Wales opened their Home Internationals campaign against a very strong England side, with the added pressure of the match being streamed live on YouTube for friends and family to watch. Despite a tough overall result, there were plenty of positives to take, not least the effort and determination shown across the team. Man of the Match Rhys Luffman led by example, battling superbly and pushing his opponent all the way, narrowly losing two games 13–11 and unlucky not to come away with a game. While some of the team, myself included, were given a harsh lesson by a world-class England side, the experience and fight shown set the tone for the matches ahead.
Following a tough opening match against England, Wales came into their fixture with Scotland determined to respond, while remaining mindful not to become complacent. The team delivered exactly that – producing a series of composed and clinical performances across the board to secure an emphatic 5-0 victory. Man of the Match Tej Singh Saran was particularly impressive, demonstrating complete control as he moved his opponent around the court with ease. It was a much-needed win for the side, with all players stepping up superbly and all but one match being closed out in 3-0.
Saturday afternoon brought Wales’ toughest test of the weekend against a strong Ireland side, who had rested key players in preparation for the fixture. Wales started superbly, with Rhys Luffman setting the tone with an emphatic 3-0 win, quickly followed by another composed 3-0 victory from Tej Singh Saran. With second place still on the line, Wales knew three wins would secure their target and when Stephen Thompson delivered another straight-sets victory, the runner-up spot was confirmed. Steve Colarusso added a fourth win with a much more relaxed and assured performance than his previous match against Scotland. The standout performance of the match, however, came from Man of the Match Dan Anderson, who produced a remarkable display to push his opponent all the way to five games, narrowly losing 3–2. His effort was all the more impressive given his recent return from injury and the demands of playing all three matches over the weekend.
A fantastic effort from the Welsh Over 35s squad, securing another well-earned second-place finish to be incredibly proud of. The team showed resilience, professionalism and quality throughout the weekend, bouncing back from a tough start to deliver when it mattered most. A special mention goes to Rhys Luffman on his debut for Wales – an outstanding introduction at this level, and no doubt the first of many appearances in the Welsh shirt.
