NOLTC and Bicester in ‘Christmas truce’
21 December 2015, by Matt Pickles
With multiple teams playing in both winter and summer leagues, there is no shortage of opportunity for members to represent North Oxford in matches throughout the year.
Over the years some good rivalries – almost always friendly! – have developed between teams from different clubs in the county.
This year North Oxford’s Men’s A, Mixed A and NCL teams have been locked in battle with Bicester Lawn Tennis Club’s first team, who have rapidly improved since four former junior players (now in their 20s) returned to the club.
In the last six months alone, Bicester’s National County League (NCL) team beat North Oxford’s, their men’s A team lost to North Oxford’s men’s As, and the Mixed As drew.
Last week members of the two clubs teamed up for a Christmas meal at Jacob’s Inn pub in Wolvercote. Disputed line calls and nervy tie-breaks were forgotten as the teams swapped stories of the season and got to know each other off the court.
Bicester men’s captain Ryan Steward (pictured below with Matt Pickles of North Oxford, right) said: ‘We’ve enjoyed some great battles with North Oxford across the season, I must have played four or five matches here this year. It’s an incredible club and you are lucky to have so many floodlit courts and to be able to play on grass in summer.’
North Oxford has teams for all levels of play – more information is available here.
Ryan Steward (Bicester) and Matt Pickles (NOLTC)