Champ Bomford hailed as Moreton Morrell’s best

Tom Bomford, 38, a rackets coach at Malvern School, beat fellow club member 19-year-old Vaughan Hamilton in an exhilarating final last week which saw the two trade long, fast and skilful rallies.

Club chairman Andrew Hamilton, a Great Britain player who has been watching real tennis at the club for 50 years, said Bomford was a fine all-round player of racket sports.

“He is one of the finest amateur real tennis players in the country and has achieved some notable scalps in the Pol Roger national club competition,” said Hamilton.

“In my opinion, he is the best player to have graced the court at Moreton Morrell.

“He is incredibly fit, quick on his feet and has uncanny powers of anticipation.”

The win was Bomford’s fifth victory in the competition since 2014.

The Owen-George Cup is played in memory of Roland Owen-George, who, with his business partner His Honour James Blythe (both members of the club), founded Blythe Owen-George & Co solicitors in 1952, from which Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins was formed in 1998.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner of Blythe Liggins, which sponsors the cup, said: “Roland Owen-George, together with Sir Richard Hamilton, Anthony Hobson and others, worked tirelessly to keep the tennis club afloat during some very difficult times in the 1960s and this annual competition is a fitting recognition of his legacy.

“It’s a great honour for us to sponsor the event, marking the contribution to real tennis made by one of our founders.”