Richard Whitehead talking, Alan Rees listening.
Two Men’s Singles Semi-Finals & The Women’s Singles Final At Queen’s, 22 November 2025
Janie and I warmed up for this event by having our regular hour of “lawn” at Boston Manor, albeit at 10:00 rather than our regular hour of 11:00. We then hot-footed it (if you can hot-foot by car) to the flat dropping off some old computer equipment headed for charity, then picked up Janie’s flashy new specs, then got to The Queen’s Club about 30 or 40 minutes into the first match.
Simon Talbot-Williams greeted us both warmly from his stewarding position, while simultaneously telling me off “for being late”, before helping organise our seating.
Just as well we warmed up for the event, as the dedans gallery had a real chill breeze feel to it, despite the nicely positioned radiator near our feet.
We caught the end of the match between Nicky Howell and Rob Fahey. Then saw all of the match between John Lumley and Bryn Sayers.
After taking some tea and chatting with the assembled real tennis glitterati, Janie and I saw Claire Fahey’s historic win in the final against Tara Lumley.
Historic, in that the women’s final hadn’t been at Queen’s for decades. We both thought that the format including both men’s and women’s matches was an excellent idea.
More of this men’s and women’s tennis on the same day, please, Janie and I say.
On searching on-line for the results, Google’s AI Overview, for once, has not hallucinated. The following summarises matters expertly.
Men’s (Open) Singles Semi-finals
Two Men’s Singles semi-final matches were played during the afternoon.
- Fixture: N. Howell bt R. Fahey
- Score: 6/2 6/2 6/5
- Start Time: 2:00 PM
- Fixture: J. Lumley bt B. Sayers
- Score: 6/5 6/3 6/2
- Start Time: 4:00 PM (approx)
Women’s Singles Final
Claire Fahey defeated Tara Lumley in the final match, which began at 6:45 PM.
- Fixture: C. Fahey bt T. Lumley
- Score: 6/0 6/0
What the AI cannot do is express how much we enjoyed our afternoon and early evening at Queen’s, watching high grade tennis. It’s just a shame it was unseasonably cold!
Victory In Australia by Richard Whitehead, MCC Library Book Club, Lord’s, 26 November 2025
Janie and I very much enjoy these library book club supper evenings. This one, at which Richard Whitehead discussed his book about the 1954/55 Ashes tour, might not have attracted our attention, but for Alan Rees (head librarian) taking pains to let me know how much he had enjoyed that book and was thrilled to have secured an evening with Richard.
Save the date…
said Alan a good few weeks before the evening was announced. Hence, once it was announced…we pounced to get tickets.
We were very glad we did. The food and company is always good. On this occasion, as a bonus, we found ourselves next to my real tennis pal of old, Jim Chaudry. Jim has been “off games” for some while now, but I occasionally see him at cricket and have spotted him a few times at the library book club dinners, but until this time, not at my table.
The food was, as always, excellent. Janie went into full tilt food porn photo mode this time.
As usual, after the talk, the Q&A, and the book signing, Janie and I went home thoroughly pleased and satisfied. That’s some of my holiday reading for our next trip sorted out for sure.
