also known as the Dedanists' Society. It was founded in 2002/3.
their activities include
(i) Organize tennis matches and social events for the entertainment of members (tennis matches, tournaments, dinners.....
(ii) Raise funds for good causes, in particular for junior tennis
(iii) Fund and manage the British Real Tennis Academy, the national training program for the country's best young players, men and women, aged 13 to 25.
The Society typically raises and spends £20,000 a year on the Academy. In recent years, the Academy has produced: (i) the first British Open singles champion since 1999; (ii) the youngest world singles champion with the lowest women's handicap ever recorded; (iii) US Open champions in men's and women's singles; (iv) the youngest British amateur singles champion.
